What does it mean to feel safe, supported and seen?

On Friday we had the privilege of attending the Your Place event at the House of Lords. It was a powerful reminder that behind every statistic on homelessness there is a person with a story, and a future that can change.

Amanda Dubarry, CEO of Your Place, shared a stark reality: 1 in 18 people in Newham are experiencing homelessness. She reminded us that meaningful change begins with safety, support, a second chance, and a shared belief in people’s potential.

We heard from Nas, who spoke about finding a sense of family at Your Place after feeling unwanted for so long. We also heard from Tony, whose performance poetry chronicled his experience of homelessness and the transformation that followed with Your Place by his side.

Matthew Torbitt, anti-homelessness campaigner and political commentator, who has himself experienced homelessness, offered words that stayed with everyone in the room:

“It’s the sound of opening your own front door that says you’re home… it’s the absence of that which makes you feel untethered.”

He also named the deeper truth:

“Homelessness is not a moral failure, but systems that don’t catch us when we fall are.”

We were glad to reconnect with Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, a passionate advocate for the people of Newham. We also learned more about frontline efforts from Funmi, a resettlement worker at Your Place, and spoke with Cllr Joseph Ogundemuren (Hackney), Cllr Valerie Owura Ama Wirekvau Bossman-Quarshie (Islington) and Cllr Andy Konieczko (Basingstoke). Their commitment on the front line of housing need matters.

What this means for Cornerstone Place

At Cornerstone Place, our mission is to put more front door keys in the hands of people in housing need. We do this by partnering with local authorities, charities and registered providers to deliver Impact First Social Housing^TM that is sustainable, psychologically informed and designed around the wellbeing of residents.

• Safety means secure, high-quality homes that meet real needs.

• Support means working with partners who provide the wrap-around services that help people to thrive.

• Being seen means centring lived experience in the design of every solution so homes and systems reflect the dignity of those who live in them.

Solving the housing crisis is a collective task. It requires councils, charities, community groups and values-aligned developers to work in partnership so that assets remain in the hands of the impact makers and the value created stays with local communities.

If you are working to reduce reliance on temporary accommodation, or if you have small sites that could be unlocked for social housing, we would love to talk.