Providing the right services for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic groups

There is limited information available on the specific service needs of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) homeless people, and insufficient knowledge and links between the BAME and homelessness sectors.

The Delivery Model

Led by Race on the Agenda (ROTA), BAME Links involveds working with a sample group of BAME homeless individuals and aimed to test the possible routes out of homelessness and worklessness. The study monitored their experience of services, including referrals, and how successfully services can impact on their situation.

Interviews were also carried out with London’s mainstream homeless organisations and BAME led organisations, to identify gaps in the way they work together, and any support individuals might need, to provide better services to BAME homeless individuals.

The documented account is being disseminated widely as a research report, and will serve to influence London based agencies, as well as national and international (EU) agencies.  With this approach the project will create greater awareness of BAME homelessness and give the participating BAME individuals and organisations the opportunity to influence homeless policy and service initiatives.

“Agencies do not discriminate but they have biases. They lack understanding of where we are coming from” - BAME Links participant

Toolkit and Good Practice

The final project report, "The visible and hidden dimensions of London's homelessness: A black, asian and minority ethnic account: Addressing the Gaps in Service Provision, Policy and Practice" (2.2 Mb) is available to download.