Over the last few years, we have recognised the importance of addressing needs that can be unique to women facing homelessness. Many women in these circumstances have faced huge challenges and pressures in their lives and their experiences have left them vulnerable to domestic abuse and other traumas.

Many women leaving prison have faced significant challenges in life and traditional housing models just don’t work. We have seen time and time again, that when systems aren’t designed in the right way, women become trapped in a cycle of homelessness and re-offending. 

That's why in 2020, we began running our Project Kali service. It’s a female-focused service for women with experience of homelessness and a history of offending.

The project operates on the principles of the Housing First model and responds directly to women’s complex needs. Its aims are threefold:

1. To ensure that women with multiple complex needs including a history of offending can access secure housing enabling them to address their support needs.
   
   
2. To ensure that there is a tailored offer of support that caters for women with complex needs and a history of offending.
   
   
3. To ensure that learning is shared from this project to further increase the understanding of the issues facing women with multiple complex needs and what appropriate support provision needs to be in place to address them.

Our specialist Project Kali team offers intensive, wrap-around help designed to give our clients the best chance of living independently and sustaining tenancies. We know that many of our clients have faced great trauma in their lives.

We also recognise that women’s paths to and experiences of homelessness are often different to those of their male counterparts. Understanding this and viewing our client’s needs in a holistic way is crucial and at the core of the support that we offer. By taking this approach, we can quickly intervene in difficult situations and prevent the types of crises that can lead to re-offending.

Our results are outstanding. 93% of our clients have reduced their offending and almost half have stopped completely. Every single one of our 15 clients has successfully maintained their tenancies. The project was recognised at the UK Housing Awards in 2021.

Project Kali is an example that when you provide the right support, in the right way, you can break the cycle of homelessness and lives can be turned around.