Grassroots-Driven Policy Successes
The vast majority of the CSJ’s policy work is informed and inspired by grassroots poverty-fighting organisations who work on the frontlines in communities across the country. The people we speak to in these communities have first-hand expertise in understanding and tackling poverty and social breakdown. These conversations ensure our policy research is informed by real life.
This method has led to multiple policy achievements on issues of unemployment, welfare, prison reform, homelessness, and more. A selection of these are outlined below.
Homelessness
To tackle the scourge of Rough Sleeping, we recommended the introduction of ‘Housing First’ a policy that provides accommodation and a key worker to homeless people to help them break the cycle of homelessness. This was inspired by frontline organisations such as Homeless Link, The Bridge, and Streets 2 Homes.
- Over 3,000 rough sleepers are counted every night across England
- New ‘Housing First’ approach can help end rough sleeping for good
- CSJ campaign leads to 3 plot projects – more work to be done
Economic Inactivity
Inspired by Oldham-based Focused Care, we recommended a policy of Universal Support to help the hundreds of thousands of people who are not in work but wish to work. Working with the government we helped to design the programme that was announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt with a commitment of £1 billion investment.
- 7,000 say they would like to work but need support
- CSJ runs 10 year campaign for Universal Support
- 2023: £1bn of targeted support announced to help 50,000 people every year into work
Cuckooing
This hidden issue was brought to light by CSJ Alliance charities such as Justice & Care, Exaireo, and Street Talk. Through CSJ recommendations and campaigning, the government has now committed to tackling the issue.
- Unknown Issue brought to light by Alliance charities
- CSJ analysis shows 1-in-8 people have witnessed cuckooing
- CSJ mounts cross-party campaign; Govt. now commited to tackle issue
Severe School Absence
Insights from many CSJ Alliance charities reveal increase of children absent from school. Working with School Home Support, we published several reports revealing the scale of severe absence has reached 140,000 children. After a huge media campaign, the government to has issued new guidance and committed to a £5m pilot scheme.
- 140,000 children still severely absent from school, post-lockdown
- Still no major government solution to tackle this
- CSJ pushing hard but much more to be done
