Brand New Podcast Explores Homelessness in Southend with HARP
A brand new podcast featuring interviews with local people in Southend has dedicated an episode to exploring the issue of homelessness in the area.
Joe Creak, creator of The Scratch podcast, interviewed Elliott Barker, our very own Rough Sleeper Co-ordinator. Elliott heads up a team of outreach workers and project workers who help people who are sleeping rough.
Homelessness is an issue that is close to Joe’s heart, he said: “I have always been passionate about tackling homelessness, as I think it’s everybody’s basic human right to have a warm bed to sleep in, food in their stomach and a fair chance in life.”
He continued: “I think people have started to forget that people who are living on the street are humans too. They have simply either made some unfortunate decisions in life or have just been dealt a bit of a short hand and need some extra support.”
On the podcast, Elliott and Joe talk about the work that we do at HARP and the systems that are in place to tackle homelessness, how people are helped to reintegrate back into society, some of the causes of homelessness, how the public can help people on the streets, and the dehumanisation of rough sleepers.
Joe says: “I approached HARP for the podcast because I think what they do is amazing and I wanted to try and help in any way possible to continue the incredible work they do to help stop homelessness and raise awareness for a great cause. Speaking with Elliot really hit home the hard work that the people at HARP do every single day to try and make people’s lives better. It also showed me the real issues and difficulties faced by rough sleepers and how much work HARP and the Southend community still have in front of them to make sure homelessness is a thing of the past." The HARP episode is now available and can be found by searching for “The Scratch Podcast” on Soundcloud or Spotify. Or click here to listen on Soundcloud or here to listen on Spotify.
The Scratch podcast features Southend locals talking about how to live a better life. So far, Joe has also covered topics of anxiety, creativity, yoga, meditation, psychic mediumship, and an interview with his mum (on being his mum).
We were delighted to be included in the mix and we may be biased but we think it's a brilliant episode!
