Understanding Homelessness: A Creative Toolkit

This creative toolkit was designed by Professor Nadine Holdsworth as a resource for teachers, youth groups, and other voluntary organisations working with people aged 14 years old and above. It provides informative and creative ways to approach the complex issues surrounding homelessness.

It explores:

The wider context of homelessness
The triggers that can lead to homelessness
The support that is available for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness
Different social and cultural responses to homelessness

It contains information, questions to discuss, and a range of exercises to facilitate written, visual and drama-based responses to the issues explored. The bold text in the toolkit 'live links' to more information on organisations, ideas, or to video clips. The toolkit could be used for Active Citizenship, Tutor Time, PSHE or within the curriculum, as well as by charities, youth and church-based groups. In 2023 Nadine collaborated with the Don Calabria Institute to develop an Italian version of the toolkit.

‘The combination of elements is so coherent and striking (great layout) - facts, feelings, quotes, illustrations - it takes the reader from vague awareness to informed emotions of care, anger, frustration, gratitude, all sorts. Really an astonishing piece of work…it should be widely used.’ – Dr Deborah Dean, Warwick Business School

Coventry Creates

The artist Frances Yeung developed the artwork in the toolkit and responded to the research and creative process as part of the Coventry Creates project. You can view some of the artwork here.