Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, has praised the youth homelessness charity, Depaul UK, for its “determination and passion” to support the vulnerable, in a statement released to mark the charity’s 30th anniversary.
Cardinal Basil Hume became the charity’s patron after its founding in 1989.
“I am happy to be following in his footsteps,” Cardinal Nichols, current patron, writes.
Cardinal Nichols explains Depaul’s partnership with the family of organisations that take their inspiration from St Vincent de Paul.
“Saint Vincent, a Catholic priest in 17th Century France, said: “Go to the poor: you will find God.” He insisted that charity entailed far more than handing out soup and bread. He taught us all that the essence of charity was “being a servant of the poor, always smiling and good-humoured”, aware always of the presence of God,” the Cardinal writes.
Today, Depaul reaches more than 21,000 homeless men and women a year – around 4,000 of them in the UK, the Cardinal explains. And, since, 1989, it has supported more than 130,000 people affected by homelessness.
The Cardinal attributes this to the generosity of church communities and “the ceaseless dedication and hard work of many thousands of people: volunteers, staff and supporters, who come from all walks of life and different faith communities”.
He concludes highlighting the urgent and continued need for Depaul’s work and thanking God for the “continuing and vibrant inspiration of St Vincent de Paul”.
“I congratulate Depaul on all that has been achieved to date and I encourage wide support for this great work which continues to serve some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”
A special Roundtable discussion on youth homelessness on 30 May, held at 10 Downing Street and with the backing of Prime Minister Theresa May, also marked the charity’s 30th anniversary.
Mrs May said: “Since 1989 Depaul has done excellent work supporting young people at risk of homelessness. I wanted to bring together a group of experts in the field to discuss what more could be done to prevent youth homelessness.”
The Roundtable, which was attended by two Government ministers and key figures from the homelessness sector, discussed preventing youth homelessness, supporting groups at particular risk of homelessness such as LGBT young people, creating a stronger welfare safety net and the Government’s Young Future’s Fund, part of its Rough Sleepers Strategy, announced last summer.
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Heather Wheeler said: “Today’s discussion has been a great opportunity to take a fresh look at the root causes of youth homelessness and how the Government can provide support where it is most needed.
“For many years, Depaul UK has led the way in supporting young people experiencing homelessness. The Government is doing everything it can, working with the homelessness sector, to understand the problem better and find the answers.”
Department for Work and Pensions minister Will Quince MP, the Prime Minister’s Special Advisor on Social Justice, Opportunity and Young People Nero Ughwujabo and four formerly homeless young people from Depaul also took part in the Roundtable.
Depaul UK CEO Mike Thiedke said: “We would like to thank the Prime Minister for inviting us into 10 Downing Street for this important Roundtable.
“There could be no more appropriate way of marking our 30th anniversary as a homelessness charity supporting young people than talking with Government ministers and leaders in the sector to seek solutions to youth homelessness.”
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