Ed Vaizey MP: Final diary instalment

Ed Vaizey has been in the first tranche of MPs undertaking the Inner City Challenge, and writing a diary of his experience for ConservativeHome.

I’ve finished my placement at the King’s Arms Project, and I’m taking the opportunity of my final post to put down some reflections on my week.

It was absolutely worth doing, that is for sure.  I take the point that the whole exercise can appear patronising.  For a relatively affluent MP to spend a week with the homeless – and to write about it at the same time -  has more than a touch of the “polly toynbees” about it. But having done it, there is simply no better way to gain a better understanding of the problems facing the homeless, and those who seek to help them.

In fact, the first lesson is to stop talking about the “homeless”, and instead talk about Pete, Paul, Courtney, Dan, Michael, Alan, Phil, Elizabeth, Jon and the many others I met and chatted to during the week.  As I think I said in an earlier blog, my prejudices were challenged from the start. I went to look at a social phenomenon and met real people instead. I had expected a hostile reception, with a lot of mistrust.  Instead, I found all the residents open, honest and engaging.

Ed Vaizey MP: Third diary instalment

Ed Vaizey is in the first tranche of MPs undertaking the Inner City Challenge, he is writing a diary of his experience for ConservativeHome.

"It's almost three in the morning.  I'm doing the night shift with Heather and Becky.  We've just cleaned the bogs and the kitchen.

A chance now to reflect on the day.  I've seen a little of both the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega of homelessness.

With Ali, who does floating support, I've seen some interviews and heard about some of the success stories. Floating support is funded entirely privately and does what it says on the tin, giving continuous and tailored support as needed.  It's through this process that people get moved to hostel to housing and, with luck, off their addictions.  A lot of people have been helped, and there are many beginning to lead normal lives.

At the other end are those sleeping rough, not even in a nightshelter. I met one tonight, but was shown many more places where people bed down, from parks to car parks, and also where they shoot up.  These people really can be completely forgotten.  If they choose, they can be almost invisible, except to the occasional passing yob.

My worst moment by far also happened today.  I met a charming and articulate businessman in the morning at an interview.  I saw him again this evening, drunk, trying to get into the nightshelter.  Ten years ago he was rich and successful. Now he is an alcoholic and homeless. It really can happen to anyone."

Ed Vaizey MP: Second diary instalment

Ed Vaizey is in the first tranche of MPs undertaking the Inner City Challenge, he is writing a diary of his experience for ConservativeHome.

"Two weeks ago, I was playing scrabble and watching a DVD on holiday in Turkey with my wife.  Last night I did the same with a group of homeless men and one woman.

I've now done two evenings at the shelter. It is ever so slightly surreal. I feel I've known the residents and the staff for ages. As Jeepers Creepers 2 came to an end, I felt I had simply gone to a friends house to watch telly. There is a real family feeling to the place. The residents and staff have a mutual respect for each other. There is familiarity, but boundaries are not crossed.

The evening starts at 7 when the residents start to arrive.  They have to hand in mobile phones and drug paraphanalia.  Dinner is served pretty much immediately.  I've had long discussions on politics - even the homeless think the country's gone to the dogs. And I've tried to pick up on some of the stories of the lives I'm witnessing.

Dinner is followed by scrabble, chess videos. Some residents go straight to bed.  Most are asleep before the midnight curfew, four to a room.

The staff work in two shifts. They are all mainly young, in their early twenties, all are Christian but religion is not on display during the evening.

I am having a nice time. The residents are, it seems, good and interesting people. With some, the damage they have suffered is easy to see on the surface. With others, the only way to know there's a problem is because you are sharing a meal in a nightshelter.

This is certainly opening my eyes, much more so than if I was just visiting.  Its going to be hard to pass by a homeless person on the street in future without stopping to have a word."

Ed Vaizey MP: Inner City Challenge diary

Ed Vaizey is in the first tranche of MPs undertaking the Inner City Challenge, he is writing a diary of his experience for ConservativeHome.

"I'm spending this week at the Kings Arms. But before people say "Ah ha, typical, so this is what MPs do on their holidays", I should explain that the Kings Arms Project, to give it its full title, is a nightshelter, hostel and onward support scheme run by a local church. I'm here at the suggestion of the Centre for Social Justice, to spend a week working, to try and gain a better understanding of the problems faced by the homeless, and by a charity working in this sector.

Blogging from a BlackBerry isn't easy, so I'll keep my missives mercifully short, and write a longer blog at the end of the week.  Let me just set the scene. The nightshelter caters for 18 residents a night, most of whom have had or have drug and alcohol problems.  It's open from 7pm and residents must be out by 9am the next day. Residents sleep 4 to a room and each room is euphemistically named after a hotel - naturally the Ritz is my favourite.

The hostel has room for 14. Residents share a room with one other and stay for an average of 4 months.  Some go back to the street, others go on to proper accommodation and a job.  It takes three or four stays usually to make progress.

So far everything I have seen is amazing and impressive.  I'm really enjoying it, I'd that's the right word.  I hope they are enjoying having me.  Tomorrow, I'll blog from the nightshelter to give you my impressions."