When we say “Lived Experience of Homelessness”, we mean anyone who has a first-hand experience of homelessness or the homelessness system, such as:
Clients of our Brighton and Manchester services
Anyone who has lived in temporary accommodation (TA)
Anyone who has experienced other forms of homelessness
People we collaborate with in our influencing work, research, steering group members or other co-production projects who have stayed in TA or experienced any form of homelessness.
Our staff or volunteers who have experienced homelessness
Families, friends, advocates and close supporters of those experiencing homelessness
Although Justlife is a charity focused primarily on people staying in temporary accommodation, the homelessness system is not straightforward. Many of the people we work with may not have stayed in temporary accommodation, but still bring invaluable first-hand experience of homelessness or the wider homelessness system.
For this reason, we generally use the term ‘lived experience of homelessness’. In specific projects, however, we might use more precise language, such as ‘lived experience of temporary accommodation’ or ‘lived experience of accessing support services’. Being specific in this way is an important part of avoiding tokenism. It ensures we are transparent about the people we invite to get involved and why, so participation is meaningful. Our clients have told us that this approach makes the work we do feel purposeful, supportive and impactful.
Justlife has a Lived Experience and Participation Lead to help us become more strategic and intentional in our lived experience-led work, as well as helping organisationally embed learning from our projects about participation, facilitation, accessibility and psychologically safe practices.
As a result, we have embarked on a number of changes to our internal systems, policies and procedures to make our working practices and environment more trauma and psychologically informed, wellbeing orientated and lived experience inclusive. You can explore this work and find resources you can use here.
A co‑produced service design programme led by multiple lived experience steering groups, focused on improving homelessness systems in Brighton & Hove and West Sussex. Following early work on homelessness healthcare systems, Common Ambition now supports several active steering groups working on local systems change.
From 2023 to 2026, Justlife’s Peer Research and Community Research projects brought people with lived experience directly into the design and delivery of research. Peer and community researchers co‑produced research findings; a practical manual for running accessible, non‑extractive research groups; and designed new methodologies for inclusive research. Although delivery of these projects has recently finished, all outputs and resources remain available on our website, and we will be sharing learning at public events throughout 2026.
As co‑secretariat of the APPGTA, Justlife has led national consultations, including A Better Vision for Temporary Accommodation and a national call for evidence, bringing together first‑hand testimony from hundreds of people with lived experience to inform policy change.
In 2026, we will establish a small lived experience advisory group to help steer and shape our future national policy influencing work.
Justlife’s TAAG network brings together people in the TA system, including those with lived experience, to shape local temporary accommodation services. In some areas, this is supported by lived experience steering groups; in others, individuals contribute as peer representatives within wider networks.
In 2026, we will continue to develop our TAAG offering, with a strong focus on improving the experience of participation itself. We are currently carrying out a full audit of lived experience involvement across TAAG to understand what works well across different areas and contexts.
Across all our services, clients are equal partners in their support. Our Health Engagement, Specialist Support and Targeted Referrals Workers use person‑centred, psychologically informed approaches to co‑create tailored support plans.
Our Social Connections Project provides opportunities for people moving away from homelessness to build relationships through befriending, social activities, and peer support. Many clients go on to become volunteers, and both clients and volunteers are regularly involved in shaping how the project develops.
