Blogs

Citadel: Relaunching in South East London; opening in North East

September 12, 2025

We’re thrilled to announce that Citadel is re-opening for referrals across South East London; in Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth, Greenwich, Bexley, and Bromley. 

Citadel is a volunteer-powered homelessness prevention project. We support people who’ve experienced, or are at risk of, homelessness to settle into a home and feel part of a welcoming, supportive community. At the heart of Citadel is the belief that consistent, compassionate relationships can transform lives and strengthen communities. 

At the same time, we’ve opened referrals for Community Connectors, our newly launched Citadel project for north and east London. With the same aims as Citadel South East London, the team is looking for referrals for people who are living in or moving into: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Camden, City of London, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Havering, Islington, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest. 

To find out more, get in touch with the team: [email protected]  

South-East London: The Work So Far

When we first launched in South-East London, we set out to test new ways of preventing homelessness as part of the government’s ‘test and learn’ programme run by the Centre for Homeless Impact. The results in the first ten months were inspiring: 

• Over 140 volunteers recruited, of which 50 have completed training

• Nearly 100 people referred, with more than 70 completing key surveys 

• Dozens of individuals supported not only to keep a roof over their head, but to rediscover hobbies, find work, build friendships, and regain confidence in navigating life. 

We heard stories like Leon’s: once isolated and struggling with his health, Leon was matched with a Citadel volunteer who walked alongside him; not as a service user, but as a neighbour. Together they navigated benefits, changed GPs, reconnected with reading books, and took small but powerful steps back into community life. Leon calls the support “life changing.” To us, it demonstrates the power of relationships rooted in justice and compassion. 

When referrals paused in June 2025, the work didn’t stop. We continued supporting everyone already matched, organised gatherings with volunteers and supported people, deepened partnerships across boroughs, explored church-based models, funding strategies, and community-led approaches to meet people’s goals with integrity and flexibility. 

Now, thanks to fresh backing from local councils, and with renewed commitment to collaboration with those most impacted, we’re relaunching, stronger and more responsive than ever. Each borough has its own context, challenges, and wisdom. We’re listening first, working with local teams, and making sure Citadel doesn’t replace or duplicate services, but fills the gaps, strengthens community capacity, and keeps people from falling through systemic cracks. 

What makes Citadel unique: 

• Person-centered: We tailor support to each individual, focusing on what matters most to them; no one-size-fits-all approach. 

• Community-rooted: We connect people not just to housing, but to networks of care, creativity, and opportunity that bring long-term stability and belonging. 

• Collaborative, flexible, and accountable: We partner with other services and, crucially, learn from those with lived experience; ensuring decisions are shaped by the people most affected. 

We’re actively recruiting volunteers, reconnecting with our previous network, and continuing to walk alongside those already matched. 

If you want to join this work and accompany someone who has experienced or is at risk of homelessness as a volunteer, please fill in the form here: Become a Citadel Volunteer – Housing Justice or email us at [email protected]. 

We’re glad to be building and growing our work across London – because we believe that together, we can create a London city where everyone has not just a home, but a community of care, dignity, and belonging.