Bradford Speakout is a community organisation which aims to raise awareness of the concerns and interests of people who are homeless or have experience of homelessness in the Bradford district. Bradford Speakout consists of service users and staff of housing and advice projects.
The Charter of Rights has been drawn together in consultation with service users by members of this group since 2001. It aims to publicly give voice to their wishes, needs and concerns about issues that matter to, and affect them.

Below are the articles of the Charter outlining the principles of Bradford Speakout. We hope you will help us promote this charter for the betterment in the lives of service users.

Accommodation

People need a choice of good quality, safe and warm accommodation, both temporary and permanent, in the places they know.

“A home – for privacy and security, peace of mind and freedom”

Safety

Life on the streets can be dangerous - people want safe, temporary, and longer term accommodation.

“We want to be free from bullying and violence”

Information

People have a right to the information needed to make informed choices about their lives.

“I was on the streets, sleeping rough for three weeks - I had spoken to the Council and been moved along by the police – in the end a Big Issue seller told me about a housing advice agency”

Respect

In the end, people who have experienced homelessness should be afforded the same consideration that other people take for granted.

“You shouldn't be punished for being homeless.... you should have the right to be treated with respect”

Chances

People sometimes make mistakes; services working with “excluded” people should make allowances for this and offer routes back.

“I left my flat because of harassment, moved into a hostel, and am now intentionally homeless so can’t get permanently rehoused”

Relationships

People should not have to separate from their partners or family because they are homeless and services cannot accommodate them.

“Two people live cheaper than one -
two people live better than one.
We don’t want to be apart -
this can only break our heart”

Privacy and Confidentiality

Services must allow people to discuss their problems and issues in a private confidential space.

“We don’t want people to hear our private matters”

Training, work and education

People need easy access to guidance, support and opportunities to enable them to move on in their lives.

“I want a job and to get on with my life, my family and have good times”

Health

People need easy access to a range of support services such as GPs, dentists, drug and alcohol support services, and mental health services.

“We are not hard to reach - we just need services to reach out to us!”

Rules

People should be given an opportunity to influence the decisions that affect them. They hold the keys to solutions from their knowledge and experience.

“We should be able to discuss and change the rules”

To download a printable PDF format of the charter Click Here