Debate contribution: Homelessness Awareness Week 2024

Debate contribution by Mr Peter McReynolds on 2 December 2024.

MLA

Mr Peter McReynolds

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

2 December 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Homelessness Awareness Week 2024

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4686540

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I support the motion and thank those who tabled it. I have spoken in support of similar motions in debates over the years, as a councillor in Belfast City Council and now as an MLA, and I find that, at times, they can become a bit academic. We must remember that these are people, families and friends facing the uncertainty, fear and stress of homelessness. That is why I was keen to take part in a sponsored sleep-out in east Belfast last year to get some insight into how it feels to be homeless while raising money for MACS Supporting Children and Young People, a charity that does so much for homeless young people in east Belfast. Just recently, its staff were in my office on the Newtownards Road, helping a young person who was at risk of exploitation by paramilitaries. The night before the sleep-out, I psyched myself up. I packed up my sleeping bag, put on a few extra layers and wore a hat to keep me warm. I was feeling pretty confident and looking forward to heading to Banana Block on the Newtownards Road, where it was taking place, so much so that I went into a local pub beforehand. That is where my learning about homelessness began. I had not thought about the fact that I looked visibly homeless, with my sleeping bag under my arm and my clothes and hat. I was met with stares and people moving away from me — my first experience of the judgement that comes with homelessness. In Banana Block we were, thankfully, sheltered from the rain, but it is famously difficult to heat, so we effectively slept outside and on a cold, hard floor. I say "slept", but I did not sleep at all that night because it was so cold — maybe an hour or two of light and broken sleep. The next morning, still looking homeless but now visibly exhausted, I went to get a coffee and again experienced the surprised, lingering looks and whispers. I felt unwelcome and as though I was a troublemaker. I went to my constituency office, as normal, for a day's work, but I could not focus; I barely got through the day. It took me two full days to feel like myself again. Imagine if that was your idea of normal: running on empty every day; being seen as an inconvenience; feeling like an inconvenience for existing; and exhausted just by doing simple, daily tasks. Having gone through the MACS sleep-out, I felt it necessary to speak with the organisers and volunteers at the recent Simon Community sleep-out in Stormont estate and to hear their stories and experiences. They told me a statistic that makes absolute sense on the basis of my experience with MACS: 70% of those experiencing homelessness have an underlying mental health condition. They are not people who have made poor decisions; they are people who need early intervention, support and to be heard. I commend today's motion and what it tries to achieve. I thank all those on the ground who are working to help those experiencing homelessness in all of its forms, and I thank MACS Supporting Children and Young People for an invaluable experience last year. I encourage all MLAs to take part in a sponsored sleep-out for an unforgettable learning experience and to better understand what it is that we are working to eliminate.

570 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:36 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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