Just Homes was delighted to welcome Zulfiqar Mulak MBE, Director of Housing Needs at the London Borough of Newham, for a visit and discussion about our work supporting people experiencing homelessness.

With over four decades of leadership in housing and homelessness services, and recognised with an MBE for his contribution to reducing homelessness and improving housing outcomes, Mr Mulak spent the morning visiting several of our men's and women's accommodation projects across Newham. He met with residents and staff, gaining a detailed understanding of our work and the support strategies we've developed in-house to help end homelessness.

Sharing our approach

We discussed the changing needs of client groups and how our services have adapted to meet them, including our focus on digital inclusion, rebuilding routines to foster independence, and our extensive directory of free and low-cost local resources that support successful move-on. We also shared our approaches to financial capability, key working and property management, all built around a proactive "stitch in time saves nine" philosophy — along with how we're using AI in our management systems to drive efficiency and help residents build their own digital skills.

Strong outcomes

We were particularly pleased to share that during the last quarter, all residents who moved on from Just Homes progressed into private rented accommodation, and that over 50% of our current residents are actively saving for their future.

As a non-commissioned provider, we also explored opportunities to work more closely with Newham Council to further strengthen outcomes for local residents experiencing homelessness.

We're extremely grateful to Mr Mulak for taking the time to visit, and we look forward to building an even stronger partnership with our host borough. We're proud to serve Newham and to play our part, alongside many other organisations, in working to end homelessness — one person at a time.