Social investment team members Luke & Ugo with Shani & Kingsley from ARK Resettlement Services, outside the new property currently under refurbishment.
A loan of £350,000 to help ARK Resettlement Services purchase a new property to provide accommodation to people who have been involved with the criminal justice system.
About ARK Resettlement Services
On release, many ex-prisoners find themselves homeless, alienated from accessing services and experiencing mental and physical health difficulties. More than two thirds of homeless ex-prisoners reoffend within a year.
ARK Resettlement Services provides ex-prisoners and people who have been involved with the criminal justice system with accommodation and support at a time when they are most in need of it. As well as short-term housing it offers support, with a focus on mental wellbeing, skill development, education and employment opportunities. In total, the team support more than 100 service users.
What we funded
We provided ARK Resettlement Services with a loan of £350,000 over 10 years, toward the purchase of a new property in Haringey.
Once open, this property will provide housing for people nearing the end of their custodial sentence, or newly released from prison into the community.
Impact
The new property will help ARK Resettlement Services to provide accommodation to more ex-offenders. It will give more people a new chance, and prevent re-offending by providing its beneficiaries with a stable place to stay and support services.
The quotes below from ARK Resettlement Services' service users show the huge impact that the charity has on people’s lives:
It just lifted the pressure, if you’re not settled at home how can you do anything?
I was finally referred to ARKRS and attended an interview. I was initially nervous about messing up the opportunity to move closer to family back in London but the first thing they did was smile. They made me feel relaxed and more likely to open up.
ARK sorted all my housing benefits – I just saw lots of paper!
You’ve done more for me than my own mother.
The new property will also help the charity to become more sustainable, by helping to provide ARK Resettlement Services with its own property.
Find out more about ARK Resettlement Services on its website.
