During his geography degree, David has been involved in a project to identify potential sites for a night shelter for homeless people in Southampton.
According to Shelter, there are over 350,000 homeless people in England in 2025, and last year in Southampton, over 10 households in every 1,000 were categorised as homeless.
Night shelters are designed to provide easy access accommodation for people who sleep on the streets, but who want somewhere for a few nights' respite.
David worked within a student team for local charity City Life Church to identify suitable sites for a permanent night shelter in Southampton. This work was part of a Student Innovation Project, which are projects designed for students to gain valuable experience working on a real-life business or social issue with other students from across disciplines.
Practicalities of the project
The team researched the financial cost and potential funding sources for the shelter, how the project could be developed in a sustainable way, and the potential impact the shelter could have on the community.
The project appealed to me because it was a mix of getting hands-on experience and living out my values. I love being able to help others but also believe in getting out of the classroom; this was the perfect opportunity for me.
David and his peers used research and data processing skills to identify hundreds of properties in Southampton that were empty. They then provided details of size, location and ownership to the City Life Church leadership team.
They presented our findings to Southampton City Council’s Head of Housing and the Lead for Rough Sleeping, as well as the Coordinator of Southampton Street Pastors.
David says, "I love presenting so this part of the project was super fun, but also making new friends was great. I love working in a team on a united problem, so that was very enjoyable."
Paul Woodman, Church Leader at City Life Church, says, “The student team’s report has led to the project being commissioned and the logistics are being developed now”.
Making a positive impact in the community
Paul says, "the partnership with the University and the research findings leveraged and justified the commissioning of this project. The ownership of the project by all partners was made possible because of the objective and detailed work of the students.” He then explains that once built, the shelter will have a positive impact on the community as it will provide a safe place for people in need.
The project brought people together to focus on the incredibly important issue of homelessness. To find a sustainable solution to homelessness as a society, we all need to be on the same page and working on this together.
David, geography student
David is now on his third-year work placement, working as the Social Impact and Sustainability Lead at Social Sports Society Padel in London.
