In the 1980s, high unemployment and steep inflation was contributing to a shocking rise in youth homelessness across London. Thousands of young people were sleeping rough every night, with many areas notoriously dubbed “cardboard cities” due to the visible rise in street homelessness.
Appalled by the scenes playing out across the capital, a group of people came together to tackle the challenge head on. Led by Cardinal Basil Hume and Mark McGreevy OBE, in 1989 Depaul UK was born.
What began as a single housing project in North London soon expanded across London, Greater Manchester and the North East of England. Today, Depaul UK provides accommodation, prevention and support services to thousands of marginalised young people across the UK each year.
As our name suggests, the work of Depaul UK has been inspired by St. Vincent de Paul – a man who devoted his life to helping vast numbers of people throughout the 17th century. St. Vincent de Paul’s belief in the intrinsic worth of all people and his commitment to taking bold action remain central to our values today.
Depaul UK now forms part of a family of Depaul charities around the world. We each focus on the specific challenges in our own countries, but we’re united by our shared values and mission to end homelessness.
Our values are rooted in our Vincentian heritage and reflect our deep belief in action, dignity and hope. Today, they continue to guide everything we do – from the decisions we make to the way we work with young people, colleagues and partners.
We empower people affected by homelessness to make decisions, set goals, take risks and learn from their mistakes. We’re equally committed to championing the strengths of our volunteers and staff.
We uphold and protect the fundamental rights of our young people, volunteers and staff – and support them to take responsibility for their choices, actions and futures.
We don’t just talk about change – we make it happen. Whether it’s adapting our services or challenging the system, we take bold action grounded in evidence, insight and the voices of young people.
Homelessness requires action across sectors and at all levels. That’s why we work in partnership with government, businesses and charities to drive change – influencing systems, building networks and sharing what works, nationally and globally.
