“They’re actually listening… it makes you feel valued, which I suppose, in turn, makes you more able to value yourself again.”

James shares his feelings on the vulnerability of sleeping rough and the comparative security, but challenges, of emergency shelter. He expresses hope, resilience, and appreciation for the care shown by Cork Simon staff.

“It’s not okay that like in a modern Irish society that there’s people in this country that have to face circumstances like that.”

Outreach worker, Kevin reflects on the impact of rough sleeping on the people he meets, the changing nature of homelessness and the lifeline that the rough sleeper service provides.

“It had never been tried before, the diversion element of it… it exceeded my expectations, definitely” 

2024 marked the first calendar year of Sarah’s new role as Diversion and Intake Coordinator. Sarah speaks about the meaning and practice of diversion and reflects on its success to date.