How we’ve helped: StandOut💌

For people leaving prison, the first night after release can be challenging. With nowhere to sleep, crucial appointments to attend, and a maze of services to navigate, the risk of relapse, reoffending, or homelessness is high. StandOut steps in at this critical moment, providing short-term accommodation, coaching, and practical support upon prison release to help people regain control, realise their potential, and rebuild their lives.

In May 2025, we awarded StandOut a project grant to fund their short-term accommodation programme. The funding has been used to support those released from London prisons through short-term accommodation grants, covering up to 3 nights in a hotel or hostel. The grant enabled the organisation to provide 13 nights of accommodation to 8 participants.

A bridge to stability

Short-term accommodation grants provide an immediate, safe place to sleep and meet participants’ urgent needs. On release day, people face multiple critical tasks, including attending probation appointments, registering with a GP, opening bank account, and – for some – applying for homelessness support. Late prison releases often make it impossible to complete these tasks in one day. Without access to short-term accommodation, many would spend their first nights homeless, increasing the risk of stress, disengagement, and reoffending.

Having secure accommodation allows beneficiaries to safely store their belongings, complete housing forms, and focus on building long-term stability. StandOut coaches also provide release packs, hot meals, and essentials tools like basic mobile phones and travel cards, helping people take the first steps towards a better future.

Impact on wellbeing

The short-term accommodation grants mark the start of participants’ journeys towards stability. Meeting immediate needs for safety, rest, and basic resources give them space to plan next steps, such as securing long-term housing. Once stability is in place, StandOut coaches offer personalised one-to-one support, helping participants explore employment, education, training, and wider community networks.

Real stories of change

The organisation shared a real story of one of their beneficiaries:

“For Alex, 2024 was a tough year, he was released in December, but within a few weeks was recalled to prison. Issues with housing, that were out of his control, led to him being street homeless, and therefore in breach of his licence conditions. Since he was recalled to a StandOut partner prison, our coaches could meet with him to find out what had gone wrong and figure out what support he’d need to ensure things worked out better next time.  Alex was released again in mid-2025 and requested a gate meet – where coaches meet individuals at the prison gate, provide a release pack, and accompany them to their first probation and other key appointments.

Coaches helped Alex reach his temporary accommodation, but it soon became clear that this was not a safe place for him to stay. He needed to relocate quickly, and when his new accommodation wasn’t immediately available, coaches arranged emergency accommodation for the night – a night he described as his best sleep in a long time.

Alex has experienced some ups and downs in the community, but he is doing really well. He is now in private rented accommodation and, while he prepares himself for employment, is pursuing art in his spare time.”

One of the StandOut coaches shared:

“I supported a participant who had just been released and was in a frantic state. He has severe ADHD and was carrying a large number of personal belongings, which added to his stress. That morning, he went to the council to register as homeless and was given a form to complete, but he simply couldn’t manage it. He was too anxious about the safety of his belongings and couldn’t focus long enough to fill it in.

We were able to offer him accommodation, and that space made all the difference. It gave him the calm and security he needed to concentrate and complete the necessary paperwork because he knew his things were safe and there wasn’t the commotion of the street. The very next day, he returned to the council and successfully submitted his forms.”

We’re extremely proud to support StandOut and the vital role they play in helping vulnerable people rebuild their lives and achieve long-term stability.

Want to support similar projects? Donate today.