About HARP

HARP (Homeless Action Resource Project) is the leading homelessness charity in Southend-on-Sea, supporting individuals who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes. Operating across the local area, the organisation brings together outreach, emergency provision, supported housing and personalised support to help people rebuild their lives and move towards independence.

HARP’s mission is clear: to end homelessness locally by preventing it wherever possible, addressing its root causes and supporting people to achieve long-term stability.

A Local System of Support

HARP delivers a connected range of services across Southend, forming a joined-up pathway from crisis intervention through to longer-term recovery.

This includes daily street outreach, a day centre offering practical support and advice, and a network of accommodation options ranging from emergency shelter to supported housing.

The organisation’s Bradbury Day Centre acts as a central hub, providing a safe and welcoming environment where individuals can access food, washing facilities, healthcare support and guidance, alongside opportunities to stabilise their circumstances.

Together, these services create a structured and responsive model, enabling individuals to move from immediate need through to greater independence.

What HARP Provides

HARP delivers a comprehensive and integrated set of services, including:

• Street outreach and engagement with people sleeping rough

• Emergency accommodation and night shelter provision

• Supported housing and longer-term accommodation pathways

• Advice, advocacy and homelessness prevention support

• Day centre services, including food, healthcare access and practical support

• Training, skills development and progression opportunities

Each individual supported by HARP follows a tailored pathway, reflecting their personal circumstances and the complexity of the challenges they face.

A Personalised Approach

HARP works with adults who often face multiple and interconnected challenges, including poor physical and mental health, substance dependency and social isolation.

Support is designed around the individual, combining practical assistance with longer-term planning. This includes helping people access healthcare, manage finances, develop life skills and, where possible, move into employment or training.

The focus is not only on providing safe accommodation, but on enabling individuals to rebuild confidence, stability and independence over time.

Scale and Impact

HARP operates at meaningful scale within the local community, supporting over 1,000 people each year through its services.

Its accommodation portfolio includes a significant number of bed spaces across emergency and supported housing, alongside community-based facilities that provide ongoing support.

This combination of reach, capacity and specialism positions HARP as a central part of the homelessness response in Southend.

Prevention and Long-Term Outcomes

A core aspect of HARP’s work is preventing homelessness before it occurs. Through early advice, advocacy and targeted support, the organisation works with individuals at risk of losing their homes, helping them maintain tenancies or secure alternative accommodation.

For those already experiencing homelessness, the focus is on sustainable outcomes—supporting people not only to leave homelessness, but to remain in stable housing and rebuild their lives for the long term.

Culture and Values

HARP’s approach is grounded in a clear set of values that shape its work:

• Respect for every individual and their potential

• A commitment to high-quality, person-centred support

• Professional integrity and accountability

• Collaboration with partners, communities and stakeholders

These values underpin an environment that is supportive, inclusive and focused on creating positive, lasting change for individuals.

A Period of Ongoing Development

HARP operates within a challenging and evolving context, with rising demand for services and increasing complexity of need across the communities it serves.

In response, the organisation continues to strengthen its service offer, build capacity within its accommodation and outreach provision, and enhance the consistency and quality of its support delivery.

For leaders and professionals joining HARP, this represents an opportunity to contribute to a purpose-driven organisation at scale—playing a direct role in tackling homelessness and improving outcomes for individuals across the local community.