With the success of an innovative partnership between The Salvation Army London Centre of Hope and King’s University College of Social Work, a free counselling service has expanded, bringing compassionate care to the most vulnerable in the City of London.

Opening the life-changing counselling service to anyone in need in the community is in direct response to the significant demand for the support, while helping remove barriers linked to months-long wait times and the inability to pay for private counselling sessions that are often only for a limited period.

Since January 2023, students in the Master of Social Work (MSW) and Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs at King’s University College have been working with residents at The Salvation Army London Centre of Hope three days a week. Through the expansion of services, students at the King’s Community Support Centre, located within the Centre of Hope, are meeting with the broader community, and providing practical counselling support to individuals and families impacted by homelessness, substance use recovery, mental health, and other life traumas.

“The need for one-on-one counselling among individuals struggling with homelessness is great, and we’re committed in journeying with them,” says London Centre of Hope Program Director Sarah Collins.

The partnership is part of the larger health and homelessness initiative that brought a number of organizations together, including The Salvation Army London Centre of Hope, to address the root causes leading to homelessness. In London, it’s estimated that nearly 2,000 individuals are homeless.

“This program provides immediate access to social services support. We can see people right away and work to help them overcome the struggles they are facing. The waitlist and cost for service are barriers to access, and this program offers free, longer-term care to work through underlying issues that allow clients to remain housed,” says M.K. Arundel, Coordinator of Field Education at King’s School of Social Work.

Watch this YouTube video to learn more about this valuable partnership between The Salvation Army and King’s College: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5B6ELYXz-8&t=179s.