World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day: Supporting More Than Housing

10 October marks both World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day. While they are often recognised separately, the connection between them is impossible to ignore.

At Right There, we know that homelessness is rarely just about housing. Behind every housing crisis is a person with their own experiences, challenges, strengths and aspirations. Many of the people we support have faced trauma, loss, poor mental health, relationship breakdown, substance use difficulties isolation or significant life changes. These experiences don’t disappear when someone receives the keys to a front door.

That’s why our work goes far beyond helping people find somewhere to live. For more than 200 years, Right There has walked alongside people experiencing difficult times, helping prevent homelessness and supporting people to build safe, stable and fulfilling lives. Housing is often an important part of that journey, but it’s only one part.

We believe lasting change happens when people are supported as whole individuals. Through our accommodation, housing support, outreach and prevention services, we help people access the practical support they need. Alongside this, we provide personalised support that focuses on wellbeing, confidence, relationships and resilience.

This includes our mentoring programme, where trained volunteer mentors provide encouragement, guidance and a trusted relationship to help people move forwards. For many young people and adults, having someone consistently in their corner can make a significant difference during periods of uncertainty or change.

We also offer counselling services for people we support, creating a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space to explore the issues affecting their mental health and wellbeing. Counselling can help people process difficult emotions, make sense of their experiences and develop a greater understanding of themselves and their needs. It can provide a consistent therapeutic relationship in which they can explore suitable coping strategies and ways to feel more connected to themselves and others. Right There’s counselling service has expanded this year to provide support across multiple local authority areas in Scotland, building on our longstanding counselling provision in Orkney.

The link between homelessness and mental health is well established. Experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity can itself be deeply distressing, affecting a person’s sense of safety, identity and trust in others. For some, these experiences can compound earlier trauma and contribute to ongoing mental health difficulties. Equally, poor mental health can make it harder to sustain tenancies, maintain relationships, access employment or navigate life’s challenges.

That is why we take a holistic approach. We know that preventing homelessness is not simply about providing a roof over someone’s head. It’s about ensuring people have the support, connections and opportunities they need to thrive long after a housing crisis has passed.

As Elvira Kesoglou, Supervising Counsellor at Right There, explains:

“When people are facing housing insecurity or moving on from homelessness, the emotional impact can be significant. Anxiety, trauma, loss of confidence and isolation often sit alongside the practical challenges they’re experiencing. Real change happens when we recognise the whole person and create spaces where they feel heard, understood and supported. Mental health support isn’t separate from homelessness prevention, it’s an essential part of it.”

This World Homeless Day and World Mental Health Day, we’re reminding ourselves that everyone deserves more than a roof over their head. They deserve the opportunity to feel safe, connected, and supported.

At Right There, that’s exactly what we’re working towards every day.