Change Communication works with people experiencing homelessness and the organizations that support them. We are the only charity in the UK that offers speech and language therapy (SLT) to people experiencing homelessness. Our work focusses on those sleeping on the streets or living in hostels and supporting accommodation in London. Change Communication is a registered charity; our Charity registration number is 1200260.
We offer casework services, and training, and operate at strategic levels to extend access to SLT - our work has changed national clinical guidance and supported the NHS to develop similar roles in other parts of the country. We may be small, but we have certainly created waves!
We describe ourselves as a working-class organization because we are led by working-class people. We recognize that some people are discriminated against based on their communication and this type of discrimination can be linked to, e.g., ethnicity, sex, disability, and social class along with other personal characteristics, history, or circumstances. This prevents people from accessing services, opportunities, and employment in a way privileged others do not experience. It is in the DNA of our organization to highlight and challenge this situation.