Women experiencing homelessness are often less visible, yet the challenges they face are every bit as real. In 2025, women accounted for 21% of the people we supported at The Passage – that’s 725 women, each with their own story.
One of them is Mila Mihaylov. As a proud member of our Experts By Experience panel, Mila shares her lived experience to help make The Passage a more inclusive and supportive place for every woman who walks through our doors.
“EBE is a powerful platform that amplifies clients’ voices and enables them to actively contribute to the continuous improvement of both operational practice and strategic direction. It serves as a bridge between clients and senior management, ensuring that lived experience helps shape priorities” – Mila, Experts By Experience Member
Turning lived experiencing into action
One of the key issues I have consistently raised through EBE is the need to make our Resource Centre a more inclusive and welcoming space for women. “Hidden homelessness” remains a significant issue, and as a result, women are often less likely to seek support from charities. For the past two years, improving accessibility and inclusivity for women has therefore been a core priority at The Passage.
In my experience, EBE has not only created opportunities for meaningful change in our Resource Centre, but has also supported my own healing and recovery by giving me a “sense of purpose”.
Through EBE, I have contributed to a range of co-production initiatives and have had the opportunity to advise both local and national authorities on developing more effective policies and procedures for the homeless community.
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