As part of our Women at the Heart of Change campaign, we are celebrating the women whose compassion and leadership have shaped The Passage and influenced the wider homelessness sector.
In this Q&A, a member of our frontline team reflects on the role women play in the homelessness sector, the power of perseverance, and the moments that remind us why this work matters.
Meet Betsy, a dedicated Passage worker who has retired after 22 years of frontline service supporting people experiencing homelessness.
On a November morning in 2003, she knocked on the door of our Carlisle Place Resource centre for the first time. Inside, she was welcomed with a cup of tea, and unknowingly began a journey that would span more than two decades of supporting people out of homelessness.
Fresh from training in mental health nursing, it was her first time encountering so many people experiencing homelessness in one place. But from those early days in Assessment and Referral, manually logging names, managing queues, and advocating for limited hostel spaces, Betsy she found her purpose.
Over the years, her role evolved alongside The Passage itself. From Housing Advisor to private rented sector and resettlement work, she supported hundreds of people to navigate complex systems, present their cases to local authorities, and ultimately receive the keys to a place they could call home.
“The pride of my work was witnessing a client receive keys. I knew then that the journey had been worth it.”
Not every story was straightforward. Some tenancies broke down. Some clients returned. Others disappeared. But she never saw this as failure. Instead, she understood that homelessness is shaped by systems, trauma and circumstance not lack of effort.
As a woman in the homelessness sector and someone who arrived in the UK as a refugee herself, she believes women bring vital strengths to this work: empathy, patience, consistency, emotional insight and an instinct for safety and trust-building.
“Women notice the cracks. We listen. We stay.”
What strengths do women bring to frontline homelessness services?
Women bring strong social understanding and deep kindness into frontline services. Building trust quickly is essential in homelessness work, and women often do this through careful listening, empathy and consistency.
They are attuned to emotional cues noticing signs of trauma that may not be immediately visible. Patience is another strength. Even when someone is difficult to engage, women often continue showing up, offering steady support without judgement.
There is also a particular strength in navigating and coordinating care, recognising when there are cracks in a client’s story or support system and working to address them. Women often create pathways to safety and self-assurance for the people they support.
They bring protection, passion and accountability to caring roles. Above all, they bring balance and vital gender diversity to a sector that works with people from all walks of life.
Have women influenced your professional journey?
Yes. I had two female managers who encouraged me to pursue training and strengthen my knowledge of housing and homelessness law. Their belief in me helped me grow in confidence and competence. Their encouragement stayed with me.
Can you share a moment that has stayed with you?
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a man was placed in temporary accommodation by Westminster City Council. He was referred to me in 2022.
He had a history of drug and alcohol use, alongside physical health issues. For several months, we viewed different properties together, but none were suitable. Eventually, he told me he would prefer to move to the coast.
I submitted an application to Sanctuary Housing for sheltered accommodation. He was shortlisted for interview, and I accompanied him to Brighton. I bought him a return train ticket. On the journey, he told me he had always jumped over barriers at stations, this was the first time he had a ticket and could walk through properly. That moment stayed with me.
The interview went well. The manager was impressed and wanted to offer him the accommodation that day. She called a senior manager for confirmation but received no response. We were told to return to London and wait for a call. The call never came.
Later, we discovered the senior manager had reviewed his referral, seen his history of substance use, and decided he was not suitable.
I felt defeated. I even spoke to my manager about closing the case or reallocating it. Then I received an email from Clearing House: a one-bedroom property had become available in Hammersmith & Fulham for immediate move-in.
He moved in that same week.
When I accompanied him to sign his tenancy agreement, he said to me: “Thank you for finding me a home. I am 55 years old and this is the first time I have been given a key and a place to call home.”
How do you stay motivated in such a demanding system?
I became confident in my work and in my organisation. Clients relied on me, and I did not want to disappoint them. Even when outcomes were not immediately visible, I continued working to put things right.
My teammates were essential. We functioned like a family supporting one another and standing together to solve problems. I learned that my role was not to control a client’s timeline. I could not force change. What I could do was create conditions where safety and hope became visible.
When clients returned, I learned not to see myself as a failure. Instead, I recognised that there were deeper cracks in the system or in their circumstances that needed attention. The system can exhaust you, but dignity fuelled by hope and integrity keeps you going.
What has this work taught you about resilience?
I found ways to survive and move forward. The training and knowledge I gained helped me manage complex situations and challenging behaviours.
I have seen clients relapse, return to unsafe situations, or disappear altogether. That taught me something important: falling back is not failure. Bad days do not cancel good days.
I learned to recognise my own limits emotionally, physically and morally. Boundaries between colleagues and clients are essential. Staying in this work means caring deeply, but also protecting your own wellbeing.
I chose to care and to embrace what I saw, rather than turn away from it. That choice, again and again, is what makes this work possible.
For over 160 years, women have shaped The Passage’s mission to support people experiencing homelessness.
This Women’s History Month, we are celebrating the women who built our foundations, those leading our work today, and the women helping drive change across our community and the wider sector.