Victory Lodge

Revolving doors
Earlier this year, the Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps raised the issue that inmates currently face a “revolving door from prison release to homelessness.” He revealed that 78,000 prisoners in four years have been freed without a home to go to, saying: “Ensuring that prisoners have adequate housing on release is fundamental to their re-integration into society and would dramatically reduce the rate of ex-prisoners re-offending.

“Failing to resolve this issue ultimately costs the taxpayer and local communities a fortune as everyone is forced to bear the consequences of increased 'bed and breakfast crime' where ex-prisoners re-offend in order to get a roof over their heads.”
(Sky News, 06.03.08)

Nehemiah’s springboard
Once Nehemiah’s men have been through the Rehab programme, they are encouraged to live at our Move-On home, Victory Lodge, in Clapham – where they continue to receive the support they need while also being given a safe and structured environment in which they can rebuild their lives. These early stages following Rehab are crucial in ensuring the change in their lives is permanent. Surrounded by supportive friends – both Nehemiah staff and fellow graduates – the men are able to find their feet in work or education, while also continuing to rebuild all-important family and community relationships.

Each year, we give several men the opportunity to serve within the Nehemiah community on our Year of Service programme. By committing to Nehemiah for a year, they make a lasting difference in the lives of the people they help – they have an amazing capacity to empathise and encourage due to their own personal journey of recovery.

All Victory Lodge residents take part in a weekly support group, which is invaluable in helping them realise their full potential through accountability. Every resident helps in the day-to-day running (cooking, cleaning and maintenance) of Victory Lodge, which continues to build a sense of responsibility and work ethic. Every one of these elements plays a vital part in the men’s re-integration back into society.
Nehemiah’s striking statistics of: 72% of our residential rehab graduates being clean from drugs/alcohol today; 94% of our ex-offending graduates having not reoffended and have stayed out of prison; and that 32% have got married since graduating (since 2001) are thanks, in great part, to our Move-On home Victory Lodge.

Most of the men have, until joining Nehemiah, never lived in a safe and structured environment. This stability is exactly what they need in order to permanently break free from their past lives and stand on their own.
Some of the men find work quickly and stay at Victory Lodge while they are re-establishing themselves back in the community, while others live at the home and join Nehemiah’s Year of Service programme.

A key and unique element of Nehemiah’s Move-On is that we tailor the level of support that’s provided for each individual. We don’t have a ‘cut-off’ point, because for some men it takes a little longer to completely overcome their problems and they will live at Victory Lodge while continuing to receive support and guidance at The Arbour. First and foremost, the Nehemiah team is committed to making sure that these men really are ready to become contributing members of society.

In order to run the Move-On we rely on voluntary donations. Support this essential work by clicking here