About us
Social Links was founded by two friends with long experience of working in homeless services. They realised something: homeless services are often viewed as existing outside the community rather than as part of it. In a homeless hostel, someone might spend a lot of time alone in their room. Even fantastic homeless services can feel like lonely places. Many people live in large hostels for 18 months or longer, with limited opportunities to talk about shared interests. They might move on from there to supported accommodation where staff visit them, or to their own flat, in an area they don’t know, with limited opportunities to talk to anyone once they close the front door. In the NHS, older peoples’ services and even prisons, befriending has existed for years. In the homeless sector there’s a gap. Social Links aims to create positive, two-way relationships between people accessing homeless services and the wider community. We call our volunteers "visitors", and unapologetically offer befriending without a secondary agenda. The people we serve are not influenced to make changes, of the kind a keyworker or professional may encourage. Our only goal is to give people the opportunity to create meaningful, healthy connections, within the boundaries of safe befriending.
Our volunteers receive a structured, personalised induction and training package, along with intensive ongoing support and supervision.
Our Team
Andy started working in the homeless sector as a night worker at a residential homeless service several years ago, where he met Aly (now a Trustee) and Co-Founder Dave. Andy went on to work in complex needs services before helping set up and manage one of the first London GLA pilots of the innovative housing model "Housing First". For several years Andy managed different homeless services, before becoming Head of Quality role for a national homeless charity. Andy founded Social Links with his friend Dave because whenever they met up they got sick of talking about how badly such a service was needed.
Andy McCarthy (He/Him)
Cofounder
Megan has worked in the homeless sector since 2020, following several years of workign in adult social care. Every role she has held since 2016 has entailed safeguarding responsibilities, giving her direct insight into the impact of loneliness and isolation. She is currently the Designated Safeguarding Lead for a national homeless charity working to end the housing emergency. Bringing both client-facing and strategic safeguarding experience, Megan joined Social Links to help ensure the highest standards of safety and support for everyone the charity works with.
Megan Walsh (She/Her)
Trustee / Safeguarding Lead
Dave started working in the homeless sector in 2009, taking on a range of roles in complex needs hostels where he developed a strong interest in health and homelessness. In 2018, he joined a peer-led homeless health charity as a Care Navigator, supporting people experiencing homelessness to address their health needs through volunteer-led services. Dave now works at a specialist homeless GP practice in London as a Health Pathway Navigator. Feeling there was space to offer something different, Dave co-founded Social Links with his friend Andy who he worked with when he first entered the sector.
David Woodley (He/Him)
Cofounder
Alex began working in homelessness as a Project Worker at a complex needs service, where he worked alongside Social Links Co-founder Andy. During this time, he led on several client involvement initiatives and saw firsthand how vital social connection and a sense of belonging are to recovery. He is currently the Quality, Safeguarding and Complaints Manager for a national homelessness charity.
Alex Kyriacou (He/Him)
Trustee
Aly began working in homeless hostels in West London in 2001. In 2012, they played a key role in launching the Greater London Authority’s Westminster Housing First pilot – an innovative approach that supported some of Westminster’s most entrenched rough sleepers to move directly from the street into their own homes, with intensive wrap-around support. Aly later went on to manage a Housing First service commissioned by Camden Council – one of the longest running Housing First schemes in the country.
Aly Davies (They/Them)
Trustee
Get Involved
Volunteers are the heart of our mission to support individuals experiencing homelessness. By giving your time, skills and sharing your curiosity about someone else's interests, you can make a meaningful difference to their life. All of our volunteering opportunities are in-person and located in the borough of Westminster. If you are interested in volunteering with us, please complete this brief contact form. We will be in touch within 48 hours with more detail about the application process.
Our volunteers recieve...
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Thorough induction and training.
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A Volunter Supervisor who faciliates support and supervision sessions every 4-6 weeks, as well as being on-hand to deliver support as needed.
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Pre-paid expenses for volunteering costs.
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A carefully thought-out, personalised befriending match with someone living in a homeless service.
Our volunteers...
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Commit to a minimum of 90 minutes in-person volunteering per week in the borough of Westminster.
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Commit to a minimum of 3 months volunteering.
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Understand that we take time and care with our recruitment to ensure the best possible experience for both our volunteers and the people we support.