Help us raise funds for people who use drugs
- Mat Southwell
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
Background
Every day, people who use drugs are forced into unsafe, rushed street injecting because most hostels and housing projects ban active drug use. The Voices of Sandwell project in the UK revealed a clear truth: while hostels protect people from homelessness, strict abstinence rules can push them into dangerous public drug use—dramatically increasing overdose risk. More information on the Voices of Sandwell project click here.
We now have a rare chance to document and share an innovative, community-led solution already transforming lives in Norway.
The Opportunity
Huset Bergen is a pioneering high-tolerance housing model in Bergen, Norway. Unlike traditional services, it welcomes people without demanding sobriety. Run by and for people with lived experience, Huset Bergen is a user-driven activity house a social and inclusive space for individuals experiencing or recovering from substance use. It operates without requiring sobriety, welcoming participants through a peer-to-peer approach that fosters belonging and empowerment. Its success has inspired replication in other cities, and its lessons could reshape harm reduction and housing policy in the UK.
What We’re Doing
Coact’s Managing Director, Mat Southwell, will collaborate with Drug Science and partners to learn more about Huset Bergen’s model. Mat will visit Bergen, interview project leaders and—where consent is given—residents, and film on-site footage. The result will be a professionally designed technical case study, supported by powerful video shorts for social media, ensuring policymakers, housing providers, and advocates can learn from this groundbreaking model.
Why Your Support Matters
We need to raise £1,000 to cover the costs of professional design and the costs of producing video shorts to amplify the project on social media. Mat’s travel costs are already covered and Coact is donating their time to research and write the case study. Every pound you give goes directly into presenting and amplifying Huset Bergen’s lessons. The video content will be made by Drug User News a community-led team based in Kyiv and the designer is also from the community. By contributing, you’re not just funding a report—you’re investing in practical, evidence-based solutions that save lives, reduce harm, and influence housing and drug policy reform.
Join us in bringing this knowledge to the world. Your donation through GiveMatch will be doubled, making your impact even greater. Together, we can shine a light on a model that empowers communities, protects health, and offers dignity where it’s most needed. Support the Huset Bergen case study today and help turn evidence into action.
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