Prince William launches five-year plan to end U.K. homelessness

Prince William wants everyone in the U.K. to have a home, and on Monday he launched a five-year plan to make it happen.

The project, Homewards, is operating in conjunction with the Royal Foundation, the organization that supports the charity endeavors of William and his wife, Kate Middleton.

“It’s a big task, but I firmly believe that by working together it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated, and I am very much looking forward to working with our six locations to make our ambition a reality,” William said in a statement.

“Whatever ‘home’ means to you, we believe that in a modern and progressive society, everyone should have a safe and secure home to call their own,” he added.

William planned to unveil more initiatives on Tuesday, all of which entail collaboration between local residents, organizations and businesses to target communities’ individual needs. He held up Finland, which has all but eliminated homelessness, as an example. The Scandinavian country vanquished homelessness by using permanent housing as a starting point for people in crisis.

The Prince of Wales and heir to the throne has been focused on homelessness for many years, an interest first cultivated at the side of his mother, Princess Diana, while visiting shelters when he was 11.

In December 2009, he slept in the streets of London to highlight the plight of the homeless. And last year William was spotted on the streets of London selling copies of The Big Issue newspaper, which supports the homeless community.

With News Wire Services