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  • campaign-with-us
  1. About us
  2. Election Asks
  3. UK General Election asks

Uk General Election asks

Our three key policy asks ahead of the Westminster Elections

   Open a pilot Medically Supervised Injecting Facility

The number of people dying from drug-related deaths continues to rise. Unprecedented levels of drug-related deaths in 2017 saw 136 people die from drugs in Northern Ireland, with the number of men dying from drug-related causes increasing by 98% between 2007 and 2017. That’s 136 mums, dads, daughters, sons, sisters, and brothers bereaved as a result of deaths which are avoidable.

Extern believes there is an urgent need for a Medically Supervised Injecting Facility (MSIF) in Northern Ireland. A MSIF will reduce the number of people dying from drugs, as it provides a sterile and medically supervised space for people to inject safely. Globally, no one has ever died in a MSIF, yet in the last year alone over 58 people could have died on the streets of Belfast, if Extern's harm reduction teams hadn't been there to administer naloxone.

Crucially, as well as halting preventable overdose deaths, MSIFs also remove drug usage and injecting paraphernalia from public spaces. They also engage with people to support them in reducing the harms caused by drugs and to access accommodation and healthcare services. As such they become a conduit to better health and treatment for drug dependency.

Pledge support for Extern’s call  to open a pilot Medically Supervised Injecting Facility.


     Saving Lives - more support for suicide prevention 

Suicide is a preventable death, yet approximately 250,000 people in Northern Ireland have been directly affected by suicide over the past 15 years. The Public Health Agency have made recent commitments to reduce the number of deaths by 10 per cent by 2024. Extern services are working to make that a reality on the frontline.

Extern’s services provide mental health and wellbeing supports to thousands of young people and families every year, including our crisis services which provide direct support to people feeling actively suicidal.

Pledge support for Extern’s call for funding to appropriate community-based responses to people in crisis.


    Increased supports for people experiencing homelessness

Last year 18,180 households presented as homeless across Northern Ireland, the majority of whom were single men and families. Each year Extern provides over 20,000 bed nights for people who are homeless while also growing our stock of houses.

Extern’s homelessness services support the most vulnerable, in particular, people with mental health needs and problematic alcohol and drug use (including those with dual diagnosis needs). Our specialised services reach in to support people to maintain tenancies, access specialised health and social care support, and work to reduce harm caused by substance use. They meet people at their point of need.

With growing pressure on Supporting People funding, and increasing complexity of health and social care needs in the homelessness sector, please support our work.

Pledge support for Extern Homes. This project provides life-changing supported tenancies to help people move on from homelessness.

Pledge support too as we call for:

  • increased and diversified funding to support services at the intersection of health and homelessness.    
  • an increase in social housing output to meet the needs of individuals and families,
  • and a review of Local Housing Allowance Rates as they are not keeping pace with market rent
  • change to the “shared room rate” for people, under 35, who are homeless and cannot access housing.

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Latest

  • Extern film screening shares inspirational tale of overcoming trauma related abuse and addiction

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    Job opportunity: Chief Executive Officer

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  • Who we are

    Extern transform lives as the leading social justice charity across the island of Ireland.

  • What we do

    What we do

    Extern is the leading social justice charity operating across the island of Ireland. We are also the leading provider of placements for social work students in the voluntary sector.

  • Contact us

    Telephone advice and information for people with a housing problem or who are homeless, living with poor mental health or problem gambling.

  • Ormeau Centre

    Ormeau Centre

    Based in Belfast, Extern's Ormeau Centre provides temporary accommodation and support to men and women experiencing homelessness

  • Strategic Leadership Team

    The leadership team have overall corporate responsibility for Extern's corporate strategy, leadership, management and organisational performance.

  • Latest volunteering opportunities

    Latest volunteering opportunities

    Find out more about volunteering with us, opportunities available, and what our volunteers say.

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Job opportunity: Director of Services - Northern Ireland

Job opportunity: Director of Services - Northern Ireland

Unique opportunity for a Director of Services NI responsible for providing leadership to the Services Directorate Read more

Published: 21st February, 2022

Updated: 21st July, 2022

Author: Ian Dinsmore

Location: 3 McKinney Road, Mallusk, BT36 4PE

Sign up for Extern's Specialist Addiction Training

Sign up for Extern's Specialist Addiction Training

Learn how to tackle and treat addiction successfully and the best ways to stop addictive behaviours with our specialist addiction training Read more

Published: 1st August, 2022

Updated: 18th August, 2022

Author: Ian Dinsmore

Location: 3 McKinney Road, Mallusk, BT36 4PE

Job opportunity: Service Manager

Job opportunity: Service Manager

Opportunity for a Service Manager to work with people with a disability or autism and who may find it challenging to integrate into traditional social, educational or community systems Read more

Published: 5th August, 2022

Author: Ian Dinsmore

Location: Units 9 & 10, Watchhouse Cross Retail Park, Parteen Road, Limerick, V94 XYK5

Sign up for the Athy Summer Soccer Tournament

Sign up for the Athy Summer Soccer Tournament

Sign up for the Extern five-a-side football tournament in Athy this summer. Read more

Published: 9th August, 2022

Author: Ian Dinsmore

Location: Woodstock Industrial Estate, Kilkenny Road, Athy

Job opportunity: Chief Executive Officer

Job opportunity: Chief Executive Officer

Exciting opportunity for an innovative, inspiring new leader to lead Extern to achieve an even greater impact. Read more

Published: 16th August, 2022

Author: Ian Dinsmore

Location: 3 McKinney Road, Mallusk, BT36 4PE

Latest tweet

  • RT @TonyJOReilly: Not long to go now. Looking forward to listening back to the podcast when it is released. It is definitely up there… https://t.co/dJvI7u27ME

    19thAugust, 2022 @externcharity
  • RT @engageexec: Ready to lead a 600-strong team that improves 25,000 lives in Ireland every year? We’re searching for… https://t.co/6PPfgERGfW

    19thAugust, 2022 @externcharity
  • Join Vivian McKinnon on 1 Sept at 7pm in @TheMACBelfastas she shares her personal story of triumph over adversity a… https://t.co/Uwq379Wti4

    19thAugust, 2022 @externcharity

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Contact us

Extern is a registered charity in Northern Ireland
Registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC105869
Company Registration No: NI 16083
Registered office

Hydepark House,        
3 McKinney Road,
Newtownabbey, BT36 4PE
Telephone: Mon to Fri 9-5pm 
+44 (0)28 9084 0555

Extern is a registered charity in the Republic of Ireland
Company Registration No: 383201
Registered Charity Number: 20055318
Registered office

Extern, 1st floor, Block 4
Monread Leisure and Commercial Centre,
Monread Avenue,
Naas, Co Kildare
W91 YWX3
Tel: Mon to Fri 9-5pm +353 (0)45 878720
Extern Problem Gambling: 
ROI: 089 241 5401
NI: 07537 188 575


Extern Group
Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC103226
Company No. NI 618684

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