By sleeping rough in a rowing boat over Christmas and the New Year, team Pura Vida hope to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people in the UK. Christmas is traditionally a time of year when thoughts turn to those who are less fortunate and with the horrendous weather we have been having this summer, homelessness is becoming even more of a year-round problem. With this in mind, we have chosen a group of charities that help those that are vulnerable or homeless to help themselves: The Big Issue Foundation, Crisis and Raleigh International. The Big Issue Magazine is sold by homeless people on high streets across the country. The vendors buy the magazine from The Big Issue for 70p and sell it - under a strict code of practice - for £1.50, giving them a profit of 80p per copy. It is a fantastic way of getting homeless people into employment and giving money directly to those in need. The initial 70p purchase price goes into producing and distributing the magazine, with additional profits going to The Big Issue Foundation. This is a programme of “street trade, not street aid” and The Big Issue Foundation’s core ethos is one of self-help. The aim of the Foundation is to help enable homeless people to gain control of their lives and achieve greater self-reliance and independence. By providing the means to a legitimate income, selling the Big Issue Magazine allows such people to work towards moving off the streets into a home and job. The Foundation itself works with hundreds of vendors, supporting them with a programme of opportunities either delivered through its own services or in partnership with other, specialist agencies. Please visit www.bigissueonline.com for further information. Crisis operates day centres in London and Newcastle upon Tyne, providing homeless people with free courses and study support. All courses on offer lead to recognised qualifications. The charity also provides grants of up to £2,000 to help individuals move towards work-based vocational goals. In addition, they provide private landlords with written guarantees in place of a cash deposit, in order to help homeless people across the country find homes. Please visit www.crisis.org.uk for further information. Raleigh International is a charity committed to the personal growth and development of young people from all nationalities and backgrounds, including the disadvantaged, homeless and "at risk". The first £3,000 raised by the team has been committed to fund the entire construction of a medical centre in a remote settlement in the Conte Burika Indigenous Reserve in Coraona, Costa Rica, one of the areas in which Raleigh operates. If we can raise a further £3,000, a new project will be launched to build a school in the same remote village. Raleigh has agreed to ensure that at least one homeless person is included in this project, providing the opportunity for a potentially life-changing experience. Please visit www.raleigh.org.uk for further information. In the UK, there is an estimated £60,000 spent on each homeless person over the course of their time on the streets - a truly amazing statistic! The majority of this money is spent on homeless hostels, aiming to take the homeless off the streets and into temporary accommodation. However, while the provision of temporary shelter is a crucial part of the fight against UK homelessness, very little, by comparison, is spent on rehabilitation, retraining and teaching the basic life skills that are needed to enable a person to be self-reliant. That’s where you can make a difference. The charities we have selected don’t just help people get off the streets, they aim to empower and educate, allowing people to rebuild their confidence, fulfil their potential and transform their own lives.