Supporting people to feel safe, live well and thrive

We are Southdown What we believe Explore more about Southdown Our story

We are Southdown, a Sussex-based not-for-profit organisation providing housing, mental health, learning disability, and employment support.

For more than 50 years, we have worked alongside people as they build stability, confidence and connection in their lives. Today, we support thousands of people across Sussex, including people looking for a safe place to live, support with their mental health, help into employment, and learning disability support that enables more independence, choice and belonging.

We work closely with local authorities, the NHS, commissioners, voluntary sector partners and community organisations to make sure support is joined-up, accessible and centred around the people we support.

As people’s needs change, our work continues to grow, with a focus on breaking down barriers and helping people access the right support at the right time.. Over the coming years, we will keep building on our purpose: joining up support, expanding access to safe homes, enabling independence, and strengthening Southdown so we can support more people across Sussex.

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What we believe

A safe home provides the foundation for stability and opportunity

A secure place to live can give people the space to recover, plan ahead and feel more settled in their lives.

Connection and purpose help people thrive in their communities

Relationships, belonging and meaningful activity can support wellbeing and help people feel part of the world around them.

High-quality, person-centred support empowers people to lead their own lives

We work alongside people, recognising their strengths, choices and experiences, so support reflects what matters most to them.

Explore more about Southdown

What we do

Learn how our housing, mental health, employment and learning disability services work together to support people across Sussex.

Explore what we do

How we work

Learn more about our values, the Southdown Beacon, and how our psychologically informed approach shapes the way we work alongside people.

See how we work

Client and tenant involvement

Find out how clients and tenants shape their own support, influence services, take part in recruitment and help improve Southdown.

Learn about involvement

Our leadership

Meet the people who lead Southdown and learn how our leadership, Board and governance structures support our work.

Meet our leadership

Impact and performance

See how we measure our impact, report on performance, and remain open and accountable to the people and communities we support.

View impact and performance

Stories from Southdown

Real stories from clients, tenants, colleagues and partners show the difference that safe homes, support, connection and community can make.

Read our stories

Our story

Southdown began in 1972 as Brighton & Hove Area Group Housing Association. We were founded by a group of volunteers who wanted to support people with mental health challenges who were moving from long-stay hospital institutions into the community.

From the beginning, our work was about more than housing. Our founders fundraised to buy Southdown’s first property, but they also understood that people need connection, independence, wellbeing and tailored support to live well in their communities.

For more than 15 years, Southdown remained a small volunteer-run organisation. In 1989, we appointed our first paid staff and began to expand our work across Sussex, including support for people with learning disabilities.

In 1996, we became Southdown Housing Association. As our name changed, our work continued to grow. We developed more housing and support services, helping people gain greater independence, choice and stability in their lives.

Today, we are known simply as Southdown. We support thousands of people each year across Sussex, working alongside clients, tenants, families, partners and communities. Our services have grown and changed over five decades, but our founding purpose remains the same: to help people feel safe, live well and be part of their communities.