Haircuts4Homeless came about after Stewart Roberts saw Mark Bustos doing haircuts on homeless people in New York. 13 years sober, Stewart had been helping alcoholics and drug dependents for the previous ten years. So, in November 2014, having seen Mark Busto's work, Stewart arrived at a rehab course early, with scissors in hand, to cut a few of the homeless guys’ hair who had come for something to eat. This small act of kindness was so well received, that Stewart made it a regular thing.
"There is something very personal about cutting someone’s hair that can be both enjoyable and therapeutic which is something that many homeless people rarely experience. Homeless people have many challenges to face, one of them often being low self-esteem. A haircut can have a great effect, giving someone a real boost. It’s often way down on a homeless person’s priorities so this service, which for most is a luxury, proves to be very popular." explains Stewart.
Stewart is working on the next steps for Haircuts4Homeless. He is starting with the first Academy course designed to help the homeless learn skills in hairdressing, giving them the change to get back into the workplace once again.
The 50th Haircuts4Homeless project will open this quarter in Dundee. Roll on the next 50...