It’s called “The Passage” and this Creative for Good campaign is also a winner.

The number of homeless persons has increased by 8% in London since the start of the economic crisis, according to the Creative for Good project team. So this campaign was started to raise money for “The Passage”, an important center for the homeless in England’s capital, and to help keep the down-and-out off the harsh and dirty streets. But it was also designed to draw attention to who the homeless are, often average people who find themselves in difficult, unforeseen situations.

The campaign gets volunteers with regular jobs to stand outside Victoria Station with cardboard signs and tin cups to collect cash. These volunteers, who look like the passers-by, actually collected 25% more than the homeless people had previously in the very same location. It became clear that people give more money when they are made to see the homeless as people just like themselves.

According to the Creative for Good website, the successful media campaign supporting “The Passage” has reached over 650,000 people in “an incredibly short period of time.” The volunteers have helped get the word out, but the Creative for Good project team also use social media and have broadcast a short film on the campaign.

This is yet another example of an effective initiative using practical ideas and solutions to bring about positive change in a community.