RACHEL van Hoven has been the Community Fundraising Manager for homeless charity Porchlight for four months. But the 28-year-old, who is originally from Eindhoven in Holland - yet speaks with an Irish accent - says the job is about a lot more than just finding cash. Ryan Fletcher met her to discuss changing peoples' attitudes to the homeless - and surreal books...

What do you do at Porchlight?

I help organise fundraising. But I also get to talk to people about their perceptions of the homeless. Some believe they should be helped. Others think it is their own fault.

I visit secondary schools and ask pupils what they think. Sometimes they have quite a negative impression. Most have a stereotypical image of the homeless with long beards sleeping on cardboard. It would take me an hour to explain the different problems they have but all it often needs is two minutes talking to a homeless person to open people's eyes. When I can, I like to give people a first-hand experience.

What do they learn?

That there is no particular type of homeless person. There are all sorts of ways people end up homeless. It could happen to you or me.

That's why letting people know about homelessness helps them realise that people deserve a chance to get back on their feet. A lot of staff who work for us used to be homeless themselves and were helped by Porchlight.

They are a fantastic example that people can, and do, solve their problems. That's what I love about this job - challenging peoples' attitudes.

Does everyone want to be helped?

Most are receptive to help. When the Scrine Foundation night shelter near Canterbury East train station closed we already had a team from our Kent Outreach Service working with rough sleepers in Canterbury through drop-ins and a freehphone help line. It took us three weeks to build up the trust but in the end we won them all over - including some we didn't think we would.

Has the closure stopped rough sleepers coming to Canterbury?

I don't know enough to comment on the shelter. I suppose the logic is that if people hear there isn't a shelter here then they won't come.

When did you leave Holland?

I was 23 when I moved to Dublin. I had been going out with a Scotsman for two years in a long-distance relationship and we wanted to move in together. I'd worked in a pub in Ireland when I was 20 and fell in love with the place. We needed to move somewhere where English was spoken so we chose there.

What happened to the Scotsman?

I'm still going out with him. His name is George Sutherland, which is a very Scottish name. We met through mutual friends. He had travelled with them through Argentina and went to Holland to visit them.

What did you do in Dublin?

At first I worked for the car rental company Hertz but I hated it. I didn't have any savings to set myself up and I needed to get a job. I was working in the customer service department dealing with complaints. It was a ridiculously unrewarding job.

Then I worked for a charity for depression and suicide awareness which was much better because it wasn't just about making money.

Because I started at the bottom I had the chance to work in all sorts of different areas. I ended up delivering suicide intervention workshops to different groups of people.

Why did you swap Ireland for England?

It rained in Dublin everyday. It was terrible. Life in Dublin was pretty similar to any other city. But it is probably the least liberal city in EU and after a while I didn't like that because the Netherlands is very liberal.

We knew we didn't want to stay in Dublin so we looked at Australia because George's family emigrated there and Spain because of the sunshine.

But Australia is too far away from my friends and family and I couldn't imagine the thought of holding my newborn baby up in front of a webcam to show my mum.

In Spain we would have to have learned a completely new language. Then we thought of England. We came to Canterbury for a weekend and loved it. I want to stay here forever. It's near to Holland, London and France and the weather is much better than Dublin.

What would you change about Canterbury?

I wouldn't change anything. I like it as it is. Perhaps I would pick it up and move it further south but as a city I would keep it as it is. It is a lovely place.

What's your favourite book?

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. It is about a boy on a life raft with a tiger, a hyena and a zebra. I really like it because it's surreal and bizarre. At the beginning the boy lives in a zoo. His dad explains why it is OK to keep some animals in captivity, which is great because I really like going to zoos, even though sometimes it seems bad to keep animals locked up.

Who would you invite to a dinner party?

I'd invite writer Roald Dahl and Oliver Sacks. He's a neurologist who writes fascinating books about brain damage – such as the Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat. He writes about things you couldn't come up with yourself. He has a really human way of dealing with people.

I'd also invite the comedian Alan Davis from QI. I like his mad curly hair and he really is very funny.

*Porchlight was originally founded in 1974 as the Canterbury Cyrenians. It was re-branded in 2008. Its offices are in Watling Street. For details call 01227 760078 or visit www.porchlight.org.uk.