connect THE MAGAZINE OF THE HOMELESSNESS SECTOR
changing lives...
a customer’s service
a breath of fresh air
you put both hands in...
Look Ahead are trialling a new personalisation model that offers an alternative to personal budgets...
How the Basement, in Liverpool, are giving local rough sleepers a fresh new start on their innovative residential programme...
A regional showcase of inspiring activities and projects that are engaging homeless people across the country...
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16-17
23-25
CONNECT winter 2009/10, issue 38 | WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10 ©Robert Davidson
©Robert Davidson
COMMENT
New training course PREPARING FOR PERSONALISATION 10 February 2010 | London Now a major emerging issue in housing and social care, this course will provide participants with an introduction to the personalisation agenda. It will explore the implications of the new agenda for service providers, commissioners and clients, and look at how it can be implemented within a service. This new one-day course forms part of Homeless Link’s scheduled training programme for 2010; designed to address the latest topics of interest within the homelessness sector. COSTS Voluntary sector member: £132 Statutory sector member: £165 Non-member: £195 Find out more For further information on training, and a full list of courses please contact us on: T: 020 7840 9930 E: training@homelesslink.org.uk
www.homeless.org.uk/training
CONNECT
The magazine of the homelessness sector EDITORIAL & DESIGN Editor Michelle Doust Editorial Panel Antoinette Hoffland, Ben Dickenson, Gill Perkins, Jo Crellen, Kate Alaway, Paul Anderson, Peter Watson and Rebecca Sycamore. Designer Michelle Doust Cover Photo ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ performed by clients at Shilhay Community. Photo by Mike Pearce. www.homeless.org.uk/connect
SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe or take out additional subscriptions to CONNECT please email: connect@homelesslink.org.uk BE IN THE NEXT ISSUE! The theme of the next issue is: Mental health & homelessness. If you have suggestions about which topics we should cover in this issue or would like to submit an article please email: editor@homelesslink.org.uk before 12th February 2010.
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
COMMENT WELCOME
upfront 2010 marks the start of the
move-on rates and 15 formerly-homeless people
decade which we will
employed on their team, the results speak for themselves.
be working to make real progress towards our ambition of seeing our country free from homelessness. Looking back, 2009 was the year that the recession really bit. Unemployment reached an all time high and families struggled to cope with debt. It was a year when our sector showed its mettle. We faced increased demand and a drop in donations, a tough commissioning round; and the threat of major public spending cuts ahead. But in many areas we pulled together, shared information, agreed a common focus and prevented the increased demand for services turning into increased numbers on the streets. None of this could have been possible without a readiness to embrace change.
With an election around the corner the future is far from predictable. We need to be ready to respond to future strategies but also to feed in our own sector’s knowledge, proven solutions and calls for action. This is why we’re launching our new manifesto: Ending Homelessness Together. Thank you to all members and service users who have fed into the proposals. Caroline Spelman, Shadow Communities Secretary, was the first senior politician to sign up in 2007 to our aim to end street homelessness. On page X, Caroline looks back at progress and considers what needs to happen next. Personalisation is high on the agenda. Ceri Sheppard, an independent consultant for Look Ahead, explains how their model provides an alternative to personal budgets. In North Devon and Exeter personalisation is being piloted for long-term rough sleepers. From the
This issue of Connect looks at why change matters. It is not so often that we have the option of making dramatic transformations backed by budget growth. That is going to get even rarer over the next few years. Yet subtle changes in the way we deliver services can have a powerful impact.
beginning both took a person-centred approach; asking clients what they wanted to achieve. Giving people a choice is a simple principle echoed by many of the organisations we feature in Connect. To do this these services have had to hand over a degree of control which does, of course, involve taking a risk -
Gill Brown, Chief Executive of Brighter Futures, highlights how simple solutions are often the most effective. She says, “To make a real difference to the lives of our customers we support them to do things that will enable them to lead happy, well adjusted lives.” With successful
something we ask homeless clients to do everyday. The dynamic between service “provider” and “user” has been changing. One thing we can safely predict for the decade ahead is that more change is on the way. Jenny Edwards Chief Executive, Homeless Link
in this issue NEWS What’s new?
4
COMMENT Staying in? A balancing act Taking the lead in the North East
6 8 9
FEATURES Want to change lives? Start changing! A customer’s service Personalisation: the Devon way Change, it adds up... A breath of fresh air A place for everyone
10 12 13 14 16 18
Speak with my voice Change affects everyone Take a chance on me You put both hands in
19 20 22 23
INSPIRED Bloomin’ bigger in 2010
26
PEOPLE Interview: Caroline Spelman MP A place of change: my experience
28 30
WHAT’S ON
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news
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
latest sector news IT’S BEEN 3 MONTHS SINCE THE LAST ISSUE OF CONNECT. AS ALWAYS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT GOING ON. HERE’S A SNAPSHOT…
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?
COMING SOON
07.12.09 IMPROVING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
14.01.10 HOMELESS LINK’S NEW CHAIR
NEW MANIFESTO TO END HOMELESSNESS
We are delighted to announce the
Our manifesto, which will be
Homeless Link’s health audit tool
appointment of Ann Skinner as our
launched at a reception on 2nd
was highlighted in the Department
new Chair. She replaces Simon
February 2010, sets out our key
of Health’s new national mental
Wilson who stepped down on 14th
priorities and asks for the next
health strategy, New Horizons, as
January after 5 years in the role.
Government. The manifesto will be
a way to help inform future mental
Skinner has a challenging regional
available to download from our
health services for homeless people.
agenda in the Department of
website in early February.
The audit tool is being piloted in
Health within the Social Care and
9 local authority areas, to gather
Partnerships Team with responsibility
data about health need and
for Socially Excluded Adults. Prior
improve future commissioning.
to this she was a Commissioner in
www.homelesslink.org.uk/
theLondon Borough of Lambeth
health-needs-audit
where she earned the reputation
12.12.09 newcastle reaches ZERO...
of being an innovative player with a passion for partnership working.
In the week leading up to Christmas
Ann Skinner said, “I am thrilled to
it was reported that zero people
have the opportunity to work with
were sleeping rough on Newcastle’s
the members, management team
streets. Congratulations to everyone
and staff of such a well-respected
that is working to end rough sleeping
and dynamic voluntary sector
in the city.
organisation.”
SNAP Our next Survey of Needs and Provision (SNAP) report will be published in March. In the meantime we’d love to know how you’ve been using previous SNAP research and what you’d find useful in the future. Have your say in our online forum: www.homeless.org.uk/snap-forum IN-FORM In-Form, our new client recording system, will be launched on 1st April 2010. For further details contact: inform@homelesslink.org.uk
“This is down to a couple of things... namely a co-ordinated approach to dealing with the problem and a willingness from the City Council and partners that for someone to sleep rough these days is totally unacceptable.” Stephen Bell, Chief ExecUTIVE AT The Cyrenians, on newcastle having zero rough sleepers in the week before christmas 4
WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
news
A selection of photos taken by servcie users at SIFA Fireside for the ‘My Birmingham’ project. The project enabled homeless people to explore their own interpretation of the city. PHOTOS SIFA Fireside
GET INVOLVED OPEN CONSULTATION
groups whose work is helping to give
and the prize, please visit:
Supporting people into work:
the community a voice through
www.homeless.org.uk/
the next stage of Housing
digital media.
whippman-awards
SIFA Fireside, a Birmingham-based
have your SAY ONLINE!
homeless charity, have received
Since our last issue we’ve launched
an award for their three-month art
our new website which includes an
and photography project, entitled
exciting new forum area so you can
‘My Birmingham’.
easily have your say on the latest
Benefit reform. Launched on 15th December, this consultation sets out the government’s plans to progress reform of housing benefit. One of the measures proposed is a ‘Transition into Work Payment’
To find out more about Community
which could provide extra housing
Voices and how to apply for an
benefit, at the out of work rate,
award visit: www.mediatrust.org/
for people moving into work.
communityvoices
The deadline for responses to this consultation is: 22nd February 2010. For details of how to respond visit: http://bit.ly/hbreform
MICHAEL WHIPPMAN SERVICE USER INVOLVEMENT AWARD 2010 Homeless Link is pleased to announce that this year’s Michael
issues affecting our sector... www.homeless.org.uk/forums/ public-forum
HOMELESS LINK WELCOMES THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS: Leatherhead Night Hostel Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
PLAY IN THE NEXT HOMELESS WORLD CUP
Whippman Service User Involvement
SHoUT (Supporting People our User’s Team)
Award is now open for entries...
Family Mosaic
The Big Issue in the North are
This year we are looking to find
St John Ambulance
holding open regional trials between
successful, innovative social enter-
Creative Cafe
January and March 2010. Details
prises, which have had a positive
Farming For All
of entry criteria, dates and venues
impact on their society and local
Newcastle City Council
are included in the Homeless World
environment. Most importantly,
Emmaus South Lambeth
Cup application form, available to
we are looking for enterprises that
Nugent Care
download from:
promote inclusion, partnership and
Emma Q Associates
www.bigissueinthenorth.com
ownership and that have benefited
Community voices awards The Media Trust’s Community Voices
the lives of the homeless people who have been involved with them.
Aylesbury Homeless Action Group Birmingham YMCA Barnardos Fresh Roots Hope 4 (Rugby) Ltd
campaign is offering one £500
Deadline for applications: Friday 30
Healthy Living Projects
award every week up until March
April 2010. For more information on
The Rushden Night Shelter
2010 to individuals or community
how to enter, the judging process
The Brick Project WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
5
COMMENT
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
staying in Homeless Link has carried out research examining the causes of eviction and abandonment from homeless hostels across London. Jessica Plant, Innovations Project Coordinator, analyses some of the key findings from the report.
Background to the research
my social worker. They didn’t look into it property, it
We want to ensure that hostels remain safe,
was terrible. It totally put me off going into a hostel.
nurturing homes that protect the most vulnerable
I felt so distressed and let down”.
people, whilst reducing evictions and abandonments so people do not return to the streets.
Preventing evictions can be challenging in large hostels or in those with the most entrenched client groups.
CHAIN (a database which records the movements
However, we found that even large hostels with
of rough sleepers in London) shows that 47% of
extremely chaotic client groups can have low levels
previous rough sleepers who abandon or are evicted
of evictions and abandonment if the right approach is
from London’s hostels are reported by street outreach
adopted. Clients, staff and managers told us that what
teams to be sleeping rough subsequently. So, if we
really mattered was staff attitude. Where services tried
are to end rough sleeping, it is vital to look at ways to
to understand challenging behaviour as a support need
prevent evictions and abandonments and ensure we
and had developed positive relationships with clients
make every possible effort to work with people who
that were built on trust and mutual respect, evictions
have taken their first steps to leave the street.
and abandonments were kept to a minimum.
The aim of our research, therefore, is to inform good
One client said, “If you respect someone, they’ll
practice and support organisations to reduce prevent-
respect you... work with them and they’ll work with
able evictions. We spoke to 64 clients, 14 managers,
you. That’s life isn’t it?”
40 frontline staff and 4 commissioners as well as visiting a number of day centres. Here is a taster of our findings and some good practice ideas for hostels. In 2010 we will be trialling and evaluating solutions, then rolling out a ‘change programme’ across England.
Clients need to be placed in the right hostel with the appropriate level of support to match their needs, and the appropriate response to their challenging behaviour. For example, the most entrenched rough sleepers may need small, high-tolerance hostels that
Preventing evictions…
don’t expect people to easily modify behaviour, but
The impact of eviction or abandonment on clients can
focus on minimising risk.
be huge, resulting in people sleeping rough, feeling rejected and with little hope for the future.
Why are people abandoning hostels? The research concluded that some of the main factors
One client said, “It’s bad to get evicted; you have
associated with abandonment are rent arrears, debts
to start again. My payments weren’t recorded
to other residents, problems settling into hostel life
properly, even though I had filled in all my forms with
and avoiding events such as court dates or key
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CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
COMMENT
appointments. Quality of accommodation and the
•
Providing financial support, such as reducing
services people received such as food, décor and
service charges, setting up direct deductions,
levels of security also play a very important role in
budget training
whether or not people decide to stay.
•
Involving police where an offence may have
What the main reasons for eviction? Arrears and behavioural issues such as violence were the main reasons that people were being evicted from hostels. However, many hostels had developed innovative approaches to deal with these issues which in turn had reduced eviction and abandonments. The best results were achieved where staff engaged assertively with any problematic behaviour, but without over-using stepped warnings systems. Focusing on ‘why’ people were violent or aggressive and dealing with the underlying issues for individuals is essential to ensuring their experience of living in hostels is positive. How can hostels develop a different approach and reduce evictions and abandonments?
occurred
•
Using case conferences before every eviction to
discuss a course of action and involving other
services
•
Working with other services after clients abandon,
to find them and talk to them about what would
make it possible to return
•
Reviewing the hostel rules and policy towards drugs
and alcohol use to assess whether all the rules are
necessary and realistic for the client group
•
Introducing in-house services, such as mental
health professionals, drug and alcohol workers and
access to physiotherapist and counselling services.
Staff need to be supported to ensure meaningful keywork and client involvement are at the heart of
•
Building trust initially through informal key work –
taking the time to speak to people informally, go
for a coffee or explore the new neighbourhood
•
Pre-booking in work with clients, such as visiting
people at their referral agency and meeting with
the outreach workers
We must ensure that we continue to believe in the
•
Increasing meaningful activities within the hostel,
potential for people to turn their lives around and that
for example art, cookery groups, trips or holidays
the mechanisms are in place to allow staff to support
•
Involving clients in decision making, for example
this approach.
clients having a say about policies, decor and
food choices
hostel provision. One client told us that, “The staff should sit down with the person, work with them and find out why they’ve done it. If you give up on someone, they’ll just do it again and again until no hostel will take them.”
For more about the evictions and abandonments project visit: www.homeless.org.uk/evictions-project
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COMMENT
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
A balancing acT Effective outreach services are vital to achieving the government’s aim to end rough sleeping. The Outreach Balanced Scorecard is the first quality assurance framework developed specifically for outreach services. Helen Lewis from Crunch Consulting – who developed the Scorecard on behalf of CLG – explains the impact it will have on service delivery.
Why was the Scorecard developed? The national strategy has a zero target for rough sleeping by 2012. Expectations of outreach services have changed because of the importance of successfully tackling entrenched rough sleeping alongside managing the flow of new rough sleepers onto the streets. There is a particular focus on making more use of enforcement together with more traditional social care interventions. Until now, there has been no nationally-recognised set of standards, so it has not been easy to judge if outreach services are ‘fit for purpose’. The Scorecard is a good
Thames Reach’s Street Rescue Service offer support to a woman sleeping rough. Photo Thames Reach
commissioners’ and providers’ local needs.
practice tool, not a mandatory framework. It enables
The Scorecard was piloted with local authorities and
commissioners and outreach providers to see how well
providers in London, Reading and Nottingham. There
outreach services work with rough sleepers and other
has already been lots of interest in the framework, with
stakeholders and how they meet national and local
St Mungo’s and Broadway already using it to audit
expectations.
services. Rebecca Pritchard, CLG’s Specialist Advisor
How does the Scorecard work?
on Rough Sleeping says,
The Scorecard creates a set of standards for each
“For the first time, we have a framework which meets
service delivery area. against which. services are
both the needs of local authorities and service providers.
assessed. The word ‘balanced’ refers to the fact that all
The feedback we’ve had from commissioners is that the
areas are of equal importance in the overall assessment.
Scorecard adds to their existing commissioning and
The Scorecard’s main areas cover work with stakeholders and service users, internal systems, outcomes and innovation. Teams show how they work effectively at strategic and operational levels. This includes
contracting processes. Providers can clearly identify their areas of strength and weakness. They also really value the opportunity to share learning and good practice with other outreach teams.”
understanding local circumstances and delivering
Crunch is offering support to commissioners and
services with local partners, but also having focused
outreach providers on using the Scorecard,
interactions with rough sleepers and following through
including training and audits of existing services. For
on enforcement and other actions with individuals.
further details contact helen@crunchconsulting.net, or
The Scorecard is flexible and simple to use. It can be used as a self-assessment and/or audit tool to suit 8
WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
call 07944 270165. Copies of the Standards and a Toolkit are available from Crunch’s website at: www.crunchconsulting.net/news.
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
COMMENT
TAKING THE LEAD Tony Moore, Partnership Policy Manager, Vulnerable Adults from the Government Office for the North East reviews the key themes of the North East Housing Conference last November.
I arrived early expecting to be seated easily, however,
Commitment counts…
the room at Newcastle Civic Centre was already bursting
I have been on the circuit for around 10 years now –
at the seams. Much of the North East region was here to
and I noticed the change in some of the key local
listen to and learn from Newcastle’s leadership on
figures fronting this event. They publicly acknowledged
housing related issues.
and, indeed, praised the commitment from central
As I sat, in one of the few available seats, I reflected on where I was – in the council office – symbolic of where solutions to exclusion may well emanate, if not indeed radiate. I also mentally compared this to the last social
as Places of Change and Supporting People. These programmes have had significant positive impacts on service users and providers alike.
exclusion event I attended – which ironically was in a
I went to this event hoping to hear what was happening,
castle.
and what gaps need filling, in my current work area: the
The message was loud and strong, and communicated from the top: “We should never give up on those people that have given up on themselves”. Council Leader John Shipley drove home a clear corporate commitment, which in another venue, from another voice, could have quite easily been lost. It’s all about partnership… Partnerships in Newcastle have gone beyond just reaching the hard-to-reach. They know who these people are through effective weekly case management. They do not just know the names of the chronically excluded; they know their stories and are shaping their futures. The partnership approach underpinning this work is perhaps why and how they have become Government champions for tackling rough sleeping, and why they are at ease sharing their successes. ©Damien Everett
government and some of their programmes, such
They know that housing and its availability are issues, but they are also clear that bigger potential solutions can be found by strengthening links with other key services. More than anything they demonstrate the need for and benefits of mainstreaming the issues.
PSA 16 agenda. However, this was not mentioned at all. It did not need to be mentioned. The whole event was inclusive of the four groups that PSA 16 covers; offenders under probation supervision, adults with learning disabilities, young adults formerly in care and adults with mental health problems. Inspirational leaders… This event had one inspirational performer after another; Neil Munslow (Newcastle City Council Housing Service’s Manager), John Shipley, Gemma Shiel (Rough Sleeping Coordinator for the City), Stephen Bell (Chief Executive Tyneside Cyrenians), John Lee (Chief Executive Your Homes Newcastle), Dr Angela Jones, Rebecca Pritchard (CLG Specialist Advisor for Rough Sleeping) and Jenny Edwards – who cleaned up with a polished performance in more ways than one! I have long been a strong advocate of reminiscence being one of the most powerful learning tools. Jenny rightly acknowledged that all she knew, she had learned from others who had shared their stories. This is what Newcastle does in getting behind the stories of those that they help.
WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
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FEATURES
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
Want to change lives? Start changing! when it comes to change, services need to set an example if they want their clients to do the same... Ben Dickenson, homeless Link’s regional manager for the north east, explores some of the services that are doing just this and takes a look at the positive impact they’re having on vulnerable people’s lives.
“Fifteen years ago I had the opportunity to create a Place of Change and didn’t take it”, a service
workers can predict the names of rough sleepers they’ll find tonight with uncanny accuracy. Yet, how many of
manager tells his audience. “We built a new building
the homelessness professionals in the room can put a
with 30 en-suite bedrooms. We had agricultural
figure on the number of people’s lives they’ve actually
areas to engage residents. It had the chance of
changed?
being a great place for homeless people to live, learn and grow. But it failed.”
The people we work with are suffering crisis. The most obvious symptoms of the crisis, such as lack of a roof,
Failed? The audience is a little surprised. They’ve come
access to healthcare or food, can be solved by our
to expect good practice examples from conference
intervention. For a long time this was the orthodoxy of
workshops like the one they are attending today.
homelessness. We tackled the symptoms, we serviced
Besides, one spectator comments, after a decade-and-
the crisis.
a-half that homelessness service must have housed hundreds of chronically excluded people, if not… “Thousands - and how many of them came back?” “How many found and kept jobs, stopped drinking,
The indices of crisis are easy to measure. Is Andy still on the street? Is Brian now in a hostel? Is Collin being fed at the day centre? Are Dawn and Eric signed on for benefits? Has Fran attended her treatment review?
became healthy, created loving families, learned how
The bundle of needs wrapped by the blanket of
to be part of their community?” No one has the statistics
homelessness has numerous statistics attached to it.
to answer. Hostel managers in the room can count
Measuring services by their capacity to change lives –
eviction totals from last year, without hesitation. Day
tackling the disease of chronic exclusion as well as its
centre officers remember faces of repeat attendees
symptoms – is a less easily quantifiable task. It’s the task
better than some of their own relatives. Street outreach
we are taking on in this issue of Connect.
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CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
FEATURES
“The world is on the tip of your tongue”, says the proverb. So let’s begin there, with stories from the mouths of life changing services. Take Liverpool’s Basement project which has been working with the city’s most entrenched rough sleepers, taking them away on experiential residential breaks. One long-term drinker recently became a drugs worker, after more than ten years on the streets (see page 16). Innovation like this demonstrates that wherever you operate, in the journey from crisis to a settled home, you have the chance to make new futures. Similarly SIFA Fireside, in Birmingham, formed an inventive arts programme which led to service users becoming commissioned artists (see our regional showcase on pages 23-25.) Then there’s Stonham in West Yorkshire, which has transformed the services delivered from a wide range of projects. A story told in testimony from management, front line workers and a service user whose lives have been changed as a result (pages 20-21.) Or take CHC, in Brent, who have turned a homelessness service outwards to change the lives of local community members through training and accredited courses (see page 18.) Drawn together these stories are a chorus, from which certain notes sing loudly. The first of these is engagement - an often abused word. In the context of life changing services engagement is taking part in structured, meaningful activity. Activities can be
A client from Liverpool’s Basement project prepares lunch in the cottage kitchen on one of the residential breaks. Photo Mark Choonara
anything: film clubs, boating; construction; alternative therapies; sports. What determines their success is the
is working with its members to ensure homelessness
way they capture client interest and progress into
remains a feature of local and national priorities. We
learning, volunteering, leadership and employment.
are also working towards ending homelessness, with
Implementing personalisation, allowing service users
the 2012 target for zero rough sleeping creeping closer.
to choose their own activities and pathways is equally
Given these drivers, the future for homelessness services
important. The second note is motivation. Winning a grant to
may be a model that situates homeless people at the centre of wider community resources.
deliver activities will not automatically get clients out
These notes constitute the theme tune of services that
of bed. Clients need environments that stimulate
seek to be genuinely life changing. This article began
participation. A place where staff build positive
by giving that tune the title “Place of Change”. You do
relationships, dosed with encouragement and
not need a Places of Change plaque on your wall to
aspiration-raising dialogue. For support worker read
mould a service to these rules. You do not necessarily
‘life coach’. Oh, and it helps if they smile too. A positive staff culture, solution focussed with service users at its centre, is essential. The third note is community. We are well aware of
need capital investment, although this has been the impetus for some services. What you need, as our service manager told his audience: “…is to stop doing things the way you always
changes taking place in local authorities, not least the
did them. Changing lives is impossible unless we are
imminent end of Supporting People. Homeless Link
also prepared to change.” WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
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FEATURES
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
A customer’s service Ceri Sheppard is an independent consultant who has been working with Look Ahead to trial a new personalisation model that offers an alternative option to personal budgets and puts control back into the hands of customers.
In partnership with the London Borough of Tower
PCP, and the personalised plans are as varied in form
Hamlets, Look Ahead is trialling a personalisation
and content as the individuals creating them; videos,
model, which will be of particular interest for
presentations, post-it notes and drawings. Customers
customers whose personal care needs are not high
are often choosing to purchase things which help them
enough to make them eligible for social care funding.
to live normal lives; going on day trips, meals out and
The intended outcome of the trial, which ends in March 2010, is to devolve as much control and choice as possible to customers while at the same time ensuring that the service remains safe and effective, and a place of progression and recovery. Coventry Road, where the trial is taking place, is an
going for coffee. The big difference from before is that the customers are in control, and that these activities are recognised as valid and effective forms of support; something that would have been hard to justify in a non-personalised Supporting People contract. Other customers are using their personalisation funds to spend more time with family and take up old hobbies such as
accommodation based project in East London for
archery, swimming and photography.
people with severe and enduring mental health needs.
Customers as commissioners This model of personalisation commits Look Ahead to full personalisation of services in its most profound sense; the changing of the support relationship from the “professional gift” approach to one where individuals (alone and collectively) become the commissioners.
Customers typically have high housing related support needs and complex health needs but are generally assessed as having lower personal care needs.
Personalised plans The Coventry Road personalisation model identifies 70% as core support (two members of staff on site 24 hours a day) and gives tenants control over designing and purchasing the remaining one-third of their support. Each individual’s personalisation fund is a combination of cash and flexible support worker hours. Tenants can request 3.5 support worker hours per week from Look
The next challenge is to fine tune the model so that it can be easily adapted and transferred to other services and client groups. This involves finding more efficient ways to manage the money in the personalisation funds and integrating trial paperwork into mainstream Look Ahead processes.
Ahead, which is delivered at a time and in a way to suit them. As we define “support” very broadly this can translate into almost anything as long as it is legal, practical and will contribute to an individual’s outcomes. All tenants are being supported within a person centred planning (PCP) framework to create their own personalised plans, outlining their aspirations and how the personalisation funds will help to change their lives. So far, nineteen out of twenty customers have done
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Above: Sketches from a service user’s personalised plan; exploring individual goals and aspirations.
CONNECT | WINTER 2009/10
FEATURES
PERSONALISATION THE DEVON Way Funded by Communities and Local Government (CLG) Exeter city and North Devon District Councils are piloting individualised budgets for long-term rough sleepers. Nicola Glassbrook, Manager of the Street Homeless Outreach Team (SHOT) in Exeter, shares some of the highlights so far… At the outset it was anticipated that one of the
CHALLENGES AND RESULTS
biggest challenges of this project would be to engage
The main challenges have been around getting
long-term rough sleepers who had previously turned
everyone to attend multi-agency meetings, be flexible
down offers of support.
around appointment times and provide continuity in
Developing trusting relationships was crucial and we
support.
began by asking clients what they actually wanted;
We are, however, taking steps to address this as these
giving them realistic expectations of what could be
are the issues that can lead people with highly complex
achieved. For some clients this was the first time they’d
needs to be socially excluded in the first place.
been asked about their aspirations and no one yet has asked for anything unreasonable. One female client, for example, told us that she just wants to get her own place and would like to work with animals.
Working with a small but entrenched group, however, has proved effective and clients have been engaging well. So far, money has been used to pay for respite accommodation, clothing and things to help boost
In North Devon four clients are involved in the pilot and
people’s self esteem. There have already been some
Exeter’s Street Homelessness Outreach Team (SHOT) are
positive outcomes:
currently in the process of identifying 10 clients. To help run the project, staff have been seconded from Exeter Shilhay and Barnstaple Poverty Action Group in North
•
In Exeter five clients have been accommodated
with two involved in the Short Term Accommodation
and Resettlement project (STAR)*
•
In North Devon three clients have been
A JOINED-UP APPROACH Although outreach services are leading the pilot in both areas, they are not working in isolation. All of the clients involved have a range of complex needs and collaboration with other agencies has been vital.
accommodated with one living in private rented
accommodation.
For instance, the pilot in Devon tests the joined-up
the streets.
Devon.
Getting these clients into accommodation is only the beginning of the journey. The real challenge is helping them to sustain this and truly move on from their lives on
working arrangements of local agencies to deliver client-centred services. This relies on the willingness of both the statutory and voluntary sector to participate. Any major spends that fall outside of a client’s individual budget are agreed at a multi-agency meeting which the client is encouraged to attend. In Exeter SHOT have been working with a number of front line agencies including a day centre, doctor’s surgery and local hostels.
The pilot project was officially launched in October 2009 with £35000 awarded from the CLG and £20,000 from Devon Supporting People, who are also going to fund the evaluation. *STAR uses Local Authority 1-bed units for rough sleepers. The flats are used creatively to work with clients before moving them on to longer term accommodation options. WWW.HOMELESS.ORG.UK
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