Supported Lodgings

For further information please phone the Team on 01422 305911.

AIMS

Stonham is committed to reducing the impact of homelessness and social disadvantage through its provision of specialist housing with support to meet a wide range of needs. We are committed to providing these services through individually tailored support plans for every service user, within a framework of equal opportunities, anti-discrimination and respect.
In the Supported Lodgings Scheme we aim to accommodate young single homeless people (or those at risk in their accommodation) from a wide variety of backgrounds. We receive funding from Supporting People to provide temporary accommodation with families in the community with a view to helping lodgers move on to other accommodation in the Project or into a permanent place of their own.

THE SERVICE

Accommodation
We seek to place up to 20 lodgers in homes throughout Calderdale. The accommodation usually consists of exclusive use of a bedroom and shared access to cooking, laundry, toilets and lounge facilities. The accommodation is part-board.

Support
Accommodation providers befriend and support lodgers on a day to day level. Supported Lodgings staff work with lodgers and providers to prepare a resettlement plan for move-on to permanent accommodation of the lodger’s choice. The support we provide is based on four core objectives:

1) Practical Assistance: We will work with lodgers to identify areas of practical assistance and action plan a support package to ensure barriers to independence are addressed.
2) Financial Assistance: We will assist lodgers to address financial barriers to independence and work with them to produce effective budgets where necessary.
3) Opportunities: We will work with lodgers to help them define opportunities and prepare action plans in relation to employment, further education, training and other recreational and personal developmental activities.
4) Personal Well-being and Health and Safety: We will work with lodgers in a positive and practical way to promote their personal well being, identify resources and action plan. Where necessary, we will identify behaviour which poses a risk to the lodger or to other people and prepare plans with lodgers and appropriate agencies to minimise that risk.

The Supported Lodgings staff team consists of 2.5 Project Workers. The day to day running of Supported Lodgings Scheme is the responsibility of the Service Manager. Providers for the Scheme are recruited from the community periodically in a process that involves thorough Criminal Records Bureau checks and Equal Opportunities interviews.

Who do we house?
Lodgers may have had a history of care or involvement with the Probation Service or Social Services or they may be self referrals. Provision is mixed gender.
We cannot accept anyone with a known pattern of drug dealing, suffering from severe mental illness, or who have a history of aggression or violence towards support workers.

Conditions of occupancy
All lodgers are granted a Licence Agreement for a period of up to 2 years. All lodgings placements are reviewed. Lodgers are encouraged to move- on when ready, assuming that suitable move-on housing and support is available.
During their stay lodgers are expected to keep their rental payments up to date, including service charge contributions, and ensure they claim housing benefit as appropriate and abide by the House Rules. Lodgers are consulted about day to day management of the scheme periodically and via evaluations at the end of the placement. Lodgers are encouraged to use Stonham’s complaints procedure if they are dissatisfied with the accommodation or support provided or are experiencing harassment or discrimination.
The Service undergoes a detailed annual evaluation exercise which is informed by evidence based self assessment in line with the NHF Framework for Housing with Care, and Stonham’s national standards for housing management and care practice. Stonham’s internal audit department carries out spot audits of services, looking at both financial and management performance indicators.
In addition the Service holds regular meetings with providers where standards issues are discussed and changes proposed as appropriate. Stonham Supported Lodgings Scheme provides all lodgers with opportunities to influence change through lodger feedback questionnaires and through use of its complaints procedures.