PROJECTS

History of the Emma Project

By 2000 the 700 Club Charity had identified a need to provide some of the Service Users residing within the Grange Road Hostel a ‘next stage’ to independence. The charity leased a two bedroom property from Darlington Borough Council and the local Round Table kindly assisted staff to decorate the property.

During the same period we were approach by the best friend of young lady called Emma who had recently passed away. Not long before Emma died she bought her first house with some new furniture and felt she had finally ‘made it’. Emma made her friend promise that if anything happened to her, all the furniture was to be donated to a local homeless charity, because both girls had had a couple of periods being penniless and street homeless and they wanted to help others.

Two key areas of work emerged from the Emma House. More intermediary accommodation was required to house those who were ready to leave the hostel but not yet ready for independent living. More outreach work was required to support those, in their own homes, with more developed independent living skills.

From here, the Emma Project flourished into what we have today. Taster Flats, Floating Support units.That’s not to mention the extra services and activities we offer: Mentoring , Daily Living Skills Programme, Book Club, Walking Club, 24 Hour Emergency On Call.

Bridge2Home

What is Bridge 2 Home?

Bridge 2 Home (B2H) is a new service in Darlington managed by the 700 Club in partnership with Darlington Borough Council, the Primary Care Trust and other voluntary sector partners.

Mentoring

The Volunteer Mentor Coordinator was appointed in November 2007. Funding is provided by Northern Rock Foundation for the next three years.

Ann-Marie Basnett-Roberts is the Volunteer Mentor Coordinator. She wrote the following article:

“I was homeless myself, so know the isolation, loneliness and fear of being caught up in a system I know little about. I would have loved to have a volunteer mentor to support me at that time, but there was no such person, and that is why I know this is needed and will be a huge success.

The idea is that I will advertise, recruit, interview, support, and help organise the training of volunteer mentors and match these same mentors with Service Users within the 700 Club. 

The beauty of volunteering is two fold. The volunteer gets an amazing amount of experience, and a taster of what the work involves, it can kill or cure as it were! They also get to see how organisations are run, and the huge numbers of people involved in running the show. As well as the differing roles that makes up the jigsaw of such organisations. They develop as people, I should know I have volunteered in many organisations throughout both my working and academic life, including the NSPCC, Cleveland Aids Support, Justice Support Project and Hartlepool Refuge. I volunteered at Barnardos too which resulted in me being appointed to my last post as Project Worker at Middlesbrough Independence Network supporting homeless people. Part of my role there was supporting volunteers, and my experience of being one was invaluable. They feel valued by the people they are helping and the organisation. There is no doubt that the thousands of volunteers across the country can never be thanked enough for what they do, but here at the 700 Club we will try!

What is in it for you the Service User? The Service Users gets the support of volunteers who want to be with them. I have found in the past that Service Users confide more in volunteers as there is no remit for them being there other than they want to help. This gives an element of freedom to the person needing the support, and they are more at ease with the volunteer. This increases the level of honesty, trust and a better working relationship for both parties. They can also tap into the volunteer’s skills and get support in something they have always wanted to do. For example many people leave school early and lack key skills. Volunteer Mentors can bridge that gap and give individual support on a one to one basis not in a classroom. The options are endless and the people deciding on them are the two most important ones, the Volunteer Mentor and the Service User.

You could be supported on a regular basis, say every Tuesday if that is what you both agree, and this would open up lots of possibilities. You work together to make it. No two relationships or mentoring agreement will be the same. If I could market and sell the special bond that develops I would be a rich woman! Those of you who are involved in the service will be rich too, in a way that money cannot compare with, they will know that good is coming out of the work done, and that is priceless.

Mentors will go through an application process including references and CRB screening, and will need to commit to training within and outside the 700 Club and will be matched to those wanting a mentor. At all times they will be supervised and supported, as will you, by them.

You might be a Service Users wanting a Mentor, or a member of the public interested in Mentoring, you might work for another organisation and want to set up a Mentoring Scheme. Whatever your interest telephone Ann Marie or Tracy Marlor 01325 366397 or go to http://www.700club.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteering/ for further information.

Floating Support

“The primary purpose of housing related support is to develop and sustain an individual’s capacity to live independently in their accommodation” Supporting People

Emma Project Floating Support offer a housing related support service that promotes independence by developing skills in the client that will allow them to live as independently as possible in a stable environment.

We offer advice and support, aiming to prevent homelessness wherever possible through timely intervention.

The Emma Project has a team of three experienced support workers whose aim is to provide individually tailored support plans for each client that will identify the areas in which they require support. As a client’s needs change so the support plan will change to reflect this. One of our team specialises in under 25’s and working with those Leaving Care, another specialises in chaotic families and works closely with the Councils Family Intervention Project, and the third specialises in alcohol misuse.

Support is offered to clients in their own homes and is called 'floating' support because it is offered to people wherever they are living, rather than being tied to any particular property. Clients will typically live in a variety of accommodation types, council or housing association rents, HMO’s or even private rents. Support workers visit service users once, twice, or more often each week, depending on need. Support is offered usually for periods of one year but this can be extended for as long as two years to cover periods of difficulty.

We aim to help service users in practical ways so that they can maintain their accommodation and live successfully in the community. We will assist service users set up their homes by painting and decorating with them and shop with them to furnish their homes.

Assistance is provided to access a wide range of outside health, care and support services. Plus access to education, employment or training. Our staff are experienced in dealing with advice on issues such as budgeting and welfare benefits. We will support service users with any issues that they face including managing their own homes.

We recognise that Service Users may require support after regular office hours. Therefore the Emma Project provide a 24 Hour Emergency On Call Service for all of our Service Users to access after our office closes.

When an individual no longer needs support it can be discontinued, and services can 'float' to the next person in need. The Emma Project Floating Support Scheme is funded by Supporting People and is free of charge.

Generally the people we support have come from chaotic pasts and are very vulnerable and besides practical support will often require emotional support. By using a needs led approach it is hoped that each client will move forward and gain a better quality of life.

Since the Emma Project began we have supported 143 clients with roughly equal number of men and women. The biggest group we deal with are the homeless under 25’s many of which have come from chaotic backgrounds and who rely heavily on the experience of the Floating Support Team to provide stability and knowledge to help them maintain a tenancy. Service Users coming to us often have multiple needs - substance misuse, alcohol, mental health, domestic abuse, budgeting etc. Floating Support Workers will encourage clients to engage with other agencies to work through their problems as by doing this they are……..

“developing and sustaining an individual’s capacity to live independently in their accommodation” Supporting People

Taster Flats

The Emma Project have two Taster Flats for young people leaving care. The flats are provided in partnership with Social Services After Care Leaving Team and Darlington Housing Association.

Young people often require independent living skills. These skills are easiest to identify and to develop when a person is living independently. We have a Floating Support Worker attached to the Taster Flats to support, encourage and enable the young person to achieve independence and gain more skills. Young people will stay in the flats for somewhere between 3 months and a year. At the end of their placement they will either return to their previous place of residency or move on to more permanent accommodation.

The flats are provided by Darlington Housing Association and are located in central Darlington. Both flats are fully furnished by the After Care Leaving Team and the young person will sign a Licence Agreement promising to take care of the flat and the furnishings. The young person must also agree to be considerate of their neighbours and to work closely and effectively with the Emma Project Floating Support Worker.

The Emma Project On Call Team are available 24 hours 7 days a week to respond to any emergency or crisis.

To be referred speak to your After Care Leaving Team Personal Advisor or Social Worker.