Prevention and Development ProgrammeTraining and Education
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1. Life Skills Training
Aim: To improve personal independence and reduce social exclusion
Life skills are the foundation on which other skills learning is built. They are also vital for keeping a job, having good
relationships with family and friends and finding constructive and enjoyable ways to spend leisure time. Life skills are a
crucial part of breaking out of social exclusion.
Many clients have a history of school and employment failure and have basic skills deficiencies, which they often conceal.
Many have also missed out on developing, or have developed distorted life skills (emotional learning) - skills that are
usually learnt in childhood - and this has often led to social exclusion and challenging behaviour. Many also have problems
such as an offending record, or a history of drug or alcohol abuse. We provide for life skills training through one-to-one
keyworking and group sessions addressing anger management, assertiveness, positive mental attitude, personal presentation,
skills awareness, citizenship, enhanced thinking (e.g. attitudes to crime and behaviour, peer pressure and developing
strategies for change).
In 2005/06:
1466 clients received keyworking and attended group activity sessions 70% have increased their self esteem and increased
their level of motivation to change their current circumstances.
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2. Literacy and Numeracy Skills
Aim: To lay the foundation for basic educational skills.
This programme provides support for rough sleepers and the vulnerably housed with poor
numeracy and literacy skills. A tutor will carry out an initial assessment to determine
the level of skills, prepare a learning programme and aid client to progress towards a suitable
qualification. Clients will be encouraged to join in with further on-site training leading to further training once they
become sufficiently confident.
This program of learning began in December 2005. Progress to date is as follows:
- 72 one-to-one learning sessions
- 6 group sessions
- 33 learners participating
- 6 learners completing
We hope to have 31 learners achieving a Level 1 or 2 numeracy and/or literacy qualification by June 2007 and we are in the
process of becoming a City and Guilds test centre.
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3. Work, Work Placement and Volunteering Opportunities
Aim: To improve skills and employability leading to independence
Work provides a main route from social exclusion, offering financial and social independence.
This programme aims to evaluate a client’s exploration of training, educational and work options through in-house workshops
and externally with employment providers. We help clients to assess what sort of job to look for, to develop an understanding
of their strengths/weaknesses, to prepare for interviews, help with cv’s, bank accounts, benefits arrange appointments and
transport and to provide appropriate clothing. We have close working relationships with employment providers to provide work
placements, jobs and experience.
In 2005/06:
- 2 clients went into work placements
- 6 into full time employment
- 35 into part time employment
- 8 into volunteering placements
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4. Prison Resettlement
Aims: To reduce the number of prisoners released as NFA (No Fixed Abode).
To reduce re-offending
To reduce the strain on services for the homeless
Large numbers of people lose their accommodation when they are sent to jail and find themselves homeless when they are
released. This means that they are far more likely to commit further offences, less likely to get a job and find it
difficult to stay involved in drug rehabilitation programmes and offending behaviour programmes.
We provide an on-site resettlement service for new intakes of prisoners to HMP Exeter with custodial sentences of less
than 12 months. A large proportion of these prisoners are charged with relatively minor offences which means that, in most
cases, they are not subject to statutory supervision and therefore have limited support on release. Many of them lead
chaotic lifestyles and a significant proportion return to custody within 6 months of release.
Our aim is to provide early resettlement interventions (interviews on arrival to establish need, advice and guidance,
tenancy sustainment, liaising with local authorities, contacting landlords, risk assessment) and assist multi-agency work,
leading to a reduction in the number of prisoners who require late interventions. The most vulnerable people with the most
serious needs are supported through weekly resettlement workshops exploring the reasons why tenancies fail and enabling
access to a range of support services available on release. We also provide one-to-one resettlement interviews and workshops
on the wings to help with any resettlement issues prior to release. where comprehensive resettlement and support packages can
be put in place.
An additional aspect of this work will be to work in partnership with the prison resettlement team to develop successful
strategies for support and resettlement.
- Total numbers accommodated since July 2005: 287
- Total numbers supported through the weekly workshops: 172
- Number of prisoners released as ‘no fixed abode’: 0
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5. Schools and Young People Groups
Aims: To increase awareness of the issues of homelessness so that young people are less likely to fall into the trap of
homelessness themselves.
To challenge the misperceptions about
homelessness.
The aim of this programme is to regularly present to schools, colleges and local groups on the work we do at St Petrock’s as well as
talking about the reasons behind homelessness and the misperceptions around it. It is our aim to influence school pupils so that they
have an awareness of the issues of homelessness and are less likely to fall into the trap of homelessness themselves. Our visits to
schools include classroom work, assembly presentations, homework packs and help with other lessons eg. media studies/film production.
We are currently delivering one-hour lessons to pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4, in accordance with the PSHE Citizenship element of the
National Curriculum. PSHE (Personal, social and health education) covers: sex and relationship, education, drug, alcohol and tobacco
education, improving confidence to lead a healthy and safe lifestyle, managing personal money and careers education. All of these
themes are appropriate to a homeless project since all are issues felt particularly sharply by the homeless. The issues of
homelessness has connections with other curriculum topics such as human rights, challenging discrimination, local democracy,
developing skills of democratic participation, planning a community event and how to deal with conflict. In addition we are i
producing a DVD (developed with clients through our theatre group) as part of a teacher’s resource pack to aid delivery of this
programme.
In 2005/06:
- 18 School assemblies
- 16 School Lessons
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6. Family Conciliation – A new project funded by The Tudor Trust
Aims: To reduce the number of young homeless resulting from family
breakdown.
To help rebuild family relationships after a period
of breakdown
Family breakdown is one of the key reasons people give for becoming homeless in the first place. At St Petrock’s
approximately 65% of our clients give this as the reason. Our aim for this programme is to provide early intervention work
with young homeless people presenting as homeless by working with their family (in non abusive cases) to enable
reconciliation and return or if this is not possible begin a dialogue to enable relationship repair and eventual return or
support.
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7. Advice and Referral Services
Aim: To improve access to support, information and services and accommodation
The project interviews and completes an assessment for all clients attending our basic survival services, with a view to accessing support, specialist services and appropriate accommodation. We act as the key agency co-ordinator in this process bringing the relevant agencies together to work to meet the specific needs of the client. Our unique position in being the first point of contact for the homeless in Exeter, enables us begin to address the process of change by gaining trust, providing motivational interviewing techniques and encouraging client to link in and attend appointments with other agencies.
In 2005/06:
- Outputs:
- 547 assessments
- 1367 referrals
- Outcomes:
- 229 accommodated
- 54 relocated
- 316 benefits advice/help
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Crisis Work
8. Basic Survival Services
Aim: To provide emergency services to the street homeless
A key strength of St Petrock’s is that we are the first point of call for the local homeless. This is because our centre
meets basic needs: food, showers, washing, clothing and befriending in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Our feedback from
clients regularly confirms that this is a vitally important feature for them, and of course providing crisis support has a
value in itself. However, from the point of view of our main aim – which is to help people change their lives – it is a
necessary precondition because without the relationship which this generates in terns of trust, improving confidence and
starting the process of promoting long-term change, it would be difficult to operate our project.
In 2005/06:
- Outputs:
- 9060 visits
- 7795 meals
- 1015 showers
- 171 laundry
- 395 clothes exchange
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9. Health Services
Aims: To provide on-site health services to hard-to-reach groups
To stabilize an individual’s health, prevent worse harm and
encourage
clients to maintain a healthier lifestyle.
The rates of both chronic and acute health problems are extremely high among the homeless population. Conditions which require
regular treatment such as TB, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hypertension, addictive and mental disorders are extremely difficult to treat among
those without adequate housing. Many homeless people have multiple health problems including frostbite, leg ulcers and upper
respiratory infections, gastro-intestinal problems and injuries from accidents and assaults, often the direct result from being
homeless. The average life expectancy of a homeless person is 49 compared to the national average.
People who are homeless often lack access to health and GP services and many self medicate to mask their symptoms. Experience
suggests that our clients are more likely to use services provided at our centre, which is perceived as safe and non-judgmental, and
care trust in addition to providing health promotions aiming at harm reduction strategies and a chiropodist. We also work closely
with the local GP surgery to register clients and make referrals to the mental health team, social services and specialist drug and
alcohol service providers in accessing services and treatments for our clients.
In 2005/06:
- Outputs:
- 378 nurse appointments
- 101 chiropody appointments
- 8 health promotion workshops
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