Assessment and Advice Team
The assessment and advice team consists of a manager, deputy
manager, Irish persons’ coordinator, a welfare rights coordinator, four
housing and assessment workers, a welfare rights worker and a
re-connection and assessment worker.
The work of the team covers several key areas and includes;
- carrying
out assessments of clients visiting the day centre, including
establishing what their needs are and how they can be best met;
- providing
a specific service for Irish clients (through the Irish persons’
coordinator post which is funded by Díon an agency of the Irish
government);
- providing housing advice, making referrals
into accommodation and advocating on clients behalf when they may be
entitled to statutory housing provision; and
- providing a comprehensive welfare rights service which
supports clients in making and accessing benefits that they may be
entitled to.
In the last year we have
strengthened relationships with Borderline (a service for Scottish
homeless people) and SSAFA (a service for ex-members of the armed
forces) – as a result of this both agencies now provide a weekly
surgery at the Passage.
We piloted a group for clients to help them access
the private rented sector. Welfare rights staff now take part in the
Passage House and Montfort House pre-tenancy workshop for clients.
We have also developed new relationships with
Paradigm Housing Group, St Ignatius Housing Association and Arhag and
have made successful referrals to each of these accommodation
providers.
Over the past 12 month period the Irish Persons’
Co-ordinator has continued to develop and deliver services to Irish
clients using the Passage Day Centre. The primary focus of this project
is to promote the social inclusion of this marginalised group of
homeless, and formerly homeless Irish people, by facilitating access to
welfare benefits, health resources, employment and accommodation.
Also, to improve communication within the day
centre, joint team meetings have been held with the health and
streetlink teams. Skill-sharing and shadowing has taken place with
streetlink, focusing on private rented sector accommodation and
reconnection resources.
- Outcomes during the year:
- Assessment and advice sessions 5,737
- Welfare rights appointments 1,254
- Clients found temporary accommodation 156
- Clients found permanent accommodation 28
- Proof of identity obtained 131
- Clients reconnected with welfare benefits 496
- Financial assistance with travel and other costs 795
Next year:
- We intend to:
- Develop accommodation resources within the private rented sector;
- Continue to develop inter-team working;
- Lead on developing a consistent approach on client risk assessments across the Day Centre; and,
- Build on information resources and roll these out to other teams to ensure consistency within the day centre.