Up to 600 people live in our hostels and supported housing at any one time.  Each hostel specialises in meeting one of four priority needs: mental health, substance misuse, offending or the needs of vulnerable young people, including those leaving care.

Our hostels are a lifeline for homeless people who are at a point in their lives where they would struggle to live independently. But keeping someone off the streets is only the first step. To break the cycle of homelessness, SHP’s accommodation services focus on empowering people to move on with their lives and achieve sustainable, long term recovery.  We do this by:

• Minimising harm from substance misuse and helping people to access appropriate treatment
• Supporting people with mental ill health who are leaving hospital or facing exclusion from other services
• Supporting young people to develop the skills they need to live independently
• Working with people leaving prison to break offending patterns and re-integrate them into the community
• Enabling all clients to grow in confidence and develop appropriate life skills

Most of our hostels are staffed 24 hours a day by support workers who are committed to providing a stable and secure environment for clients as they work with them to address their needs.  Typical lengths of stay vary by service, from four weeks to up to two years.

Approximately 60 per cent of people in our hostels are struggling with more than one support need at a time, requiring a joined up, holistic approach. 

All hostel staff have been trained in Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE), ensuring that our hostel-based work takes account of the persistent effects of adversity or trauma on our clients, and their resulting psychological and emotional needs.

The hostel was clean and supportive. After that I moved into SHP's supported housing and now my support worker is helping me get ready to live on my own."

After being kicked out of her home, Stacy sofa surfed and slept on the streets until she got into a hostel. She's now living in supported housing, and learning the skills she needs to take the final steps towards independence. 

 

Read Stacie's story