Cornerstone
Description:
Eight bedded hostel providing support to homeless men aged 18 - 65
and Floating Support services to ten clients living in their own
tenancies on a sliding scale of support intensity toward
independent living.
As Clwyd Cornerstone Trust the project was a nine bedded hostel. The Trust was formed in 1989 as a non-discriminating charity with a Christian ethos. The early years were spent researching homelessness, forming an initial team and fund-raising. After a lengthy search a building became available in 1994.
Most of the trustees and the management committee had been with CCT from the start. In spite of many success stories with both residents and volunteers, it is fair to state that the Trust did not enjoy all the results that were initially desired. In the past a lack of cutting edge vision and inadequate funding were the main factors in a less than sharp delivery of the service. Modifications were made, but unfortunately unexpected management changes further hindered progress during the year 2001.
However, many of these problems were resolved with the allocation of secure funding and a new staff structure and CCT could begin to put their Business Plan into action. The infrastructure was changed to make the service more professional. In November 2005 the Management experience and support of The Sanctuary Trust was sought and in January 2007 the two charities amalgamated and the project has become Sanctuary Cornerstone.
Why our project is needed:
There are many men who are suffering, or under the threat of,
homelessness, (see Welsh Housing Statistics Table15). Sanctuary
Cornerstone is currently at full capacity with a waiting list.
Sanctuary Cornerstone has a strong support package that is designed to help service users to grow in independent living skills. Many of them have dependency issues and each resident is allocated to a Key Worker that will support them in liaising with other agencies to address these needs. Service users will be expected to be aiming for resettlement and independent living. The property that the project occupied under CCT is more conducive to a second stage project in a group of flats/apartments and the local homelessness department are in need of this level of project. (See Homelessness Prevention Plan and Homelessness Strategy 2006-2008). The Sanctuary Cornerstone project has been re-located to a property more suitable to the support programme including educational and vocational training, to bring the operations in line with Conwy borough Council's needs, and the flats/apartments are to be used for the much needed second stage.
Aims + Purpose
To help people to take their full place in society and live
independently. To give vulnerable people opportunity to improve the
quality of life by providing a stable environment which enables
them to take greater responsibility for their lives.
Minimum set-up requirements:
- Premises with appropriate planning to satisfy the Supporting People contract.
- Staff and volunteers to cover a 24hour cover support programme.
- Premises suitable for second stage resettlement with financial plan and support programme.
- Floating support worker(s) and robust Lone Workers policy and procedures.
Operational requirements:
- Revenue funding.
- Office space.
- Staff and volunteers.
- Training and education.
- Stable Organisational structure.
- Quality Assessment tools and benchmarking
- Regular reviews
Future aspirations/ development:
Increase support programme to include more Floating Support to
encourage more successful resettlements into independent living and
tenancies that will remove service users from statutory
homelessness. Relationships have been built with agencies and
investors with independent flat properties available and working
protocols will be compiled for the benefit of resettling service
users into independent living. To develop focused and outcome
related Personal Development programmes that current and previous
service users can access. To use the business provisions that will
come available through Sanctuary Enterprises Limited, a subsidiary
company to Sanctuary Trust Limited, for volunteer placements and
work experience for service users.
Registration/ Licensing/ Regulations:
Holborn House has Sui Generis use as Hostel. Sanctuary have
assumed CCT ASP status pending own application.
Target Market:
Men aged 18-65 who are homeless or under the threat of becoming
so, and men (and women) in their own tenancies in need of support
in order to maintain independent living.
Location:
Conwy Borough.
Value Strategy:
Benchmarking allows us to measure our services and to monitor
performance and value. We have a framework of quality standards
that we must measure against to constantly improve services.
Strategies are in place to increase independent funding for the
Operations and Development Team that will provide continued secure
and professional management and release more funds to direct
support.
Marketing + Promotion:
Regular contact with stakeholders and referral agencies will
communicate the services offered.
Strengths:
- Dedicated staff
- Good project administration
- Good support programme
- Strong management structure.
Weaknesses:
- Many changes to the project and its ownership and management has created insecurity among many staff
- The lack of a dedicated Welsh office makes line management of the project at a distant
Opportunities:
- The dedication of staff offers potential for development of services offered.
- Staff are keen to develop and training programmes will be positively welcomed.
Threats:
Financial instability could bring the project to an end if it is not addressed.
