Housing Support Service

Ayrshire Initiatives currently delivers around 285 hours of housing support each week to vulnerable tenants across South Ayrshire through contracts with South Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire Housing. Our housing support service is delivered by Housing Support Workers who provide one-to-one support and are based at various locations across South Ayrshire.

Purpose of Housing Support

Ayrshire Initiatives Housing Support service is designed to prevent and alleviate homelessness though tenancy sustainment with support intervention. A person centred support plan is agreed with every service user. This support plan identifies key issues and sets goals and timescales against which progress is reviewed regularly.

Tenants can be referred for housing support for a range of reasons including rent arrears; debt problems; poor house condition; neighbour disputes; drug and alcohol problems; poor physical or mental health or anti-social behaviour complaints. We also provide support to those in Scottish Short Secured Tenancies to assist them to progress into mainstream tenancies.

Housing Support Provision

Once a referral is received our staff undertake an assessment of needs and agree a support plan which will move the tenant toward stability and meet their and their landlord’s goals. The support plan will set out achievable goals for the service user which can then be worked on with the Support Worker. The support plan is regularly reviewed with the service users to recognise progress and ensure the support plan remains appropriate.

The support plan will set out the type and level of support to be provided. Our staff will visit the service user in their home usually at least on a weekly basis to support them towards meeting the goals in their support plan and to provide the practical and emotional support they required to do so. The type of assistance we can provide includes:

• Benefit/income maximisation including assistance with benefit and other forms
• Budget planning and advocacy with utilities companies, credit agencies and others
• Assistance with managing the home
• GP registration
• Signposting and support to use other local services and take part in community activities
• Literacy and numeracy support
• Accessing learning and employment opportunities
• Advocacy (i.e. neighbourhood disputes)

When the goals set out in the support plan have been achieved the Support Worker will develop and agree an exit strategy for the service user. This allows the staff and service user to know what to expect and when. This also allows staff to ensure the service users are coping with the end of the support and able to live independently.

Handover/Joint working

A key aspect of our work is ensuring that tenants are receiving the range of support they require. Our approach is to support tenants to access other support required and where appropriate manage any handover to another agency carefully.

Send mail to info@ayrshireinitiatives.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 10-Jan-2009