ABOUT THE PROJECT AND REFERRAL PROCESS
A Supporting People-funded partnership scheme between East Midlands Housing Association & Riverside Housing to provide accommodation and support to young single homeless people aged 16 -25 years. Park Lodge Project operates an Equal Opportunities Policy and the project is therefore available for all sectors of the community to apply for accommodation if they require supported accommodation.
Introduction to the scheme
The accommodation available at Park Lodge Project consists of 25 single bedrooms with shared lounges, kitchens and bathrooms. The 5 properties are owned by East Midlands Housing Association and Riverside Housing with a staff team of 8 who provide the housing management service to the service users. Park Lodge Project is contracted by Supporting People to provide housing-related support to each young person who lives at the scheme.
What is on offer?
Each service user receives a support service from the staff at Park Lodge Project. Support offered can cover a wide range of housing-related issues, for example:
The project caters for young people from a variety of backgrounds, including asylum seekers and those leaving care.
Support for each young person varies from one to five hours of staff time per week via an individual support plan that is devised jointly by the young person and the supporting project worker. There is access to support during evenings and weekends by the staff team as staff are on duty 24 hours a day 365 days of the year.
The support offered at Park Lodge Project does not cater for administering medication or any personal care although this may be provided by an external agency if the young person requires this type of service.
Who can live at the scheme?
Park Lodge Project is open to any young person, male or female, from any background providing they are between the ages of 16 and 25. Each young person must be entitled to benefits, training allowance or be in employment.
Young people must also have a local connection to Leicester City.
Who cannot live at the scheme?
Park Lodge Project is unable to offer accommodation to any young person who:
- Has a significant history of violent, abusive, anti-social or racist behaviour
- Has been convicted of a serious violent crime or sexual offence
- Has been convicted of arson with intent
- Is engaged in significant drug or alcohol use
- Has a mental health assessment that identifies that they pose a significant risk to themselves or others
- Has significant rent arrears from a previous tenancy that are not being addressed
- Has caused significant damage to a property that has not been addressed.
These areas will all be considered on a case by case basis when an application is being assessed.
What is the referral process?
An application can be made to Park Lodge Project via a referral form and risk assessment. We will accept referrals directly from the young person themselves.
Any agency referring a young person to the scheme must include any information they have about the needs and situation of the young person, including a copy of an up to date risk assessment.
References will be required for the housing application. Once we have received references the young person will be invited to the project for a look around and an in depth interview which will assess their needs and support requirements. Park Lodge Project will then assess the application, risk assessment and needs assessment and a decision will be made as to which referrals will be accepted.
Appeal of the Referral Process
If a young person has been refused accommodation and is not happy with the decision because:
They believe the project has not followed the correct procedure
- They have further information that they have not supplied
- Or their circumstances have changed since the interview.
The young person may in the first instance contact the Project Manager who will discuss their situation with them and explain the reason for the decision. If the Project Manager feels that the young person has a valid reason the Project Manager will invite them to attend a second interview with two different staff members. If at the end of this interview the young person is still not satisfied they may appeal in writing to the Chair of the Management Committee.
The Chair of the Management Committee will then ask two members of the committee to look at the information supplied by the Project Manager following the needs assessment interview/s and discuss the outcome with the staff members who conducted the interviews whilst also taking into account the projects’ policies and procedures. The members of the Management Committee will also discuss with the young person why they are not happy with the decision. The decision of the Management Committee is final. If the appeal is successful the young person will be placed on the waiting list and offered the next suitable available bed-space.
The decision reached by the appeal committee must be notified to the young person within 10 working days of having received notification of the appeal subject to adequate resources and availability of members and staff. In all cases the young person must be kept informed of the reasons for any delays.
We aim to ensure there is a balanced community at the scheme and must keep the level of staff input that is available in mind when we accept applicants as well as the needs of the current service user group. Therefore, if the young persons’ needs are greater that the level of staff input currently available, or there is not a suitable bed space available the young person may be placed on a waiting list before they can be offered a place.
What happens when you are offered a place at Park Lodge Project?
If you are offered a place at Park Lodge Project, a member of staff will telephone you and invite you to move in. You need to bring your personal possessions, some food and proof of your identity.
On arrival you will be shown your room and given your keys. A member of staff will complete a Housing Benefit form and other paperwork that is essential for your stay at Park Lodge. A member of staff will also show you around the building, explaining how the washing machine works and other electrical appliances. They will also give you information regarding the fire drill, and answer any questions you have.
The Park Lodge Project staff team would like your stay to be a positive one to enable you to move from the main building to the more independent properties and into your own accommodation as your confidence and skills grow.
What do we expect of young people living at Park Lodge Project?
In order for young people who live at the project to be empowered to live independently they are expected to:
- Attend a minimum of one key work session each week and other support sessions as assessed during Support Planning.
- Attend education, training and/or work placements on a daily basis.
- Attend one house meeting each month
- Attend one residents meeting each month.
In addition they are expected to abide by the terms and conditions of their Licence Agreement and the House Rules.
Park Lodge Project hopes that you find the referral and moving experience a smooth, seamless process, however, if you have any questions or problems with the service we offer please telephone the project and discuss these with the Project Manager.