Our Story 2013-14

This year marked my 21st with the Society. We continue to provide a wide range of services to vulnerable people across Southampton, Portsmouth and Hampshire.

Over the year, we began running new services and are now providing 24 distinct services, each with its own specific targets and performance indicators. These are monitored and reviewed by ourselves and often also by commissioners of the services.

The performance across services has been generally good, with targets being achieved or surpassed. We can be proud of our contribution to the health and wellbeing of the local communities in which we work, with decreased levels of homelessness, increasing numbers of people completing drug treatment and people successfully moving on from supported housing into the community.

As well as providing good quality services and support, care or treatment for many people, we must also function as a viable and well managed organisation. It is good to be able to report that we made a small surplus last year, and we were able to use some of the surplus to purchase a property in Portsmouth.

It’s important that the organisation is a good employer, looking after the staff and volunteers who are so key to all that we do. It was therefore a great encouragement to retain our “Investors In People Silver” accreditation, with our IIP assessor stating that “anyone who comes into contact with SSJ can only be impressed by how the staff deal with the most challenging of situations” and “The enthusiasm, passion and sheer dedication of staff for what they do…translates into a commitment to providing the very best service they can to the service users.”

This has been a successful year and I am looking forward to continuing to work in our local communities, supporting vulnerable adults in a variety of situations and helping people achieve their potential.

Keep up to date with us online: www.ssj.org.uk www.twitter.com/ssjcharity www.facebook.com/SocietyofStJames

Trevor Pickup, Chief Executive

A Welcome from Trevor

Board of TrusTees

Geoffrey Barwick David Blake Jon Diaper

Jenny Dawes Mark Day

Brian Hooper Jill Lovelock Jill Maguire

Tim Rogerson David Scott Geoff Ward

PatronAndrew Kent

Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire

2

This was my first full year as Chair of the Board at the Society of St James. We continue to work in a challenging environment these days. As a society, we know what should be done for the individuals in our care, but local government and health agencies don’t have enough money to do all of the ‘shoulds’. Part of our job is to try and make more of the ‘shoulds’ happen. That’s why one of my highlights of the year was Jamie’s Computers. Our social enterprise made a modest surplus which we can now use to deliver the SSJ message.

A notable change this year was our development and growth in Portsmouth - our work there has grown faster than we expected it to. We’ve seen a lot of progress at our care home, St James Care. Our Home Support business has had a very good year, and has expanded significantly. We’ve taken on new properties in Aldershot and Farnborough, and seen growth and stability in the Integrated Offender Management service.

Our Saints4Sport project has helped get people back into work in partnership with the Premier Inn. To me, this is one of our big achievements of the year because it’s about permanent change. I know we’re not an employment agency, but we have to find ways of preparing people for employment, because isn’t that as important as housing? After all, it is a major step to getting back some control of one’s life.

All of these things need staff to make them happen - both the front line staff, and the people working behind the scenes in central services. I’d like to thank them all for their hard work this year. I’d also like to thank my fellow board members. They continue to put a lot of time in and give direct and specialist support to managers where that’s needed.

The Board is fully aware of the dangers and difficulties ahead - new contracts with tighter budgets, and changes to the Probation Service through the Transforming Rehabilitation programme. These are areas of concern, but they are also areas of opportunity for growth and development.

“We will continue to provide the best possible support and opportunities for the people we support and the people who work for us, because we believe that they deserve that.”

Noel Cato, Chair of the Board of Trustees

A Few Words from Noel

3

4

New 50s-style diner at our Southampton Street hostel! “We all try to think outside the box and our aim was to have a funky dining room where it did not feel like a hostel. It was a joint effort from both staff and residents with ideas generated through meetings and wish lists.”Paul Baker, Service Manager

By the end of the year,

100%of people were still in accommodation 1 year

after moving on from the Intensive Service in a

positive, planned way.

(tracked between Jan and March 2014)

First Steps

Beyond a Roof Southampton Intensive Homelessness ServiceFor people who need accommodation with intensive support.

“With an open door policy, residents are made to feel part of the fabric of St Theresa’s. We value their opinion and are always looking for ways to improve their confidence and self-esteem. We hope people think of St Theresa’s House as their home, not just a hostel.”Georgia Cledwyn, Satellite Support Worker

At St Theresa’s our new computer room is up and running, allowing residents to get valuable IT experience. This includes anything from setting up an email account to doing job searches online, or from using it to get music tabs for their guitar playing to reconnecting with their families via Facebook.

Jordan HouseFor people who are ready for more independent living

Our bike workshop, Re-Cycle Bikes, provides volunteering and training opportunities. The team provide regular Bike Doctor sessions, offering free bike check ups and basic repairs - including at the Southampton Sky Ride in July.

Re-Cycle Bikes now self-funds a van, allowing us to expand our bike collection service in the local area.

5

over

150people were supported by these projects.

By the end of the year,

100%of people were still in accommodation 1 year

after moving on from the Intensive Service in a

positive, planned way.

(tracked between Jan and March 2014)

Our new Cookery Course

“Sometimes stressful and often chaotic, there is also a great deal of job satisfaction supporting people living at St Theresa’s House and Lawn Road.”

95%of people moved on in a positive,

planned way from Jordan House.

67%of those people were still in their

accommodation 12 months later.

Beyond a Roof

Matt Matt has been supported by our Intensive Homelessness Service in Southampton, first at St. Theresa’s house and then at the Southampton Street hostel. He went on to the Salvation Army’s Booth Centre before moving on to live independently.

When I first came into contact with the Society of St James I was in a bit of a rut. I spent a lot of time shoplifting, got approached at a really bad time and got into heavy drugs, and basically went downhill and ended up in prison. Prison kind of scared me. I went in there and looked around and thought, “I’m nothing like these people, I’ve got all this potential”. I wasn’t silly, I did well at school, got Level 2 in all of my tests for Maths and English and that. I didn’t really speak to anyone in prison at all, just thought, “this isn’t for me”, so I walked out of there and decided to sort everything out.

Then I came out and got into St. T’s. but I wasn’t ready to sort myself out yet. I got moved to Southampton Street. I fell in really badly with drugs and just sort of retracted. I had to hit the very bottom to bounce back.

The way my key worker worked with me was awesome. Rather than being stuck in an office he’d take me around Southampton, to the shops and stuff, and it was really cool. No-one had done that with me before.

“No-one had really got through to me like that.”I felt more relaxed. My mind wasn’t focused on the awkwardness, and I could speak freely.

Even though I was surrounded by the public, I didn’t really mind - it was just easy to talk.

I got put in touch with Prince’s Trust Fairbridge by my keyworker, and it sort of changed my life around really. Prince’s Trust took me on a residential conservation week away, so we stayed there, maintained woodland, camped and everything. It really got my head focused. I went for an internship at Manor Farm Country Park - it just really spoke to me.

They took me on and it’s going really good. I’m getting all these qualifications and training courses. I’m getting loads of responsibility - I’ve got my own set of keys, I open up some mornings, and some weekends I’ve had the whole of Manor Farm left in my charge. It’s awesome getting this trust. My boss is really good. He’s seen my CRB and my criminal record and stuff, and he’s given me a chance. I haven’t let him down once, and I don’t plan to at all. I’m about to do some training on chainsawing at height. Then I plan to set myself up as self-employed. Prince’s Trust do the Enterprise scheme which lets you take out a £10,000 loan to set up a business.

I’ve moved to a flat which is really nice; I’ve got my own space. I feel knackered at the end of the day but I love that, because it’s like I’ve earned the ability to just go and lay on the couch whereas before I just used to sit there and play games and do nothing with myself. Before I used to get up at 2 o’ clock, it was awful. Now I can’t help but get up at 8!

It took every bit of willpower that I had to fight through. There’s still temptation, there’s still ideas floating around in your head - everyday, sometimes. I can be completely distracted, chainsawing in the woods, and then just get

the idea - “oh, I could be doing some heroin” - or something. You just have to keep in mind - “I’ve escaped it”. You’ve got to take a look around and think, “I’ve got all this, I’m not going to throw it all away for one selfish day”.

I am looking forward to achieving my life goal, which is a simple one because I am a simple person - to have my own flat or house with a job to provide for my family, and to have enough money at the end of the month after everyone’s looked after so that I can get a game or something, then I will be happy. That’s all I really need in life, you don’t need much more if everyone’s provided for and everyone’s looked after.

If someone had told me a couple of years ago that I’d be in this position I’d have said they were having a laugh, really!

“I wouldn’t have believed it at all. I was in a pretty bad spot back then. I’d have seen myself in the gutter possibly. Now that I’ve seen that side of life I will know how to stay away from it.”I’ll be able to see when I am taking steps in the wrong direction instead of just walking aimlessly. I never wish for it to happen to me again. I’ll never let it happen. I’m not meant for that sort of life. I’m meant for much more than that.

“The way my key worker worked with me was awesome.”

6

7

Beyond a Roof

Paul Paul is the manager of the Intensive Homelessness Service in Southampton. He has been with SSJ for ten years.

My ‘apprenticeship’, as I like to call it, was with the YMCA in Bournemouth. Before that I had an army background and both of these have informed my work.

When I came to the Society of St James, I felt that we had been ahead of Southampton in Bournemouth, in terms of how we worked with people, and a lot of changes needed to be made. I was looking for a new challenge

My first priorities were to reduce the numbers of evictions, make the old hostel at Albert Road South (now SSJ’s head office!) feel more like a home, and to have the right team around me.

I’ve seen a lot of changes over the past ten years and overcome some resistance. I like to think I have empowered my teams by supporting them and walking with them into, and through, some difficult situations.

The big change I’d wanted to see was no more deaths through heroin OD and we’ve not had a death for two years, since we introduced Naloxone to the hostel, so now I am looking for the next big thing.

Last year we really started to look more closely at how we work with the ‘RICCs’, or Revolving Intense Complex Clients. They are the people who stay with us for as long as we are ‘allowed’ to accommodate them but who make no progress and end up back with us some time later, the people who are caught up in crime or who don’t want to give up drugs.

We went back to basics, right back to simply ensuring people were fed and well, and we stopped working to timings. We have to try new ways of working with people, and what I am enjoying at the moment is what I am calling the ‘mini-model’.

I’ll give you an example: Dave lived at 10 Southampton Street for 18 months and hadn’t engaged with keyworking or made any changes to his lifestyle. He’d essentially made no progress when a place became available at St Theresa’s which would offer him less support, but it was a case of taking that opportunity or being evicted. Dave chose to take the room, safe in the knowledge that he could return to 10 Southampton Street if it didn’t work out. Against the odds, Dave is now engaging and flourishing. We took a risk in some ways, but the ‘mini-model’ means that people can move between our properties, with varying levels of support, always knowing they can come back to Southampton Street if it all gets too much.

As a manager, I have these options available to me. It means we are less constrained by timings and can work at having each person accommodated in the right environment, all with that safety net of being able to step back to a higher level of support if it doesn’t work out.

I’m very proud of the team I work with and none of this could be achieved without them.

What I am looking forward to in the year ahead is finding that ‘next big thing’ I mentioned. I want to see people achieve - that means different things to different people but I want to explore new ideas and new ways of working with the most difficult to engage people.

“I want to see people achieve - that means different things for different people ...”

8

89%have completed at least 1 module of the

Life Skills programme - including fire safety,

managing accommodation, budgeting, health,

cooking, offending behaviour, substance

misuse, living skills, use of time, staying safe,

and friends and family.

17 people have completed 3 or more modules.

All SaintsFor young people in Portsmouth who are homeless

We supported 53 young homeless people (aged 16-25)

“All Saints got my life back on track and I am now looking forward to the future.”Sarah, aged 19, All Saints

We want to offer a range of activities to the young people we support - this year they have included cooking sessions and a sewing group.

Taking Steps

Beyond a Roof Portsmouth Substance Misuse AccommodationFor people wanting to tackle their addictions

We have established a working relationship with Mountjoy building services and now have someone volunteering with the company. This is a first for Mountjoy and we hope to offer more people work experience soon.

Waitrose donated a Christmas meal for everyone living in our projects in Portsmouth, which was lovingly prepared by our staff and enjoyed by all!

“Thank you, I had a great Christmas Dinner that I will remember forever.”We have successfully worked with people who have been moved on into family services to be reunited with their children. We provide ongoing support around their substance misuse, so they can remain clean and dry, and work within the family and childrens’ social care support plans.

9

89%have completed at least 1 module of the

Life Skills programme - including fire safety,

managing accommodation, budgeting, health,

cooking, offending behaviour, substance

misuse, living skills, use of time, staying safe,

and friends and family.

17 people have completed 3 or more modules.

“It was nice to be able to have a hot meal with friends. Thank you.”

80% of people have secured settled accommodation.

Building Recovery Communities

Michael Michael is supported by our Substance Misuse Accommodation Service in Portsmouth. He is newly in recovery, and has got big plans for his ‘birthday’, a year since he started his journey into recovery...

Michael had been using heroin and alcohol for over 20 years, and had been hospitalised on numerous occasions with various injuries and pancreatitis. In January, Michael was overweight and smoking.

“I wasn’t happy being fat and bloated.”So Michael decided to take up running. At first, he couldn’t run for 15 minutes, but he persisted with his training and began to see an improvement. Michael realised that the Great South Run 2014 takes place on the 26th October, one year exactly since he entered into recovery. With this goal in mind, he gradually increased the length of his runs. By the end of March, Michael was running 7 miles most days.

“I’m going with the flow and am aware not to push myself too hard.”He can see that his new interest in running and healthy eating is having an impact on those around him, as well as on his personal health and fitness.

“I didn’t pay any attention to what I was eating or when. Not wanting to blow my own trumpet, but I do think maybe I have inspired a few people around here to look at what they’re eating and when they’re eating, and get out and do some exercise.”On top of the progress Michael has made physically, he’s made real headway with his relationships too. When the date of the Great South Run arrives, Michael will have family there to cheer him on which is something he couldn’t have foreseen prior to him entering into treatment.

“I do think maybe I have inspired a few people around here...”

10

Re-FitOur sports service for people in Portsmouth

Re-Fit offers sessions including football, badminton, gym, table tennis, and Fitness on the Front.

We worked with 63 people this year.

Age breakdown of Re-Fit participants:

“I felt energised or lively most days.”20% agreed before engaging with Re-Fit and 60% afterwards.

5% 56-65 yrs

18% 36-55 yrs

30% 36-45 yrs

33% 26-35 yrs

14% 16-25 yrs

Re-Fit supported 55 men and 8 women

Sport

Building Recovery Communities Saints4SportOur sports service for people in Southampton

Our sessions now include boxing, gym, swimming, kickboxing, football, golf and tai chi. People can also participate in accredited courses, including Level 1 Football Coaching, Active IQ Health Related Exercise, Fish4Skills, and Fishery Management.

This year we launched our new 11-a-side team:

“This is a natural progression from playing 5-a-side football during the day to taking their sport more seriously. The coaches try to instill valuable ethics and beliefs that can be used in everyday life, such as hard work, team work, responsibility, respect for others, determination and being disciplined within their role in the team. On a very basic level the team has given service users something to do two nights a week away from using drugs and alcohol.”Phil Hastings, Saints Foundation

11

5% 56-65 yrs

18% 36-55 yrs

30% 36-45 yrs

33% 26-35 yrs

14% 16-25 yrs

57%of Saints4Sport participants reported improvement in their psychological wellbeing.

45%of people who were using alcohol are no longer drinking.

42%of people who were opiate users are no longer using opiates.

Re-Fit supported 55 men and 8 women

11

12

Building Recovery Communities

Justin Justin has volunteered over 1700 hours through our Bridge2Volunteering programme, which is a new record! He has volunteered for 36-40 hours per week for over a year, and is also employed part time by our partners at the Saints Foundation to work on our partnership project, Saints4Sport.

My psychiatrist thought it was good to start volunteering somewhere. I was walking past The Bridge and I used to use the service, so I thought, “why don’t I just go in there?” - instinct I suppose. That was in February 2013, I had volunteer training in February, then I started volunteering on the 4th of April.

Quite a lot has changed so far. I’ve sort of got a lot more confidence and self-worth and since doing the actual work with Saints4Sport, through SSJ I’ve actually got part-time work. That’s obviously a big thing, you know - to get paid for something makes you feel what you’re doing is right.

Before I was doing sport to fight an addiction. Now it’s more of the social side of it so it’s a lot more worthwhile, you know? A lot has changed.

“Every dynamic and area of my life has changed through this service.”The fighting addiction part was hard, obviously. On your own you dissociate from people so you’re on your own, sort of doing things more to keep your mind busy and stuff like that. With Saints4Sport it’s more enjoyable and there’s other people around you who have been through similar experiences, so you sort of forget about the addiction side. It’s more of an enjoyable thing – come down and do some sport. I love it. I thrive off of it.

The next 12 months I’ve been thinking about a lot recently because I’m 26 tomorrow. It’s a big step when you’re getting past the early years in your twenties, so I want full time work within the next two months. I want to finish my diploma – Health and Social Care Level 3 which is also through SSJ, so I’ve got four months left to do of that, I am hoping I can pass it in three. I would like to move into a new flat, maybe a nice holiday somewhere in the next 12 months … and then the girlfriend and the family - that can start after 27!

Before, I didn’t think those things were gonna happen because I was so much in that loop of just thinking about the day, just the day, getting a hit for the day. But now it’s grown to weeks, and then it got to months, and now I am looking to the next few years.

13

Southampton Drug ServicesFor people who need support with their substance addiction

The Bridge ‘Open access’ drug service for anyone who wants to begin a recovery journey

The DIP (Drug Intervention Programme) and IOM (Integrated Offender Management) Support for drug users within the criminal justice system

We are now performing in the top quarter of all drug services in the South East in terms of people completing drug treatment.

“Staff have worked hard and have shown that they can be flexible and innovative. Multi-agency working and commitment to good communication has also contributed to the progress we have made. The work of the Society and all its staff is much appreciated.”Jackie Hall, Commissioner, Southampton City Council

People arriving at the Bridge and DIP:

We launched a new cannabis support group this year, which offers 8 semi-structured sessions to people looking to reduce their cannabis use.

“Our big success remains the group member who, after more than 30 years of being a drug user, is abstinent for the first time in his adult life. In the time since the group ended, this man has supplied a clean drug test, and has found that he’s enjoying life in a way he can’t remember ever having done before.”Phil Lord, Substance Misuse Worker

Treatment and Recovery

Building Recovery Communities

14

533 people started engaging

this year.

14% No �xed abode

36% Vulnerably housed

50% Securely housed

2children returned from foster care.

2people returned to

full-time employment.

25% of people left our Southampton drug

services completely drug-free this year.

17% left our Southampton drug services

completely drug-free in 2011-12.

We have held Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) sessions across our recovery services. ACT teaches people how to be mindful of and accept their current behaviours and use small, weekly commitments to start to change them.

“It was really interesting to listen to people thinking about the impact that their behaviours can have; how small changes can lead to attaining much bigger life goals. It was also inspiring to listen to everyone’s stories of their recovery journey, whether they were on their first steps or years down the road, the positive attitude and support offered today was fantastic.”Sam Bax, Fundraising Administrator

Portsmouth Recovery Day ServicesFor people in recovery from drug and alcohol misuse, in the community

We have a weekly timetable of activities covering topics such as values, contemplation, personal skills, access to education, and self-awareness. 25 people have completed at least 6 weeks of the programme, and 14 went on to complete the full 12 weeks.

People have achieved a range of other outcomes - eg. one person has established a new craft group, and another has learned to cook!

“It’s given me a social life out of the life I had before when I was an alcoholic.”

15

Alcohol Pathfinders Service For people starting to address their problems with alcohol

Dealing with an alcohol problem often requires a change in the way a person spends their time. This year, our activities have included music, film-making, cooking, and guided country walks.

We are looking forward to developing Southampton’s first recovery community with TWICS. This self-run group will offer a wide range of activities in an alcohol free environment.

2children returned from foster care.

2people returned to

full-time employment.

6people have become peer mentors.

35people completed courses

with TWICS (Training for Work in Communities).

Michelle was supported by the Bridge drug service and now “gives something back” by volunteering with our Rewind project.

When I was 18, I got with this lad and he smoked weed, so that’s what I started with. Then he was doing speed, so I started that. Then it was try the acid and the pills and it just sort of progressed from there. Everyone that I was hanging around with at the time were all doing coke and cocaine was my biggest Achilles heel. I would snort so much of that a day it was unbelievable. I was working as well, kept a full time job for about five or six years. Then my best friend hung himself and my nan died and it was just like a snowball effect and I had a complete nervous breakdown.

I started doing crack and spent the last eight and a half years on class A’s. I came to The Bridge originally because I was a heroin addict so I came to seek help. I got off the heroin but still carried on using everything else. I ended up in a hostel about a year ago and I was still drinking and doing crack and something inside me, I don’t know, I was just looking at everyone and thought, “I don’t want to do this anymore.”

So I did two weeks with nothing, got clean and came up here, applied to volunteer. I got accepted and everything has just gone really well and I’ve been a volunteer for a year in August.

Viv is brilliant, she’s an excellent trainer and everyone that I’ve worked with has been really accommodating. I feel like I’ve got a whole new friend network now as well. If anyone was interested I would say tell them to give it a go, ‘cause you’re not gonna lose anything by trying. It has turned my life around a lot. When I think what I’ve done in a year...

Since I’ve volunteered here I’ve got more confidence, obviously it keeps me clean because I keep looking at everyone and thinking, “I don’t want to be like that”. At first I thought I’d struggle with it- hearing everyone talking about scoring and stuff like that - and to be fair, I did at first ‘cause obviously, if you think about it too much, it plays on your mind. But I just overcome that. And since I’ve done this I’ve got all my training from Viv, I done a Level 2 in Counselling Skills at college - which I got a Merit for, which I was so chuffed about.

I volunteer for Rewind and the IOM house. Rewind is a drop-in on a Thursday, I make the sandwiches and tea and coffee. I actually facilitate

the first part of the ACT group now, and on a Friday I run a cookery class. It’s only been going for the last two weeks, the lads in the IOM house asked if they could have cooking lessons on a budget so I got put up for that one and I really enjoy it. I sort of make stuff that I make at home, as I have lived on a budget for so long I can basically make something out of nothing! I’ve just been put on a Food Hygiene course and I’m doing a Health & Social care substance misuse diploma.

“I won’t slip back; I’ve got too much to lose.”I’ve got my own flat now, and it’s lovely. I won’t slip back; I’ve got too much to lose. I’m now starting to apply for jobs. I want to get a full-time job, I’m really looking forward to getting into work. I’ve got a few little goals that I’m setting myself- once I’m working I want to learn to drive and take a holiday. I hope to be a drugs key-worker. I got all the help that I needed and St James never gave up on me so if I can ‘pay back’ and get someone else clean, even just one person, then it will have all been worth it.

Skills and Employment

Michelle

16

22volunteers

1700hours

550young people reached

B2VFor people wanting to volunteer in addiction services and provide peer support

“I get massive satisfaction in supporting our service users on their journey to recovery – amazingly, by using my own experiences.

“Without sounding cheesy or cliched, it really has been the best thing to happen for me and my kids. The ripple effect has been unbelievable and constant! Our life is better than I ever could have imagined and I’m a better mum, daughter and sister, all because of the self-esteem and self-belief instilled in me since joining the SSJ B2V team.”

We had 75 B2V volunteers this year - 38 men and 37 women.

Opportunities

Skills & Employment RewindFor people with a criminal background to share their experiences and benefit others

Rewind volunteers deliver an average of three talks per week in schools and colleges

across Hampshire.

This year we have begun working with Barton Peveril College, Horndean Technology College, Sholing Technology College and Andover College

In these talks, Rewind engaged harder to reach students and those who have been excluded from other schools.

Rewind is reaching students who are showing definite signs of beginning a life of involvement with the police and judicial system.

“I just wanted to ‘thank you’ again for your huge support in our Year 9 Think Safe Behaviour Day yesterday. I, for one, am very grateful to Steph, Matt & Ellen all taking the time to share their difficult experiences with us.”Angela Cowey, Careers Department, Horndean Technology College

“B2V has made me ME. It’s been an essential part of my journey for development. I can now see a bright future.”

17

7516 hours volunteered22

volunteers

1700hours

550young people reached

25volunteers have gained employment!

Opportunities

Skills & Employment Saints4Sport - Pathways2EmploymentA new initiative from Saints4Sport, for people who want to take steps back towards employment

We developed a successful partnership with Premier Inn, who have offered work placements for those who have previouslt found it difficult to find employment.

“The Pathways2Employment scheme is one of the most exciting developments in Saints4Sport. It’s been the icing on the cake. Seeing people develop to a point where they can successfully gain and maintain employment is an awesome outcome.”Ant Newman, Sports Team Leader

Jamie’s ComputersOur computer refurbishment and recycling social enterprise, providing an IT disposal service to businesses and individuals

This year the financial surplus generated by Jamie’s provided a significant contribution to the Society of St. James’ work.

Jamie’s provides volunteering opportunities to people supported by The Society of St James, The Wheatsheaf Trust, Job Centre Plus, NHS Trust, City College Southampton and Pinnacle People.

We also take on people on probation to serve their Community Payback hours at Jamie’s Computers.

Our core of 11 long term volunteers each gave an average of more than 600 hours over the year.

One of our volunteers secured a permanent position with a company working on the Docks at Southampton, utilising his fork lift truck driving skills gained during his time volunteering at Jamie’s.

“We are exceedingly grateful to all our volunteers for their efforts and loyalty; they help in every area of our business from warehouse operations through the repair and refurbishment workshop to sales, administration and shipping.”David Powell, Business Manager

18

“My management team and I are extremely proud of the success of this partnership. We have recruited some inspirational individuals, who I am sure will go on to achieve great results throughout their career with us.” Davina Spindler, Premier Inn

26 people have completed placements.

17have gone on to full or part-time work.

More than

80 people have attended our volunteer

‘taster days’.

19

Paul is a long-term volunteer at Jamie’s Computers. He has recently been offered part-time paid employment at Jamie’s and continues to top up his hours as a volunteer.

I started at Jamie’s Computers on the Community Payback scheme. I was basically selling items on e-bay whilst I was out of work - it was a benefit fraud offence. I didn’t realise it was against the law to make money whilst I was on benefits. I paid it all back and everything, and got 300 hours of community service. I learnt my lesson. It’s the only time I’ve ever been in trouble.

I was made redundant in 2010, similar company to Jamie’s, but it wasn’t charity based but it was recycling computers. I done that for about 12 years, got made redundant, and from 2010 until the first day I started here on Community Payback I was unemployed, couldn’t find work.

Because of my computer background, my Probation Officer recommended Jamie’s. He said my skills would fit there, rather than going to parks and painting benches and things like that. They looked at my skills - I take my hat off to them for that.

I basically completed my hours and carried on as a volunteer after that. While I was doing Community Payback and volunteering I was doing a bit of everything - warehousing, being out in the van collecting the IT equipment, helping out with the e-bay side of things.

I’ve now been offered a part-time paid contract. So I’m officially a Jamie’s employee! I’m doing extra hours on top - I do roughly 25-30 hours a week, so extra hours on top as voluntary. The project I’m focusing on now is selling things on e-bay because I’ve got experience in that ... I know, it’s weird isn’t it, how things have turned around?

I am really enjoying the position I’ve got - it’s a pleasure to work here. I am hoping that, if it’s a blinding success, they might consider upping the paid hours. That’s a challenge I’m hoping to take on board. I hope Jamie’s is going to continue growing and I’m really proud to be part of the team.

“The last twelve months and being offered a paid position here has been great and changed my life.”

I’ve got two young daughters, who are 8 and 6 who need feeding and clothing so this money really comes in handy. It’s made things easier and I’ve got more self-confidence. I used to get a lot of hassle from the dole people. It wasn’t too bad for me in certain ways because they knew I was doing unpaid work so they kind of let me get on with it. But they started saying to me, ”you can’t be a volunteer for the rest of your life”. Now this job has come along, I no longer have to claim benefits. Life is good at the moment and Jamie’s has contributed to that big time.

Skills and Employment

Paul

We processed more than

600 tonnes of donated IT equipment in the year,

which included approximately

10,000 computers.

Leaving prison & ...

... Getting Back on Track Hampshire Integrated Offender ManagementFor people with a background in the criminal justice system to recover from addiction and reduce their reoffending

We have developed the ‘About Turn’ Project in partnership with Probation staff. This is a gateway to offender services, providing peer and professional support, advice, and social activities in Basingstoke, Havant, Gosport and Hayling Island. On average we hold 320 one-to-one keyworking session per quarter.

We have two IOM houses, one in Southampton and the other in Gosport, providing clear links with reduced re-offending for those that engage with the programme.

Another development this year is securing funding for the new ‘Through the Gate’ Service. We are running SMART groups (Self Management and Recovery Training) within the prison to prepare people for their release, and then supporting them through their transition from custody into the community.

JigsawFor people with a background in the criminal justice system who need housing-related support

We support people to secure private rented accommodation with landlords, refer people into the IOM houses, and work with supported accommodation providers across Hampshire.

87 people have been housed to date, and 75% of them have successfully maintained their tenancy.

93% reduction in substance misuse and

95%reduction in crime

among people in our IOM houses.

439 people have been supported

through these services.

IOM

house residents on a groundskeeping w

ork placement.

“Through it I have gone on to gain part-time and then full-time employment, which I was worried that I’d never be able to of because of my criminal convictions.”

Safe, Secure, Stable

Kevin Kevin has been supported by the Alcohol Accommodation Service. He came back to the service, on respite, after being exploited while living independently in the community.

I’m here for about a year. I had a flat of my own but I was being pestered by two people and so gave my flat up. My circle of friends robbed me blind. They kept stealing from me and stealing my food. I was trying to help them out the best I could but they kept robbing me so I said, “no”.

Jackie down at New Road Substance Misuse Service sorted out it out for me to get a place with St James. She used to come round and clean my flat. Sometimes, when my friends were there - they were supposed to be my sort of friends - they said, “oh Kevin’s not well today and could you go away and come back again”. But she did come back and arranged it that I meet up with someone from St James.

The staff are nice. I’ve made lots of new friends living in group accommodation. I feel safe and secure. Ann is my keyworker here, she’s on holiday at the moment but she’s due back next week. She takes me out shopping and stuff and I get on with her fine. My favourite thing to do with Ann is to go shopping for DVD’s.

I like to listen to radio or sit in the garden if it’s a nice day. My jobs in the house are to do the lounge and the hallways, that’s my job in the morning.

“We all do our own jobs. It will help when I move on.”I have got company all the time. It makes me feel good about myself, makes me feel

good. I’m putting weight on now. I take my medication every day; I’ve got to take four in the morning and four in the evening. I was diagnosed, when I was 30 years old, with schizophrenia. Living on my own I missed my medication. That could give me flashbacks, nightmares - things like that. Not nice.

They’ve cut down my drink. Cut me down quite a lot really. I get one in the morning and one in the afternoon and that’s it ‘til the next day. When I was on my own I was drinking a lot more than that. I didn’t eat nothing, not properly.

I’m looking forward to getting my own flat again. I’m saving up at the moment, so I can buy some new stuff for the flat. I started painting when I was in detox in Portsmouth. I spend my time doing it. Helps relax me. If I am frustrated or I am upset I can paint a picture like how I feel. I like painting; it’s better than drugs.

Alcohol Accommodation serviceFor people who need support due to long-term heavy drinking

We piloted a respite project, taking in people who already have a secure tenancy but are at risk of losing it due to their drinking. We work with them for 6-12 weeks to get them back in control of their drinking, and then support them to move back to their accommodation. Based on the success of the project, we are now offering a respite bed year round.

90%of people moved on from the

service in a planned and positive way.

“I feel safe and secure.”

Gardening project at

one of our houses

Safe, Secure, and Stable Mental HealthFor people with long-term mental health problems who need accommodation and support to move on to greater independence

The team have faced a challenging year. Decreasing resources elsewhere have meant that we are dealing with increasingly frequent and severe crises. More and more time is taken up dealing with complex safeguarding and protection issues.

80%of people moved on in a positive, planned way.

“Some of the people we work with achieve the types of successes that are easily quantifiable; they move into independent flats, start education courses and begin volunteering. Some of the team’s biggest successes are less measurable; someone not calling an ambulance when they have a panic attack, someone choosing to start a conversation rather than waiting to be spoken to or sometimes, it’s just a smile.” Tony Keall, Project Manager

HP+ Handyperson ServiceFor people who need basic maintenance done so that they can stay safely in their homes

We have now been successfully delivering the HP+ service for three years, and our contract has been extended for another year.

This year, we worked in partnership with Southampton City Council in their Boiler Replacement and Repair scheme. HP+ was the ‘first port of call’ and undertook initial inspections. When agreement was reached with the Council, the relevant engineers were called in to undertake the work.

“A lovely couple in their nineties needed a sink unblocked and also a grab rail fitted in the bathroom. During my assessment I found out that, for both of them, their mobility was declining; putting them at risk of falling. I therefore fitted a grab rail in the bathroom on this occasion. I also found out that the gentleman was one of the first to land in Normandy on D-Day.” Shane Squibb, Maintenance and Support Supervisor

“I would like to pay tribute to my team for showing amazing commitment to their clients in what has been another very difficult year.” Tony Keall, Mental Health Project Manager

1220HP+ jobs responded to over the past twelve months.Many of these within three days of receiving the request for assistance!

22

1220HP+ jobs responded to over the past twelve months.Many of these within three days of receiving the request for assistance!

Housing ManagementFor people who need accommodation and some low-level support with their tenancy

In November 2013 we agreed to take on Aspen House and Mulberry House in Aldershot, and Brightstone House in Farnborough - the first time we have housed parents and children. Our newest, tiniest tenant was a beautiful, healthy baby boy, weighing only 3.5lb who arrived 6 weeks early on moving day!

The Housing Management Team currently manage ...

235 bed spaces over 26 properties.

“My huge thanks to all Housing Management staff, Operational Security staff and Nicola Butler, Operations Director, for all their support and hard work over the last 12 months.”Terry Bremble, Housing Management Manager

Home Support For people to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible

We support people who have severe alcohol dependency, substance misuse problems, mental health problems, and / or challenging behaviour. Some will have previously experienced homelessness.

We had a successful Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in December and were found to meet all of the standards required.

“We found people’s care and support were delivered according to thorough and individualised assessments and plans.” CQC Inspection Report

“We don’t give up on anybody.” Home Support team member

St James CareFor people whose needs are greater than a regular care home can meet

We have been developing new activities to engage with our residents and enable them to be a little more independent - including bingo, cooking, a day trip to the Beaulieu Motor Museum, a gardening club, and arts and Scrafts sessions.

We said a sad goodbye to our manager, Liz Ferguson, who passed away this year.

“Liz had almost limitless compassion for her clients, and was a fierce advocate for them, ensuring they always got the respect and support that they deserved. She was held in great affection by all she looked after.”Trevor Pickup, Chief Executive

“I can get into my lounge now that my sliding door is fixed”. Person supported by HP+

23

7families have moved on to

permanent accommodation so far.

St James Care day trip to Beaulieu.

Volunteers from Zurich UK

“Working with SSJ was a valuable experience for the whole team and one we would repeat given the chance. I think everyone can take something from understanding some of the challenges that homeless people face and the excellent work that SSJ does.” Chantel, Zurich UK

Money Matters

We Couldn’t Do it Without You “It has been extremely rewarding for us, especially when one of the beneficiaries made the remark in the introductory session, just before Christmas that “it is nice that somebody cares.”Alex Durrant, Enactus Solent

Hunger for Change cooking group organised by volunteers from Enactus Solent

325 Christmas dinners

donated

£926worth of food donated in ONE

WEEKEND in Waitrose, Southampton.

£272,000from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching

Communities Programme for our

Saints4Sport project.

£11,000raised through StreetSmart Hampshire

in 2013.

9people raised

£30,000on our Himalayas Trek.

24

Volunteers from Zurich UK

After transfers to and from reserves, we retained a surplus of £90,015. This represents only 1.2% of our income for the year. This small surplus will be reinvested in supporting homeless and vulnerable people in the years to come.

Income and ExpenditureOnce again the Society’s income grew despite a difficult economic environment, which has led to cuts in the contract values for a number of the services that we deliver. This is largely because we were successful in tendering for new work in Portsmouth. We pursued plans to purchase a new property which has led to a small depletion in our cash holdings, but the Society remains on a sound financial base.

The majority of our turnover (33%) is still made up of rental income which is paid to us by our tenants, very often supported by Housing Benefit. Our other major sources of income continue to be Supporting People contracts and Drug Support Service grants, which make up 26% and 30% of our turnover respectively.

Of course, our turnover comes with significant costs, such as employing staff, paying for the properties in which we provide our services, and providing an excellent maintenance service. We are therefore extremely grateful for the efforts made by individuals, groups, companies and trusts that provide us with significant additional funding, as well as ‘in kind’ support.

This year a tight control was kept on administration costs, which accounted for just 6.1% of the Society’s expenditure.

The FutureSpending cuts continue to be felt across our sector. There are opportunities for the Society in terms of new services coming out to tender, but also threats as funding for our existing services may be reduced. It is difficult to predict the impact of this financial climate on the Society, but we remain committed to providing quality services to the people that we support, and we will continue to liaise closely with our funders in order to reduce costs and save money wherever we can.

We will continue to seek opportunities to tender for new services that fit within our objectives in order to reduce the risk associated with losing other contracts, and to provide more essential services to our clients. However, as cuts in funding reduce the overall number of services, there will be an undoubted impact on services that help homeless people in general.

“This will mean charities will come to rely even more heavily on donated funds in order to continue to provide sufficient support for a potentially growing number of homeless and vulnerable people.”Andrew Powell, Director of Finance and Central Services

Money Matters

Year End Accounts

25

Income 2013/14 (£’000) 2012/13 (£’000)Net Rents Receivable 2,513 2,375Supporting People Grant 1,961 1,541Drugs Related Support Services 1,926 1,638Other Grants and Donations 892 784Jamie’s Computers 302 204Total Incoming Resources 7,594 6,542

Expenditure 2013/14 (£’000) 2012/13 (£’000)Resident Support,Sustenance and Outreach 7,070 6,009Administration Costs 465 476Interest received/(paid) 6 2Transfer (from)/to Reserves (37) (11)Total Resources Expended 7,504 6,476Resources Generated to Improve and Develop Services 90 66

Summary income and expenditure for the year ending 31st March 2014

How the Society is Funded (£000’s)

Jamie's Computers

Other Grants and Donations

Supporting People Grant

Rents

Outreach Support Service Grants

Money Matters

Year End Accounts

2013/14 (£’000) 2012/13 (£’000)Fixed Assets, Investments & Goodwill 4,507 4,513Less Grants (2,271) (2,271) 2,236 2,242

Current AssetsDebtors and Cash 1,201 1,029Less Creditors Due Within One Year (870) (748)Net Current Assets 331 281

Total Assets 2,567 2,523Creditors due After More Than One Year 697 732

Accumulated Capital and Reserve Funds 1,870 1,791

2,567 2,523

Summary Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2014

How the Money is Spent (£000’s)

Resident Support, Sustenance, and Outreach

Administration Costs and Interest

Transfer from Reserves

27

125 Albert Road South Southampton, SO14 3FR t: 023 8063 4596 f: 023 8033 9026 www.ssj.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 1043664 Housing Association Number: LH4337 A Company Limited by Guarantee and Registration in England No: 3009700