TURNING POINT SCOTLAND

Housing First – Glasgow

3 year pilot – supporting 22 service users with active addiction

Background of Project: TPS interested in the Housing First model as a new way

of tackling homelessness in Scotland.

Initial backing from Community Casework Teams, Glasgow Housing Association, Queens Cross Housing Association and Strathclyde Police

Project start: February 2011

Essential Elements of the approach:Aim: To reduce re-occurring homelessness by supporting individuals who are in active addiction

Underlying principles: 24/7 support from multidisciplinary team Independent accommodation in scattered site housing No requirement for housing readiness Harm reduction approach Provision of permanent housing and holistic support Respect for service user choice re: apartment, levels of

engagement, location and times of support Targets most vulnerable – those that have difficulty coping with

traditional services, resistant to service engagement

Accommodation Provided:

Tenancies provided – self contained/ scattered social housing provided by Registered Social Landlords

Tenants have full tenancy rights with rent contract and unlimited lease

Full cooperation with landlords – Glasgow Housing Association. N. G. Homes. Queens Cross H. A. South Side H.A. Thenue H.A. New Gorbals H.A.

Evaluation

• Heriot-Watt University (Johnsen & Fitzpatrick)• 3 year longitudinal study• Methods:

• Staff/stakeholder interviews (x2)• Service user interviews (x2)• Case file analysis (x2)

• Interim Report – now available on www.turningpointscotland.com

• Final Report autumn 2013

Links to European Housing First sites:

Housing First Europe – this links us to Copenhagen, Lisbon, Budapest and Amsterdam with secondary sites being Gothenburg, Helsinki, Vienna, Ghent and Dublin.

Housing First in Europe (Grundtvig) – This links us to Paris, Marseille, Barcelona, Vienna and Helsinki.

Links with FEANTSA and FNARS

Housing First – Glasgow Housing Association Perspective

Paul Tonner

18th September 2012

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Why Did We Get Involved?

A real partnership between Turning Point Scotland as support and care provider and the RSLs as housing providers

GHA’s Homelessness Strategy - places significant emphasis on preventing homelessness and sourcing appropriate support from a range of partners in helping our customers sustain their tenancies

At the time, the project also fulfilled one of the outcomes of Glasgow’s Homelessness Strategy, namely:

‘Improve outcomes for homeless households with addiction and/or criminal justice issues, including accommodation’.

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Why Did We Get Involved?

A real partnership between Turning Point Scotland as support and care provider and the RSLs as housing providers

GHA’s Homelessness Strategy - places significant emphasis on preventing homelessness and sourcing appropriate support from a range of partners in helping our customers sustain their tenancies

At the time, the project also fulfilled one of the outcomes of Glasgow’s Homelessness Strategy, namely:

‘Improve outcomes for homeless households with addiction and/or criminal justice issues, including accommodation’.

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Our Approach

10

Opportunities

People

Risks

Innovation

· Involved in shaping the project to fit the Glasgow context.

· Use this approach to focus on tenants potentially at risk - personalised approach

· Stronger links with support partners & know where to go if things go wrong

· Partnership is key· Exciting project and one which could

shape how we deliver services in future to this client group

· Cultural change for staff & customers about how services are delivered

· How we bring more partners on board – small sample size

· Housing First and Housing Options -extending to other tenures & different solutions

· Understanding our customers and how we reach them – communication activity

· Training for staff to be more effective -collaboration with local RSLs & partners

· Development of Glasgow model bring new partners on board - confidence

· RSLS to use existing policies & services to help customers – section 5 referrals

· We got leadership buy-in - Governance

· Risks around working with people actively involved in drug misuse balanced with needs of existing tenants

· Housing supply reduced pressures on system

· SST versus short SST· Housing readiness -including practical

things e.g. Furniture options· Personalisation agenda · Austerity measures and impact on direct

services – duplicate projects already working in City?

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Delivery

First referral received November 2010

All cases for the pilot housed by May 2011

Cases housed in an average of 3 weeks from receipt of section 5 referral

As a result of SST, cases ‘moved’ to another RSL in May 2011

Agreed to ‘replace’ SST cases in the South of the city

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Case Study – Issues and Interventions

Noisy Parties

Fighting in communal areas

Disturbing Neighbours

Causing damage to flat

Police Visits

Abusive to staff

Loud music

Graffiti

Think Yes!

Fire & Rescue meeting

Child Protection meeting

Concierge assistance

Referral to Community

Improvement Partnership

Joint visitWarnings issued

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Housing summary

7 properties let

6 in North West Glasgow

2 left via Second Stage Transfer

1 tenancy terminated

1 new tenancy established in the South of the city

1 further offer currently being pursued in the South

4 current tenancies

13

Housing First Partnership

Lynne Cooperng homes18th September 2012

ng homes• Established 1976

• 5500 homes in Springburn, Balornock, Possilpark & Parkhouse

• 7% turnover – average 360 new tenancies per year

• Excellent track record

• Partnership working contributed to our success over the last 37 years

• RSL in multiple deprivation

• Rehouse people who misuse alcohol, drugs, people with mental health issues and chaotic lifestyles

Tenancy Sustainment• Tenancy Sustainment Team set up in 2010

• Objective to support vulnerable tenants and help them maintain their tenancies

Success since 2010

• Abandonments and evictions have decreased

• New tenants are keeping their tenancies for more than 12 months – 93% sustainment for tenancies started 2011/12

• Team have established partnerships with a number of agencies to help support tenants: Keys to Learn

Housing First Partnership• Partnership Established in 2012

• Key elements of Housing First fits exactly with ng homes Tenancy Sustainment goals

• 24/7 support available to vulnerable tenants when having difficulty coping with their tenancy

• Win/Win for ng homes

• Early days

• Continue to develop our partnership with Housing First further

Service User Achievements and Challenges to date:

Achievements:Supporting individuals who have never engaged with any service Number of individuals engaged with community addiction services – 21Number of individuals engaging with Housing First who had a history of non engagement with other services – 8Number of individuals in tenancy for over a year - 11

Challenges: Engagement of housing

providers Furniture Welfare reform Individuals adjusting to daily

structure whilst in active addiction.

Future Plans? Incremental increase in number of service users in all

areas of Glasgow Partnership working with further housing providers Housing Plus Housing First – mental health, families, prison leavers

(Persistent Offenders Project) Geographical spread in several areas of Scotland

currently in discussion with Renfrewshire, North/ South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde

For more information:

Contact: Ian Irvine (Operations Manager) T: 0141 427 8200 E: ianirvine@turningpointscotland.com W: www.turningpointscotland.com

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