Homelessness and Housing

Adult Homeless Pathway (Oxfordshire) - Providing accommodation and support to single homeless people over the age of 18 across North Oxfordshire, West Oxfordshire, and Oxford City. We have 83 rooms in a mixture of shared houses in Oxford, Witney, and Banbury in which we can support clients to help them build skills and move onto long-term independent living. When moving on from the pathway 12 weeks resettlement support is also offered to support people with the transition and to also settle them into their new homes.

Supported Lettings (Oxford City) - We work with clients when they move into social housing for the duration of their 12-month probationary period of their tenancies. This is specifically for clients who would, without our interventions, be considered unsuitable for social housing. We help them with all aspects of tenancy sustainment, for example, utilities set-up, social inclusion, change of benefits, change of GP, mental/physical health and substance misuse.

Embedded Housing Workers (Oxfordshire) - EHWs are located at hospitals across Oxfordshire to reduce the number of patients who have extended stays in hospital because, although they are medically well enough to be discharged, they either have no housing provision at all, or there are barriers to them returning to their own accommodation. They work with medical teams to reduce the number of patients discharged with no housing provision in place and prevent repeat admission of rough sleepers. They ensure presentations to local housing authorities are done in a managed way, identify and understand patients’ housing issues to enable a successful discharge, and monitor and report on outcomes.

Housing First (Milton Keynes) - An evidence-based approach that puts the provision of an independent home first, followed by personalised support, to enable individuals with a history of entrenched or repeat homelessness to begin recovery. Research shows that through this approach residents are 70-90% more likely to remain housed. Working with Milton Keynes Council, who provide the accommodation, our ‘Housing First’ service supports adults over the age of 18 who have been rough sleeping in Milton Keynes and have a local connection to the area.

Housing First (Oxfordshire) - Housing First Oxfordshire provides a home and intensive support to former rough sleepers during their journey from rough sleeping to a more settled lifestyle within their own home and to improve their health and wellbeing.

Housing Support Service (Oxfordshire) - Connection Support has been running the Housing Support Service in Oxfordshire since its foundation in 1995. The service is delivered by floating support workers, using a person-centred approach, to enable clients who are at risk of homelessness to maintain their tenancies and access services to avoid entering the homeless pathway. The team support and equip clients with the tools to manage their money, navigate benefits, be independent and avoid homelessness.

Next Steps Accommodation (Milton Keynes) - Next Steps Accommodation placements are for people identified with lower-level support needs who have previously been homeless and require support and interventions to sustain a tenancy. Clients can live in the accommodation for a fixed-term period of three years. After the fixed period clients are supported to access alternative properties and we secure long-term accommodation for people who are identified as ready to move on.

One Recovery Bucks (Buckinghamshire) - ORB provides support into rented accommodation for people over the age of 18 who are doing well in their recovery from drug or alcohol addiction (they must have abstained for at least 3 months). Pre-tenancy support is provided, alongside guidance on sustaining a tenancy and help with budgeting, accessing benefits, paying bills, training opportunities and employment. We have a total of 20 flats across the county.

Orchard House (Milton Keynes) - Supported accommodation for vulnerable homeless single people with medium to high mental health needs. There is 24/7 support on site and they also have one-to-one key workers to help them prepare to move on to a more independent lifestyle and an improved quality of life.

Reset (Buckinghamshire) - Support for ex-offenders to access accommodation and make positive life choices to reduce the risk of them reoffending and returning to prison. The team provides support with finding accommodation, tenancy sustainment, accessing benefits, training, education, and employment opportunities, help with physical or mental health issues or substance abuse.

Rough Sleeper Outreach and Rough Sleeper Initiative (Buckinghamshire) - Our Rough Sleeper Outreach Service enables rough sleepers to build a better future beyond street life. We support people living on the streets of Buckinghamshire to find more settled accommodation and receive the benefits they are entitled to. We enable them to access health, addiction, and other support services relevant to their individual needs. The Rough Sleeper Initiative has twenty-one emergency beds available for rough sleepers and support to enable them to move on successfully. This service also has a tenancy sustainment element, which provides life tools and support to rough sleepers in Buckinghamshire, so they can live independently in their own rented home. We help clients manage their money – rental payments, bills, budgeting, access to benefits, training, routes to employment, and access support for mental and physical health issues.

Rough Sleeper Outreach (Oxfordshire) - Our Outreach service in Oxfordshire helps people who are sleeping rough to find settled accommodation. Support workers also help them access health and mental health services, drug, and alcohol support services, and receive the benefits they are entitled to.

Step Down Housing (Oxfordshire) - Short-term housing for vulnerable patients who are medically ready to be discharged from the Oxfordshire University or Oxfordshire Foundation Trust Hospitals but lack suitable accommodation to continue their recovery. This includes people who are homeless, have a history of drug/alcohol misuse, people who have no recourse to public funds or issues with their immigration status, those fleeing domestic violence, or people with mobility issues. We appoint Embedded Housing Workers (EHWs) into the hospitals to upskill medical staff and social workers about the complexities of housing these patients.

South and Vale Floating Support and Winter Night Shelter - Our support workers are embedded alongside housing officers to support clients placed within temp accommodation to move on to more settled accommodation and provide resettlement for the initial weeks of their new tenancies. (This service also covers a Winter Night Shelter provision for rough sleepers within South and Vale, although this has only been held once due to COVID.