Snippets from R2R Team Diary
August 2014
• An average of 4 clients are taking part every week in a cooking project started with No 34 Café – with 9 individuals in total having a go.
• Met the Footprints Project, which mentors people leaving prison or serving a community sentence, to discuss possible joint projects.
• Agreed a ‘taster’ session with Dorset Wildlife Trust for October, with a view to starting a project focused on a dedicated area of Upton Heath involving up to 12 of our clients.
• Discussed the possibility of a Forest School for up to 10 of our clients in partnership with Footprints/Quay Foyer.
• Supported St Mary’s Longfleet with a client who was sleeping in the churchyard.
• Assisted numerous clients in the office with phone calls, appointments and housing issues.
• Accompanied client to appointments with SMART and PACT.
• Received and sorted numerous donations of clothing and assorted household items for our clients’ use or to go to Cash4Clothes.
• Assisted clients with doctor’s appointments and telephone calls to doctors.
• Assisted clients with benefits issues including JSA and ESA claims, liaison with DWP, transfer to ESA and telephone calls to the Council.
• Liaised with a landlord, supported a client to a housing interview and assisted with a return to accommodation.
• Helped a client with a job interview.
• Liaised with CRI over the death of a client.
July 2014
• Discussed new projects at Holton Lee, such as doing bush craft etc.
• Explored how we can work more closely with Quay Foyer to help people keep their housing, possible joint projects etc.
• Visited Bournemouth and Poole College to investigate possibilities of their students helping with projects and access to basic courses for our clients.
• Confirmed Route 34 cooking pilot project to take place in August.
• Assisted client with housing issues.
• Assisted client with ESA issues in liaison with Diverse Abilities Plus.
• Assisted client with mental health issues including calls to crisis team, hospital attendance and support.
• Helped client with transportation for self and property in move to new location.
• Assisted client with letters for Police and landlord re stalking.
• Enrolled new clients at Holton Lee Project.
June 2014
• Made a presentation on R2R at the Salisbury Deanery Synod meeting.
• Spoke with a potential partner about a new food/catering project.
• Arranged transportation and introductions for new clients participating in Holton Lee Project Flourish.
• Successfully supported a client in an application for a place at Quay Foyer, which provides accommodation, personal support and access to training and employment opportunities for young people.
• Successfully supported a client in obtaining backdated Housing Benefit from Poole Council.
• Arranged on-going, one-to-one counselling sessions for two clients.
• Assisted a client with the paperwork for claiming Employment Support Allowance.
• Met the Bishop of Sherborne, who agreed to become our first patron.
• Attended a Poverty Summit at Bournemouth University.
• Liaised with Bournemouth and Poole Rough Sleepers Team about various clients.
May 2014
• Assisted numerous clients with phone calls for appointments with agencies, landlords, doctors, etc.
• Continued to provide clients with clothing, toiletries and other necessities
• Provided clients who have been found accommodation with move-in packs
• Liaised with landlord about accommodation which is becoming available
• Advised Soup Runs and Poole Citizens Advice Bureau of CRI day centre locations and times for rough sleepers
• Involved in initial discussions with Counsellor Sarah Templeton for assistance with Dialogue and with one-to-one sessions for clients at Afternoon Drop-Ins
• Attended Poole Clothing Bank Project meeting
• Held meetings with Sign It!, who work in partnership with Access to Work, DWP & Job Centre Plus, for possible collaboration on work placements for clients
• Liaised with Holton Lee about new clients wanting to participate in Project Flourish.
• Following a request from Poole Council Housing Services Manager, two R2R housed clients engaged in role play with housing officers on a training course
April 2014
• Facilitated clients’ access to mail that is delivered to the Routes to Roots Skinner St address for them
• Supplied donated items to a client to help with setting-up in newly acquired rental accommodation
• Supplied clothing and other necessities to clients in need
• Provided information to a client about access to the Food Bank
• Assisted clients with personal and health problems
• Held discussions with volunteers from Exeter Drugs Project which works with people across Devon and in Dorset affected by drug and alcohol problems
• Attended two Poole Core Group Meetings at Poole Council to review our top ten clients and actions
• Arranged with PC Simon Young to set up new Dialogue sessions at the Afternoon Drop-Ins
March 2014
• Funded a return train ticket for a client to take his exams in CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) in Tottenham, London
• Took a client to Poole Council about housing
• Liaison with CRI to ensure smooth handover of Poole early morning outreach services to rough sleepers
• Meeting with Christian Entrepreneurs
• Received notice of the death of one of our clients
• Discussions with SMART (Substance Misuse Assessment and Referral Team) about attendances at R2R Drop-Ins
• Attended JSA Claimant Commitment workshop at Poole Council
February 2014
• Assessed five new clients in just five days.
• Two Saints, who have a supported lodgings service in Poole, which helps householders to support vulnerable people in their community, visited the R2R office to see how we operate.
• Attended a Core Group meeting at Poole Council.
• Supported a client at a Job Centre interview.
• Attended a meeting at Parkstone URC about a proposed Clothing Voucher Scheme.
• Poole Addictions Community Team (PACT) visited to find out more about R2R and our activities.
• Helped a new resident into E-bed accommodation.
• After four months of trying to engage with a rough sleeper in the Ashley Cross area, they finally came to the office for help.
• The Kings Head on Poole High Street covered our Cooked Breakfast provision for four days when The Fisherman Café closed.
• Met CRI, the new providers of outreach services in Poole from April, to discuss handover and their plans.
January 2014
• Supported client towards getting a birth certificate.
• Supported three clients at Job Centre appointments.
• Supported client to a doctor’s appointment.
• Supported client with a police interview.
• Working alongside his social worker, helped client to bid on properties that he should be accepted on.
• Assessed nine new clients and developed support plans for them.
• Liaised with Diverse Abilities to accompany and stay with client at a meeting for his DLA claim completion.
• Met client to finalise his DLA claim and to assist with ESA missed appointment issue.
• Supported client with a Community Mental Health Team appointment.
December 2013
• Called ambulance for client when she fell on the path following R2R afternoon drop-in. Taken to A&E where she discharged herself.
• Helped client at DLA Tribunal where he was reinstated and higher payment was recommended.
• First winter breakfast vouchers issued for Fisherman Café.
• Supported client to reinstate Job Seekers Allowance and Housing Benefit and liaised with landlady to sustain the tenancy.
• Attended Poole Town Network Forum with Healthwatch Dorset, who are now attending drop-ins.
• Teen Challenge rep attended afternoon drop-ins to help individual clients with drug or alcohol issues.
• Community Mental Health Nurse attended afternoon drop-in to help those with mental health issues.
• Holton Lee client volunteer gained job interview.
• Client prepared a pasta soup and a pear and apple crumble with custard for drop-in attendees.
• Liaised with Highways Enforcement Officer, Anti Social Behaviour Team and Local Councillor to enable homeless client sleeping in a tent to be allowed to remain there rather than being moved on, until he moves into permanent accommodation in January.
• Liaised with various people offering rucksacks and warm clothing, Christmas gifts etc.
November 2013
• Joined clients in edging and digging on our second Holton Lee allotment.
• Shopped and prepared veggies for a Tuesday Evening Drop-In where a client then cooked cottage pie for 30.
• Helped at Afternoon Drop-Ins where a client made crumble twice and a savoury tuna bake for 30.
• Supported a client with JSA suspension, liaising with the landlady to enable tenancy to continue during resulting suspension of housing benefit.
• Supported client with Disability Wessex to ESA tribunal, which was adjourned for further mental health evidence to be gathered.
• Participated in Annual Government Street Count in Poole.
• Meeting with South West Regional Manager for Homeless Link (membership body for organisations and individuals working with homeless people around England).
• Meeting with Teen Challenge, which helps people trapped by addiction and other life controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol, with a view to their participating at Afternoon Drop-Ins.
October 2013
• Supported client in interview with Disability Wessex who are now helping him with his appeal for Employment Support Allowance to be continued.
• Supported two new client volunteers to join Project Flourish at Holton Lee.
• Arranged a second allotment plot at Holton Lee, adjoining our existing plot, in which our three allotment client volunteers intend to plant fruit bushes and flowers.
• Held a team meeting at St Pauls with Care First counsellors following a client’s recent death and supported his family members.
• Successfully moved a male client into accommodation with low support.
• Added a number of new clients to our books and completed 4 client support plans.
• Made 6 visits to the Council regarding housing advice.
• We were needed to identify the body of a homeless person, well known to us, who sadly had passed away
• Attended Halifax Poole Family Fun Day (dressed as a pirate to support their theme) to raise awareness and money for Routes to Roots. • Attended Bournemouth Marathon to collect clothes (for our clients and resale) left by the runners at the start pens.
September 2013
• Registered and supported female client to GP evening appointment
• Housed client using a grant from Borough of Poole Discretionary Fund
• Delighted to say that client has found employment and placed a holding deposit on a room
• Assessed three new clients
• Sadly learned that a street homeless client has passed away and we are now liaising with family over the funeral
• Signed up a new client volunteer for Project Flourish at Holton Lee
• Liaised with HMP Hewell for homeless lady whose partner is charged and detained there
• Helped to clear the flat of another recently deceased client with his resettlement officer