SHELTER East Lothian Project

Organisation Aims and Activities

1. Type of organisation

Voluntary sector campaigning agency

2. Client Group

Homeless and potentially homeless

3. Secondary advice?

Yes

4. Aims

The Housing Advice Resource Centre (HARC) has been set up in Musselburgh as a joint venture between East Lothian Council, The Scottish Executive and Shelter Scotland. The HARC, which is staffed by Shelter Scotland, provides the following services:
* A back up to the various statutory and voluntary homelessness/housing advice services in East Lothian.
* Support with individual enquiries from basic information provision through to arranging or providing for tribunal/court representation. Support ranges from basic signposting of information through interpretation of legislation and case law to representation at Housing Benefit Review board, Homeless Appeal Board, Social Security Appeal Tribunal, and arranging for Court representation in eviction cases.
The advice support is backed up with a training service. The project undertakes training needs analysis in order to identify the various training needs. The HARC provides training on specific issues on a rolling programme.

EAST LOTHIAN HOUSING ADVICE PARTNERSHIP

Shelters East Lothian Project  will fully involve and interact with the Partnership and support development of the relevant aspects relating to the provision and delivery of Housing Advice Services.

ROUGH SLEEPERS INITIATIVE PROJECT WORKER

The Rough Sleepers Initiative Project Worker provides the following services:
An advice service for the public and agencies working with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The advice service helps to secure accommodation for people who are homeless, for example, people who are sleeping rough on the street, in barns, in vehicles and people who are staying with friends.
The advice service can help with housing options, advice on legal rights to housing, support and benefits and referrals to specialist agencies. Advice is available on people's rights in accommodation to prevent homelessness including help negotiating with landlords, representation at Housing Benefit Review Boards and Court in eviction cases.
Advice can also be given on housing and rights to support after discharge from prison, hospital and Local Authority Care.

5. Activities

A telephone advice service is available to the public and agencies on Monday and Friday mornings from 10 AM to 1 PM during which times the RSI Project Worker, can be contacted on 0844 515 2490. Surgeries are available on Tuesday morning from  10am to 12 noon at the Hallhill Healthy Living Centre, Hallhill, Dunbar. Tel 01368 86401 and in Tranent on a Wednesday Morning 10.00 am to 12.oo noon  Tel 01875 615415  The service will be available at all other times by leaving a message on the answer phone or through FAX  0844 515 2924 or Email at east_Lothian@shelter.org.uk.

6. Information and Advice services

Please see document Information and Advice Services in documents box at RHS of this page

Contacts and delivery methods

7. Contact details

Brunton Hall, Musselburgh, Tel 0844 515 2490 Fax:  0844 515 2494 (and agency calls) e-mail: east_lothian@shelter.org

8. Service delivery  methods

Telephone Advice: Yes
Appointments: Yes
Outreach: Yes - see above
Home Visits: In exceptional circumstances - arranged by 'phone
Out of Hours: Shelter 24 hour help line: 0808 800 4444
Via e-mail: Yes

9. Opening Hours

As above in 4 & 5

Staffing, Funding and Training

10. Staffing

2.5 Full time paid staff members

11. Funding

Local Authority

12. Quality Assurance

In House National accreditation scheme/ Shelter Quality Standards

Referrals

13. Formal referral policy - receiving?

Yes

14. Formal referral policy - making?

Yes

15. Informal referral arrangements?

Yes

16. Referral procedure

Shelter uses a referral form, which can be found in the documents list on the RHS of this page. This should be faxed to Shelter.

17. Requirements

Shelter looks for some kind of prior contact, preferably by 'phone, to establish an outline of the client's situation, their needs and any vulnerability. Shelter workers always interview new clients and make their own assessment of the issues. Workers try to probe beyond the immediate reasons for presentation to try to establish if there are further issues.