Thanks to generous donations, Support2achieve supports over 500 people each week.
We want to empower people, helping them develop long-term independent living skills and supporting them with their health, education, employment and training needs.
We provide support in their time of need, as every person deserves the chance to live a good life.
Fundamental to our work is supporting excluded people as individuals. We offer this support in collaboration with Green Bridge Housing, who provide and manage the support workers.
After initially undertaking the needs assessment, a support plan including a range of activities is implemented to help the person progress and become involved in mainstream society. The ultimate goal is to help people move into independent accommodation and be engaged in full-time education or work. For people who are ready, this involves improving their employability by helping with CVs, identifying any training they may need and providing support to help them find jobs.
Initially, the goal is to help many avoid becoming homeless and address their complex challenges, such as mental or physical health issues or social issues, such as drug addiction or a history of criminal activity. To achieve this, we provide activities and support to help them stay off drugs or reoffending. Many, when they first access our support, are very low and depressed and do nothing but stay at home. Some don’t go out because they may be frightened, and many refugees feel let down because of the traumas they have seen or experienced in their past, such as torture. We start slowly, for example, taking them to a coffee shop where others from their community go so they can feel less alone and build their confidence to go out on their own. Having met and made friends, they expand their horizons, and some go out into Derbyshire and the Peak District to enjoy the beauty and peace.
Those with mental health problems often struggle to express their issues, going blank when they get to an appointment. We attend with them to give them the confidence and support to speak. For some, there is the added issue that there is a stigma about mental health problems in their community, so they struggle to recognise it, let alone look for support.
One woman who had been homeless and had mental health issues initially we supported by simply chatting, taking her for a coffee and going for a walk. All this helped her feel better and more able to move on.
For most people, our support begins with getting the basics in place, helping them sign up for a GP and taking them to the GP practice so they know where it is and have the confidence to go in. Many need more confidence to go to the GP. Helping them understand public transport and how to get to different places. Helping them get a UK driving licence if they are a refugee.
Our general support work can start for the most challenged people by helping them to attend social or official situations where they lack confidence. As they progress, it is about helping people to expand their horizons and believe they can achieve. Each week, we address one support issue.
We help refugees understand the culture and develop the skills they need to be successful and live independently in the UK. We signpost to ESOL classes or find other courses that might be appropriate or interest them, ranging from academic subjects to practical and vocational, such as plumbing. Many need support with completing forms because they need to gain the necessary skills in English.
Some come from abroad with specific experience, for example, being a barber, but need to understand the regulations and how to be a successful barber in the UK, so we help them identify the right course. We also check they have access to practical things like the internet.
Many refugees are waiting for their families to join them so they can progress and find the separation from their families very tough. Many worry that they will never see their families again. We help by explaining the system and signposting them to advice that can help with the process of getting their families to the UK.
To prepare people for independent living, we work with them on budgeting and managing money, particularly heating costs. In Sheffield, as they progress, we help them register with Sheffield City Council Property Shop so that they can get their own home.
For some living more independently, like an ex-prisoner with HIV and mental health problems, the support has included help challenging an energy company that has incorrectly billed the person for £1,000. He explained, “It makes me ill, I can’t sleep, it is worrying me”. He couldn’t get through on the phone to the company, so the support worker did the phoning and managed to connect after a 3-hour wait.
We help another person with disabilities by applying for medical priority, doing the administration and providing the evidence from the hospital and the GP.
Our support often includes multi-agency work referring to and working with, for example, alcohol services, Probation and IAPT(improving access to psychological therapies).
Support2achieve is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charity Commission no 1196773. It’s registered office is Suite 10 1st Floor Parkway 2, Parkway Business Centre, Princess Road, Manchester, M14 7LU
