Resident Survey

Archway Housing Projectby

Emily Spencer

Question One: As residents of West Parade were you aware

that there was a hostel on the street?

100%

Feedback

YesNo

The fact that 100% of residents were aware that there was a hostel on the street can indicate a good thing or a bad.It could be good if all residents knew about the hostel because of positive reasons, however all residents could be aware of the hostel as a result of occurrences in the past.

Question Two:How do you feel about this hostel?

• Indifferent

• Happy to hear it is here

• As long as it stays as it is

• Absolutely fine

• Doesn’t seem a very appropriate

location

• Positive

• Provides a useful service

• Fine

• Ok

• No opinion

•Good for somewhere for young girls

to go

• If the clients are good and residents

and neighbours and clients are

positive about their experience of

support from the hostel

• This is positive overall

• Quite happy with the arrangement

• Very supportive of it

• No problems at all now, in the past

on occasion some problems with

noise, music etc..

• Very positive residents are friendly

and staff seem to do a good job,

good neighbours really

Question Two: Response's from question two are varied;

however mostly positive. Resident’s have suggested that there has been trouble in the past but little now. Some residents have said they do

not think the hostel is a very appropriate location whereas others have said they are very supportive. To make a conclusion of the

feedback from question two I would say that the feelings vary from each resident and their own experiences with clients and staff of the hostel.

Some residents have been living on the street for years and will have seen the varying residents whereas some have been here not as long and may not have seen or heard as much as others.

Question Three:Do you feel the clients are happy and

friendly?

21%

5%

58%

16%

FeedbackYesNoSometimesOther

Other

• With changing

clients don’t

always know

•Haven’t met

anybody

•Varies with clientsThe highest percentage of feedback on question three is sometimes. This indicates that the residents of West Parade have had varied encounters with clients of Archway Housing Project. It also indicates that it depends on which individual they came across – as one resident said ‘varies with clients’. To conclude an answer from question three I would say that residents are not always aware of who lives within the hostel but most agree clients are happy and friendly however depending on the client.

Question Four:Do you feel that because there is a hostel on the street

there’s likely to be more trouble?

44%44

%

11%

Feedback

YesNoOther

Other

• Possibly when boys

from hostels were

visiting

• There has been

trouble in the past

which effected

residents. Recently it

has not been an issue

The highest percentage of results for question four is not so positive as the rest as it indicates residents believe as a result of the hostel there is likely to be more trouble. However it is

closely followed by no, which is a positive sign as nearly half of residents believe the hostel doesn’t have a negative impact on

the streets crime. Some residents have claimed there was trouble in the past but recently there hasn’t been an issue. To

make a conclusion on this feedback I would say residents believe it is possible for the street to have more trouble as a

result of the hostel but it has improved in recent years.

Question Five:If yes to the previous question why is

this?• It is occasionally noisy at night which I attribute to the hostels residents and their friends• Seen police cars couple of times to pick up hostel residents• Some of the people• Friends of hostel don’t look very trustworthy•There has been the odd altercation on the street over the years last couple of years•All seems quieter now the boys hostel around the corner has closed•There were problems in the past but none in recent years•Depends on the clients and hostel management and visitors to clients•Has closure of male hostel made a difference?•It has attracted young men hanging around in the street •Because that has happened in the past•Past events but no problems for a long time now•It’s my experience that the occasional residents can be difficult; for example several of them were unpleasant to my daughters

Question Five:If yes to the previous question why is

this?The feedback from question five is varied. Some residents said there’s noise disturbances occasionally but some attribute this to client visitors and boys from St Edmunds Hostel which has recently closed down and improved the situation. Once again residents have said there has been disturbances in the past but none in recent years. One resident claims that some clients were rude to her daughters but said that it is only the occasional resident.To draw a conclusion from the feedback I would say some residents have had trouble with some of the clients in the past, including clients from other hostels, however in recent years there has not been as much trouble and i attribute that to the fact there are new clients within Archway Housing Project and they have also included a night worker therefore the hostel is staffed 24/7.

Question Six:Do you think the hostel is a success to their

clients?• I have no way of knowing

this

•Not sure

•I don’t really know – I hope

it is

•Yes

•Don’t know

•No knowledge one way or

another certainly hope so

•As far as I know yes

•I hope so

•Seems to work well

•I don’t know enough about

how clients benefit from

hostel

•Hopefully

•Yes

•As far as I know, yes and

we

•Yes I believe so

•Yes as far as I can tell

Feedback from question six indicates that most residents are not aware of the work Archway Housing Project conducts therefore are not aware if it is successful. However many have commented that they hope so which is a positive thing.

Question Seven:As a community are you aware of the

work that takes place in the hostel?

53%

47%

Feedback

YesNo

Feedback suggests that over half of the residents that completed the survey are aware of the work that takes place within the hostel. However there is still a high percentage of residents that are unaware. I have suggested to staff at Archway Housing Project that they have an open day just to make residents aware of the work that takes place and hopefully show that Archway is a success to their clients.

Question Eight:If yes, how much do you know?

• A lot I think, aims and objectives, staffing, client group•Very limited knowledge•I know nothing about their work•As well as providing accommodation for young women it provides training in life skills and help with future planning/education/job search. Run by Stonham•I believe it acts as a half way house to living independently•Not very much – supporting clients to become independent in the future in supported environment•Vulnerable young women supported to live independently•It is a half way house that supports clients, attempts to find housing and employment• probably enough because Vicky usually attends our residents A.G.M and briefs us•I know they help girls with everyday living skills

Question Eight:If yes, how much do you know?

From the feedback from question eight I can see again that residents are not all aware of the work that goes on at Archway Housing Project. Some residents are aware as the manager Vicky Ethridge occasionally attends their resident meeting and briefs them.After suggesting Archway have an open evening staff have asked all clients if they would be interested, some clients have agreed and plans are being made.To make a conclusion of question eight I would say most residents are not aware of the work that happens within Archway Housing Project and this may be causing some of the negative image society has on hostels. I think if residents were aware of the work staff do and met the clients perhaps they could see that hostels are a necessity to individuals.

Question Nine: If you were not aware that there was a hostel

on the street prior to moving in, would it have affected your decision had you of been told?

• No it’s a nice street and if there had been serious problems I’d probably have heard• We were aware there was a hostel in the street before we brought our house•No, we support community action and understand the need for hostels•We were aware•Yes, would have wanted to know more about clients and hostels from visiting residents and information from hostel management•No, properly run with warden on site, hostel should not cause a problem•Yes possibly, due to the potential devaluation in the area if troublesome•No•No, the fact that there’s a hostel on the road doesn’t stop it being a nice place to live

Question Nine: If you were not aware that there was a hostel

on the street prior to moving in, would it have affected your decision had you of been told?

Results from question nine indicate that most residents prior to moving in would not have been affected by the knowledge of the hostel. This is positive as it shows not all of society hold a perception of hostels. Only one resident said it may have had an affect but most residents said they support the hostel and understand the need for housing such as Archway. To conclude the feedback from question nine is positive, many residents support the hostel and do not think it is a problem as there is now a night worker.

Question Ten:How safe to you feel in this

neighbourhood as a result of this hostel?•Extremely safe – the vast majority of the residents present no threat•Very safe - the hostel causes us no threat•I am not sure what you mean•Very safe – we have noticed no problems in recent years•Doesn’t affect my feelings of safety•Moderately safe – as safe as you can feel anywhere•Safety in the street dependent on all residents and their visitors•Extremely safe•Extremely safe – the hostel is no threat and we support all our neighbours regardless of their circumstances•Very safe•Very safe – the hostel used to be noisier and lots of noisy boys would come up to it going very fast on bikes and in cars. Doesn’t seem to happen now which is good

Question Ten:How safe to you feel in this

neighbourhood as a result of this hostel?Feedback for question ten is 100% positive. Not one resident feels unsafe as a result of the hostel, many have said they feel extremely safe. One resident said that the safety of the neighbourhood depends on all residents and not just the hostel, another said the hostel posts no threat. This is good as the residents of West Parade do not feel the hostel is dangerous. One resident said that the hostel used to be a lot more noisier and has boys hanging around all the time but it doesn’t seem to happen now which is probably a result of different clients and the boys hostel moving. To conclude, this feedback is extremely positive as no residents feel threatened by the hostel and that the hostel has no affect on them. This is good for the hostels image as it emphasises that not all the clients are troublesome.