Gordon Owen

Advice Services Manager

Advice Service @ Stratford Day Centre – [Morning &

Afternoon Shifts]

Crisis At Christmas

2011

• For those of us who have done this before, where has the year gone - little scary!!!  As I always say, the adrenalin kicks in and we will be off for another year at Crisis @ Christmas 2011!    It may sound repetitious but none the less sincere, your forthcoming contribution will be extremely valued by Crisis and especially by the guests, so whether this is your ?? or first time on their behalf, a BIG THANK YOU!

You have kindly offered to be with the Advice Service team at the Stratford Day Centre and whilst you will have liaised with Cazz it would be appreciated if you would please e-mail me to confirm the days and times you expect to be there with contact details.  This is important so that I can start to plan a rosta.  Equally, if you have to change or circumstances do not allow you to be at the Centre for any given day or time, please do let me know at the earliest opportunity so that I can again make provision for this.  My mobile number is: 07971 705 856.  This number should be used between ourselves, (and as also with your own mobile numbers), should not be disclosed to Guests.

ROSTAS

C@C VOLUNTEERING REGISTRATION.

Hopefully you will have by now have your Username and Password for the Crisis community website so please do try and login as much as you can between now and the 23rd December (& beyond) to be updated with any information that has already begun to be posted on the website generally and specially for C@C '11 - Login at:  http://community.crisis.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=244

Check-in on Arrival Daily at the Centre……

On your day(s) of arrival at the Centre you will be directed through the side of the building to the volunteers entrance area who will ask your name and check you in so that the shift knows who is in the building and what services are available.  You will be issued with an Orange Circle badge. - Please bring along a copy of the original e-mail you received from Crisis confirming your volunteering to show which will help just in case of any queries.    Please write your name on this and wear it at all time you are in the Centre.  If you put this badge on outer garments and then remove when you are in the Centre, (which is quite warm), please ensure that you put take the badge off and pin onto your inner clothing so that you can be clearly identified at all times.  It also will allow you access to the central overall volunteers area on the first floor, (where we are again locate as well).   Please then make contact with the Services Co-Ordinator who is a senior volunteer and co-ordinate all the services provided so that they know who and what is available and can then liaise between all the different services and the Shift Office to enable the Shift Leaders to mange the overall Centre effectively.

Badge Wearing (Orange Circle)….

Wearing and retaining your badge is

important as after Crisis @ Christmas closes

as we have an annual volunteers party in

London Bridge in January for all volunteers

and wearing this badge will get you entry –

lose or forget your badge and regrettably you will

not be able to get in and this would be

regrettable – so please look after this and

remember to bring it with you each and ever shift

morning/afternoon you are at the Centre as well.

• We will strive break for lunch at about 1 pm, (and if possible we will rotate people so as to try have at least a presence around the Advice Rooms throughout the day).  The Advice Service will close daily at 6 pm so as to allow for a 20/30 minutes debrief.  Depending on when people want, or need to leave we will decide amongst ourselves each day whether we actual close at 5.50 or pm 6/6.30 pm to guests so as to allow for this.  This way we can be consistent and be able to let guests know when they arrive at the last minute and ask them to return the next day.   I will trying to attend SL’s/GB’s & Centre's debriefings daily and possibly afternoon briefings provided not caught up with assisting a guest or short of Advice Workers for a given shift.

Breaks……..

• We will again have an Advice Service Poster which will be on display showing the services provided, (and not), so that this expectations are clear to both guess a vols generally.     The times above are not an exact science and every effort will be made to see any guest who wishes to discuss issues.  This will be complimented by the Befrienders Service Team, which exists to be a sympathetic listener to those guests who just want to talk about issues, rather than need specific advice help.  We will continue to be pro-active in engaging with guests and provide as a higher level of service as practically possible.  If we have again the valued support service of the Samaritans should this be needed.

Briefings/1…….

Briefings/2…….

It will start with the Advice Workers Briefing at 10 am but actually open to guests from about 10.30/11 am.  It is therefore important that we arrive in good time in readiness for the briefing at 10 am so that we allow sufficient time to get through this and be able to make ourselves available for guests at soon as possible.  Late arrival will mean that we may miss something raised and not be up to speed with developments as they occur on a day-to-day basis.  Your input will be important and valued as part of delivering an effective service, whether it be about someone you have seen or you own personal involvement experiences – things that worked and things that you feel we should look at to help us all work together as a team.  This went a drift last year with Advice staff arriving late at different times, which did not help continuity so please ensure that you arrive on time.

Once again, rather than the historical pro-form forms used to obtain information from guests and then transferring this onto a spreadsheet to send centrally, for the 2nd year we will have a database, C-Log (Christmas Log), has been created so that rather than having to repeat asking for information from guests already obtained when they arrive and start interview with such a formal process we can takes notes and then afterwards enter this into the database.  I will give a run down on the use but do not feel perturbed by this it is not complicated and is easy to use – it will just be about familierisation and routine practice.

C-Log (Christmas Log):  …….

Each day we will also have an Outreach Team worker who work with the agencies who all-year-round engage with homeless/rough sleepers. They will base decisions on information they have on CHAIN, ("Central Homeless Access Information Network"), and in liaison with the Green Badge Shift Leaders & Advice Manager will be making decisions in terms of any referrals or other action needed after Crisis @ Christmas closes.   Leaving something out of the database can make the difference between the Outreach Team being able to positively help and not being able to help as much because certain relevant information was not recorded.

Support Workers/Referrals……

CHAIN/1……………..

• CHAIN – “Central Homeless Access Information Network” is a database containing details of individuals, assessments of their needs, contacts and interventions. It is compiled by agencies in London that work with those rough sleeping or engaging in other street activities that cause concern in communities and need a welfare response

The information is gathered to enable agencies to liaise effectively to deliver services to individuals whose lifestyles make it complex to organise effective and sustainable interventions in multi-agency settings. Those with access to CHAIN data are voluntary organisations that provide services to the street population, local authorities with responsibility for delivering the homelessness strategy for their borough, and central government, which has overall responsibility for homelessness policy.

CHAIN/2……………..

Having a CHAIN record does not give any individual automatic rights to access accommodation or services. However the record of someone's support needs and their history of contact with services may contribute to a successful referral to re-engage or at least access other limited resources. For example, a record on CHAIN that someone is a verified rough sleeper is usually required before an individual can access accommodation via the Clearing House.

In general, for members of the street population having a CHAIN record will aid workers to effectively link them into available services. Information about an individual on CHAIN can help a worker to make the case that the person is in need of a given service, and so aid their access to it.

CHAIN is a piece of language that is meaningless to guests at C@C so not worth tackling to them about as they will not understand and therefore best not mentioned unless asked.

CHAIN/3……………..

Latterly because of increasing transient movement, and more significant the influx of A8 and then A10 Ascension people, there can, and are many people that do not engage with services because of the circumstances or been out of the loop for a long period, or just arrived from another country and these people with likely not ben on CHAIN.

For those who have, on arrival the first day of C@C we can, and do identify so that we can make objective assessments to help them from there, but for those not on the system then they have to be separately assessed as to what, if any we can do to help. This is done based on as much information that can be gathered from individual guests, knowledge and experience of Outreach Workers, and decisions/referrals are made (between Shift Leaders/Advice Services Managers/Outreach workers), who again will collectively with their known and experience make often on he spot judgement calls to help a guests as best we can to make their experience of C@C a even more longer term valuable one and not just for Xmas.

Entry Screen of C-Log…………..

We have our own dedicated e-mail address for communications including to external agencies on behalf of guests.  The e-mail address is: CCAdvice.Stratford@gmail.com and the password will be given at briefings. This also includes an online Google Outlook diary so we can keep track of events and activities we need to remember.

C@C Stratford Advice Service e-Mail address…

You are reminded to try and make space to look at the Crisis At Christmas Volunteers Handbook which link will have been recently e-mailed to you all but is downloadable at a pdf document once longed into the Crisis Christmas Volunteer Community website at http://christmas.crisis.org.uk/login/?_loginSuccessUrl For those who maybe on Facebook please also see the links attached to the events’ webpage for Crisis @ Xmas at:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=215886308467723 which provides such things as the, photos, map, and directions to the Centre and more!

C@C Community + Facebook websites……………..

• If you have any queries about your role or how this works in Advice do not feel it may be a silly question – simply e-mail me and ask and I will be happy to help in anyway I can - if I cannot, as the old advert on the TV for the AA used to say, I know someone else who can help!!  

Queries/1………...

I will keep you up to date with anything that may be useful before we start on the 23rd but otherwise look forward to seeing and working with you all on the days that you are around. I will not be available for between 30 minutes/1hour dally from 7 pm whilst on a daily teleconference with Central Opp’s and others Centres for briefings/debriefings.  As in the past, I may well be required to attend different situations and not be in the office but in this event I will still be in contact with a radio on my person and a radio for all to use to contact me in the office. Warm wishes and a Merry Xmas!!!

Queries/2………...

SDC Map & Directions…………..

Copy & Paste this link to your web Brower for Map & Directions:-http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=MMREDR#JnE9Lkdyb3ZpZXIlMmJDbG9zZSUyNTJjJTJiU3RyYXRmb3JkJTI1MmMlMmJMb25kb24lMjU0MDIlMmJFMTUlMmI0SFclN2Vzc3QuMCU3ZXBnLjEmYmI9NTUuMzA1NTg4ODQ2MjA5OSU3ZTExLjI2ODM2NTkwNDc1JTdlNDcuNTkzMDY1NzU4NTA3NCU3ZS0xMS43MTUwMzI1MzI3NQ==

Get Advice for Guests…………..

GET ADVICE At Crisis Christmas we offer information and assistance in the following areas:   1. Your housing • Discuss housing options with our housing team • Meet with the rough sleeping outreach team • Get help to prepare for housing applications  2. Legal Advice • Have you been evicted or having problems with your landlord or neighbours? • Are you being harassed or harmed by another person? • Do you need advice on asylum or immigration problems?  3. Financial • Are you getting the right benefits? • Do you have difficulty managing your money? • Are you worried about keeping up your rent or mortgage payments?

Get Advice/1………...

4. Employment and training • Discuss options with our employment team on 29 December • Find out what Crisis Skylight can do to help you • Get help with your CV and preparing for an interview  5. Ex-Forces? • Specialist help is available – please come and ask We aim to provide a professional advice service from 24 to 29 December. Our specialist volunteers are not here every day so we might need to make you an appointment to come back and see us on another day. Please note: we are not able to provide permanent housing or guarantee a bed in a night shelter or any other temporary accommodation.

Get Advice/2………...

ASW's Check List/1.

ASW's Check List/2.

ASW's Check List/3.

Great Expectations…

Crisis At Christmas -Great Expectations!!! Crisis At Christmas -Great Expectations!!!

Great Expectations…

We are open from the 23rd to 30th December annually

at numerous day venues around London with some

night accommodation

We are open from the 23rd to 30th December annually

at numerous day venues around London with some

night accommodation

Great Expectations – When Open..…

Crisis At Christmas provides a warm clean, caring,

non-judgemental environment for homeless & rough sleepers

Great Expectations – Welcoming...…

A time of Xmas Holidays when most services and

agencies are closed!

Great Expectations – Limitations...…

Crisis At Christmas have limited spaces

and therefore will only accept referrals from bonified referral

agencies who have engaged and agreed prior arrangements with us

to Crisis At Christmas

Great Expectations – Referrals…..…

Crisis At Christmas facilities can cater for single

home/rough sleepers only – we are unable to admit under

age people (below 18 years)

or families!

Great Expectations – Criteria……..…

But hey….look what has been achieved in just a short time:-

500 people slept at one of 4 residential centres; Up to 850 people a day used the Day Centres; 670 healthcare consultants; 280 guests used

dentistry; 235 Guests rec'd podiatry; 255 guests visited the opticians; 307 people used arts and

crafts activities; 1,884 Internet café sessions; 338 sports and games participants. All of these services were provided by more than 8,000

volunteers!

Great Expectations – Achievements…

So please understand life’s limitation and do not simply refer or

indiscriminately send guests during Crisis At Christmas or

expect great expectations – even though we accomplish so, so much!

 Please contact us first!

Great Expectations – Out of Hours…

To all the centres and venues who so invaluably help us with buildings – A Big Thank You! To the residents of places where we locate each year – A Big Thank You for understanding! To all the fabulous volunteers from 18 to 80 and specialists who provide so much each year – A Big Thank you!  To our funders, donors, and stakeholders equally so valued – A Big Thank You!

Great Expectations – Big Thank You.

There are increasing demands and Great Expectations each successive year – but with all

your help, support and co-operation we will strive to

delivery services that will make a huge difference to so many

lives year on year!

Great Expectations – Service Delivery

Great Expectations – Seasons Greetings...