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We work with some of the most vulnerable members of society

We work with some of the most vulnerable members of society all of whom are or have been homeless. We work with men and women aged 18 plus; many come to us with very complex needs i.e. substance misuse, offending behaviour, mental health issues and in some cases, have themselves been victims of crime and/or abuse. They may have had little or no education ; lack social and professional skills and minimal, if any, positive parental/peer support, guidance or role models to learn from or aspire to.

We do not however, accept females who are beyond their 5th month of pregnancy, or any person who has previously been convicted of Arson. Full details can be found in our Eligibility and Access Policy.

Although a high percentage of our residents are from the Worcester area, you do not need a local connection to be referred to St Paul’s.

Direct Access Counselling:

An accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) programme.

Designed to meet the needs of the client, our accredited BACAP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) Counsellor works onsite and provides 30 hours of 1:1 counselling sessions and group sessions when appropriate. Phone appointments are also available for clients who are unable to attend face-to-face sessions.

Counselling is based upon the principles of CBT, Person-Centred Therapy and the Humanistic Approach. By using a mixture of these approaches, the counsellor is able to work with the client to identify why they display certain behaviours and then works on changing these into positive actions. The sessions are tailored to the needs of the individual – e.g. 30 to 60 minute sessions; ad hoc appointments; weekly, monthly sessions, a fixed number or on-going sessions.

For more information, please contact: Shaun Adams, Direct Access Counsellor shaun.adams@stpaulshostel.co.uk

Kitchen Assistant Training Programme:

Whilst undertaking on-site training, residents work with our full-time Catering Manager to provide daily meals for our residents. They acquire basic catering skills, and learn about dietary needs, nutritional value, growing and using fresh produce from our established ‘kitchen garden’ and cooking on a budget.

The success of this programme has enabled us to offer employment and progression routes for 10 residents’ to-date. We currently provide employment for three residents as Kitchen Assistant Trainees and two ex-residents in domestic/housekeeping roles. We also work with external organisations to facilitate further development of those skills with placements, voluntary work & employment. In particular, the Diglis House Hotel in Worcester has supported this programme for many years and more recently, The Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford has offered paid employment and living accommodation to one of our residents.

For more information, please contact: Gregg Dobson, Catering Manager gregg.dobson@stpaulshostel.co.uk

Housing First, Worcester:

St Paul’s is the lead organisation for Worcester’s Housing First pilot and works in partnership with the Worcestershire districts councils, the county council and housing providers including Platform Housing Group, Citizen, Rooftop and Stonewater. The service adheres to Homeless Link 7 principles of Housing First and is committed to providing a high fidelity Housing First service in line with recent Homeless Link guidance.

The overall philosophy of Housing First is to provide a stable, independent home and intensive personalised support and case management to homeless people with multiple and complex needs. Housing is seen as a human right by Housing First services. There are no conditions around ‘housing readiness’ before providing someone with a home; rather, secure housing is viewed as a stable platform from which other issues can be addressed. Housing First is a different model because it provides housing ‘first’, as a matter of right, rather than ‘last’ or as a reward.” It is an internationally recognised and evidence-based model of housing and support for those with chronic housing, health and social care needs. The aim is to end repeat and chronic homelessness for a group of people for whom other services are ineffective. Often deemed as ‘unhousable’ or ‘poor at engaging’, once supported using a Housing First approach, most individuals can sustain a tenancy and over time address other needs and integrate into society.”

For more information please contact: Ginette Sadler, Housing First Service Manager Ginette.sadler@stpaulshostel.co.uk