Julian House
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Julian House is a provider of services to homeless men and women in Bath and North East Somerset and the surrounding area.
The organisation’s staff and volunteers are committed to ending the need for anyone to sleep rough. Sometimes this involves real challenges but with an average life expectancy of just 42, if we don't take risks some of our clients will never get the chance to break the vicious cycle of life on the streets.
Julian House is part of Bath Churches Houses Association - a charity registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 No. 19305R
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[edit] History
Bath Churches Housing Association was founded in 1987, following the death of a homeless man sleeping on the streets. Initially it only provided emergency shelter during the winter months but it was soon clear that the scale of the homeless problem was much larger than was first thought.
In 1993 the dedicated Night Shelter, which is now known as Julian House, was established in Manvers St, Bath. It has 18 beds in total; of which 3 are specifically for women. Over the years the charity’s best known project has become the widely used name for the organisation.
Recognising that homelessness is not a single-issue problem, BCHA/Julian House has developed new services and facilities which aim to tackle the underlying problems which force men and women to seek our support.
Barnabas House was opened in 1997 as the organisation's first supported housing project. Barnabas provides a valuable 'bridge' between the chaos of life on the streets and the discipline and demands of independent accommodation.
The Day Centre, which is also based at the Night Shelter (it is a very well used building!), provides respite and essential services to help clients - toilets and washing facilities, limited catering, access to primary health care (including mental health support). Very often it is here where the first contact is made between staff and clients.
In 2002 the Meaningful Occupation Project was launched. MOP is designed to offer a constructive alternative to the crushing boredom of life on the streets. In this way clients can gain access to training opportunities, arts and crafts facilities and even the internet.
Simon House is the latest major project to be launched by the organisation and fills an important gap which has long existed in Bath & North East Somerset ie supported housing for clients with complex needs. With 24 hour staff cover, the five residents have the best possible opportunity to have their needs addressed and ultimately integrate back into the community.
BCHA/Julian House continues to look at new ways in which the complex needs of its clients can be addressed. This includes new projects such as Meaningful Occupation, Simon House etc or partnership working with other agencies.
[edit] Projects and services
[edit] Night shelter
Opened in 1993, this is a direct access facility with 18 beds (3 specifically for women). The shelter operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Up to 10 of the bed spaces may be booked on any given day for that same evening, any time after 10am. The remaining beds are available on a first come first served basis; names are taken at 7.15pm before the shelter opens properly at 8pm. Clients receive dinner and breakfast and have access to the showers and laundry facilities.
There is a modest charge made for clients staying in Julian House (£2). However this is waived for the first three nights for any new clients (kindly sponsored by a local church). The night shelter must be vacated by 8.30am in order that the building can be readied for the day centre to open.
[edit] Day Centre
Located in the same building as the night shelter, for many clients this is their first point of contact with the Julian House staff. The day centre offers welcome respite from the daily rigors of life on the streets. Free tea and coffee and limited catering facilities are available plus access to washing and laundry facilities. Other important facilities include access to primary health care. Given the physical pressures of living on the streets and the range of health problems which clients often face, this is a facility which clients particularly value. Quite often a relatively minor ailment, if untreated, could develop into a dangerous condition. There is also a community psychiatric nurse to assess clients’ mental health needs.
Other Julian House staff are on hand to provide a 'signposting' service for specialist agency support and other support as appropriate; including advice on welfare benefits and detailed resettlement advice.
[edit] Barnabas House
Is a 10 bed supported housing project in the heart of Bath which provides a valuable 'bridge' between the chaos of life on the streets and the discipline and demands of independent accommodation. Many clients are simply not capable of sustaining independent accommodation on their own. They lack the necessary life skills or have spent so long on the streets that such skills have been forgotten. Staff help in the acquisition of these skills and support the residents in trying to find other supported accommodation or their own tenancy.
Projects such as Barnabas House play a vital role in helping clients to integrate into the community and thereby break the pattern of recycling back onto the streets.
[edit] Community Support Team
The key function of the Community Support Team (CST) is to help find sustainable solutions for our clients’ needs. This includes referral to other specialist agencies (eg mental health, drug and alcohol abuse), participation in the Meaningful Occupation Project, life skills training and other resettlement support.
The development of the CST now allows the organisation to be much more pro-active than it has ever been. For instance, supporting clients in their new accommodation has a major impact on whether they sustain it; thereby breaking the cycle of homelessness followed by short term tenancies and then back onto the streets etc. Likewise the team also works closely with other housing associations and landlords to identify those tenants who appear most vulnerable to homelessness.
[edit] Simon House
Is a supported housing project, specifically targeted at those clients who have complex needs ie; a combination of two or more significant issues, such as mental health and an addiction. With 24 hour staff cover and specialist skills available within the staff team (and from other agencies), clients who have previously had nowhere to go, can now be housed in a supportive environment.
It has been widely acknowledged for some time that this sort of accommodation simply did not exist either from any statutory body or within the voluntary sector. This is a situation which prevails in many parts of the UK, not just in Bath & North East Somerset. Early indicators are looking very encouraging. Clients value the support and facilities which are available and it is clear the experience and skills of the staff team are allowing real progress to be achieved.
[edit] Meaningful Occupation Project
Provides not just a constructive alternative to the crushing boredom of life on the streets, it also empowers homeless men and women. They can acquire new skills, access facilities that most people take for granted eg vocational training, email & the internet, and rebuild their own self esteem.
Many of the activities take place in the 'The Shed', a dedicated facility at the back of the New King Street admin' offices. Here, under the guidance of a client Project Delivery Group the project seeks to provide those services and opportunities which the clients feel will be of most benefit. This has included computer training, arts and crafts, a busy bicycle repair workshop, first aid training and even a band. There are also cookery sessions, a productive allotment and regular football sessions.
Although the project is run by Julian House it is positioned very much as a community project; open to referrals from other agencies and flexible enough to consider any ideas for inclusion in the programme of activities.
