2.2 Services for Homeless People

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Highland Homeless Advice Line

 

The Highland Homeless Advice Line is a telephone service run by Citizens Advice Direct.  The service will help you if you are homeless, having difficulties with your housing or at risk of losing your home.  It aims to help people find the best housing solutions and prevent people becoming homeless

 

The advice line can give advice on housing issues, e.g. your rights as a private tenant, finding a house, getting help from the Council and other organisations.  They can also give you assistance and advice on dealing with  money problems, claiming benefits, employment, etc.  The Service can also make referrals to organisations within Highland who can give practical help and support.  It is independent of The Highland Council.

 

The service is free and confidential.  Call Free phone 0808 801 0804

 

This number is free from all landlines and will not be listed on the telephone account, nor will it register on the last number called system on your phone.  The number is free from some mobiles - please check with your service provider.  The Highland Homeless Help Line will return your call if necessary.  Please ask them to call you back.
 

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Inverness Homeless Day Centre 


The Day Centre in Inverness provides safety, warmth and shelter to anyone who is homeless. They give practical help and advice on many issues including housing and personal support and can arrange for people to get help from other services. They also provide health services in the Centre. The Service is popular and gets around 50-60 visits daily from 30-40 people.

Support workers, based in the Day Centre provide:

  • housing support to people living in many different circumstances including B&Bs, temporary housing or mainstream tenancies;
  • Streetwork engaging on a 1:1 basis with rough sleepers on the street
  • advice and assistance to people in emergency accommodation
  • links to life skills / work projects.

The Day Centre opens from Monday to Friday 9 a.m. – 5.45 p.m. It is closed for lunch 12.30 -1.30 p.m.
 
General Day Centre Services:
 
Times Services Available
9.00 – 11.00 a.m.
3.00 – 5.45 p.m. 

  • café  and drop-in centre
  • breakfast/ dinner
  • general homelessness advice and assistance
  • access to laundry, lockers, showers

11.00-12.30 p.m.
2.00 – 3.00 p.m. 

 

Appointments with:

  • Resettlement Officer
  • Housing Needs Assessor
  • National Health Services

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday

 

7.00 – 9.00 p.m.  

  • Social Club - Activities inside and away from the Day Centre including quiz nights, cinema trips, bingo etc. 

Health Services at the Day Centre

 

Times Services Available

  • Mondays, Tuesday [p.m.] and Thursdays - GP Service/Doctor available
  • Monday – Friday - Nursing Service/Nurse available
  • Monday – Friday - Needle Exchange Service
  • Monday and Thursday p.m. - Substance Misuse/Harm Reduction
  • Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (from 11.00 a.m.) - Community Psychiatric Nurse

Appointments can be made with the services at the Day Centre or by phoning

Inverness Homeless Day Centre
1 Glebe Street
Inverness
IV1 1 NB
Telephone 01463 718669    Fax 01463 718669

Email: iver.forsyth@highland.gov.uk

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Hostels and Supported Accommodation
 
INVERNESS

 

Huntly House Residential Centre

 

Huntly House is owned by Highland Council and managed by the Salvation Army. The Centre offers 27 places for single homeless men/women. Two of the 27 bed spaces are for the exclusive use of the criminal justice team.

 

Fortnightly nominations meetings are held to allocate any vacancies, referrals can be made via Isobel Smith, Resettlement Officer, Inverness Day Centre.  Isobel can be contacted at the Inverness Day Centre on Tel 01463 718669. A Homeless Application form must be submitted to The Highland Council.  Where no current vacancy exists a waiting list will be agreed at the nominations meeting.  
 
Additionally, Huntly House provides support for those breaking away from addictions or mental health issues and will provide medium term support. Care is provided via individual care packages. Work is also conducted with those displaying chaotic behaviours due to substance misuse issues. The Centre will work in a non-judgmental manner with those with an alcohol problem. The Centre operates a waiting list that is reviewed on a daily basis.


They can be contacted at:
 
Salvation Army, Social Services

Huntly House
1-2 Huntley Place 
Inverness   IV3 8HA
  
Tel:   (01463) 234123
Fax:  (01463) 717469
E-mail:  huntly.house@salvationarmy.org.uk
 
Waterloo Place, Inverness


Waterloo Place is owned and managed by the Albyn Housing Society Ltd. They provide furnished one bedroom flats on Short Secure Tenancies and support for a maximum of 21 homeless men and women. People are referred to Waterloo Place by The Highland Council, Housing Services, Social Work Services and other agencies. They also support tenants in another 9 tenancies throughout Inverness.

 

More information is available from:

Albyn Housing Society Ltd
David Whyte House,
57 Church Street
Inverness     IV1 1DR

Tel : (01463) 712667
 

Albyn Housing Society Ltd
98-100 High Street,
Invergordon     IV18 0DL


Tel (01349) 852978
E-mail:  office@albynhousing.org.uk


Flora MacDonald House


Flora MacDonald House provides accommodation with basic housing support to single women who are at least 16 years old. We are unable to provide accommodation for women with their children.

 

Women are offered accommodation in single rooms with communal facilities, which include, a kitchen, a laundry, bathing facilities and a TV Lounge. The accommodation and communal facilities are distributed over a number of floors. It should also be noted that the front door of the property is reached by climbing a small flight of steps.

 

The communal nature of the project means that some basic house rules are in place to ensure the safety and security of all occupants. These rules include no alcohol or other non-prescribed drugs on premises and restrictions on visitors.

 

Referrals have come from Council Housing Services, Social Work Services, other agencies, or direct from women themselves. Women wishing to use the service should be relatively independent, able to sustain an occupancy agreement and not require 24-hour support.  Flora MacDonald House is normally staffed from 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.


They can be contacted at:


Cairn Housing Association
Flora MacDonald House
30 Old Edinburgh Road
Inverness     IV2 3HJ

Office phone: 01463 236609
E-mail: floramacdonald@netbreeze.co.uk
Residents phone: 01463 233080
 

Church of Scotland (CrossReach)

 

CrossReach manages a development of four houses which provide temporary supported accommodation for up to 10 vulnerable single people with alcohol and drug related problems, some of whom are homeless.  This is next to Beechwood House.

 

CrossReach also provide supported accommodation at Cale House, which is situated in the centre of Inverness.   Cale House is a “Dry House” where up to 22 single vulnerable homeless people can live for a period of up to two years.  Support is offered in the areas of health, family relationships, social interaction, housing applications, addictions, budgeting, hobbies and therapeutic work.  People are encouraged to participate in and take responsibility for the development of their support plans.

 

Referrals should come from agencies with some working knowledge of the individual.

 

They can be contacted at:

Cale House,
Millburn Road
Inverness     IV1 3PX
Tel:  (01463) 718616
Fax:  (01463) 229533
E-mail: calehouse@crossreach.org.uk

 

ROSS AND CROMARTY

 

Tulloch Square, Dingwall

 

There are 6 supported accommodation self-contained flats for single people aged between 16-25 years who are homeless or vulnerable. Referrals must be made through the Highland Council Housing Service.

 

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Housing for Ex-Servicemen and Women

 

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA)


SSAFA help with a range of housing issues and needs by offering advice and information through our Housing Advisory Service .We also have a care home (St Vincent's), bungalows for the disabled, temporary accommodation for separated families (Stepping Stone Homes) and semi-sheltered accommodation (The Royal Homes).


Homelessness


One quarter of homeless people are from the ex-Service community. SSAFA Forces Help is involved in many initiatives to help combat this. For more information please download their Homelessness Guide from their website (see External Links)


Housing Advisory Service


This offers you free, confidential and impartial advice and guidance on all aspects of housing.


Please call SSAFA direct on 01722 436400, or print off, complete and return their Housing Advisory Service form from their website (see External Links)

 

Scottish Veterans’ Residence (SVR)

 

SVR is Scotland’s oldest ex-service charity, founded in 1910 to support independent living for ex-service men and women and their spouses of all ages.
The charity operates in close association with Scottish Veterans’ Housing Association Ltd which owns and manages the following

  • Whitefoord House located on Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile
  • Rosendael situated in Broughty Ferry, Dundee
  • Murray Home the low to medium dependency care accommodation on Gilmerton Road, South Edinburgh.

Whitefoord House has 81 fully furnished, en-suite single rooms with a 24-hour monitored call system and 11 self contained flats (available for rent from summer 2005). There are extensive social areas including a bowling green, gardens and sitting areas.


Rosendael has 54 fully furnished rooms, many of which are en-suite supported by a 24-hour monitored call system. All meals are served in the resident’s dining room. There are extensive social areas including a bowling green, gardens and sitting areas.


The Murray Home has 36 fully furnished rooms many of which are en-suite. At the Murray Home we are meeting the needs of those veterans who require low to medium dependency care, but still enjoy life to the full.


For further information or to apply for accommodation please contact SVR direct.


Scottish Veterans' Residences
Whitefoord House,  53 Canongate, Edinburgh     EH8 8BS
Tel: 0131 556 0091
Fax: 0131 557 8734
Email: info@svronline.org

 

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Housing Services for Women Suffering Domestic Abuse

 

Women’s Aid (WA) is recognised as the leading expert in the field of domestic abuse.  There are Women’s Aid refuges in Caithness & Sutherland, Inverness and Ross-shire which accept women from anywhere, subject to space availability. 

 

An outreach service is available in Badenoch, Strathspey and Nairn (covered by Inverness Women’s Aid) and Skye, Lochalsh and Wester Ross (covered by Ross-shire Women’s Aid).  Lochaber Women’s Aid offers a locally based service to women, children and young people.

 

Women’s Aid provides a free, confidential service to women,  any accompanying children and young people, who have experienced domestic abuse from a partner or ex-partner (male or female).

 

Services provided include:

  • One to one crisis support – in person or by telephone
  • On-going practical support and provision of information on such issues as legal rights, housing, entitlement to benefits and issues regarding children
  • Refuge accommodation, where available and appropriate
  • Support for children and young people
  • Follow-on support to women and their children after they’ve left the refuge
  • Weekly women’s support group meetings in Lochaber.

Every woman is treated as an individual. Women’s Aid aims to provide ways for women to determine their own future and make decisions about their situation.

Women’s Aid can provide temporary accommodation, and workers provide as much support and practical help as possible.

 

Contact Details:

 

Caithness & Sutherland Women’s Aid & Refuge
Tel: 0845 408 0151
Fax: 01955 605977
Email: caswa@daisybroadband.co.uk

 

Staff hours: Monday – Friday  9am – 5pm

 

Inverness Women’s Aid & Refuge
Tel:  01463 220719 (24 hrs)
Fax:  01463 234110
Email:  invernesswomensaid@scotnet.co.uk

 

Staff hours: Monday – Friday  9am – 5pm
Every night   11pm – 7am

 

Lochaber Women’s Aid
Tel:  01397 874216
Freephone:  0800 6192541
E mail: lochaberwomensaid@btopenworld.com

 

Staff hours: Monday – Friday  9am – 5pm

 

Ross-shire Women’s Aid & Refuge
Tel:  01349 863568
Fax: 01349 869960

 

Staff hours:
Monday – Friday  10am – 11pm
Saturday & Sunday 4pm – 11 pm

 

Outreach Services:

Badenoch, Strathspey & Nairn
Tel:  07765 241379

Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross
Tel:   0771 5532979
Monday – Friday  10am – 5pm

 

Police  
Always call 999 in an emergency.

 

Outwith Women’s Aid offices hours please call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 027 1234

 

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

 

The Scottish Executive set up the National Domestic Abuse Helpline in June 2000.  It offers emotional and practical support to people who have experienced domestic abuse as well as providing information on relevant issues and on local sources of specialist help.

 

The Helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with all calls answered by women.  Calls are free from landlines and will not show up on those phone bills. Calls from mobile phones may be charged and may show up on the phone bill.  Anything discussed with the helpline will be kept confidential.

 

The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0800 0271234

 

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