Tameside Floating Support Service

What is the Tameside Floating Support Service?

Life isn't always straightforward and sometimes, when things start to go wrong, support and advice from people who understand the problems you are facing, have the contacts and expertise to help you. This can make all the difference

That's where floating support can help

Adullam Homes Housing Association and WISH, are working together to provide the Tameside Floating Support Service.

Tameside Floating Support Service provides practical advice, support and assistance to people in their own homes. The service aims to help people find a home that suits their needs, or help them to keep the home they are currently living in by helping them solve any problems they may have. The service can also help people who are moving from supported housing into their own accommodation.

How do I access the support?

Referrals can be made to the service by Project Workers, Probation Officers, Social Workers or Support Workers. Referrals are made by using the Tameside Common Referral Form 124.8 KB .

Alternatively, you can contact staff at the Floating Support Office. The opening hours are:

• Monday to Friday from 8am - 7.00pm
• The service will be open at weekends dependent on the needs of the service users.

Who is the service for?

People can receive support from the service if

• they are aged between 16 - 64
• need to find their own home
• are in danger of losing their independent accommodation (this could be private rented, housing association, or a property that the person owns)
• need support to remain living in their own home
• they are moving out of supported housing into their own tenancy
• need support relating to other personal circumstances, for example
  • be a teenage parent
  • have been homeless either on their own, or with their family
  • be a young person
  • have issues relating to drug or alcohol misuse
  • have an offending history
  • be a refugee or come from a BME (Black Minority Ethnic)
    background

If you are homeless and need support or advice about emergency housing outside of office hours, please contact the Tameside Housing Advice  office on  0161 342 2222

What sort of support will I get?

The support offered will be flexible and dependent on individual needs. Service users will be given a named key worker who will meet them regularly to help identify and achieve certain goals.

The service can offer support on all sorts of issues, such as finding the right kind of accommodation, budgeting, claiming benefits, tackling debts or filling in forms. The service can also help people access training or education, find work, rebuild relationships, improve parenting skills, and get help with problems with problems like drugs or alcohol, as well as putting people in touch with more specialist services that are able to help.

As part of the support package, service users can also get accredited qualifications by working through the Open College Network with a support worker.

Service users will also be offered the opportunity to join the service user involvement group and have their say in the way the service is developed and ran.

What happens next?

Once a referral has been made to the service, project staff will contact service users to arrange a meeting to discuss how they may be able to help.

The Floating Support Service works with a number of different agencies in Tameside to ensure the best possible service, these include

• Landlords
• Local colleges and other training and education providers
• Health professionals
• Young people's services
• Probation
• Youth Offending Team
• Substance Misuse Services

The Floating Support Service works to policies to make sure service users are safe, including the Confidentiality Policy, Equal Opportunities Policy, and Safeguarding Policies.

Drop in sessions

We also run Drop In’s across Tameside, for anyone to call in for help and advice.  We can offer support around, benefits issues, rehousing, issues, debt, anti social behaviour, and signpost you to other services who may be able to offer you additional support. No appointment is necessary although you are welcome to ring to make one. You will receive confidential advice and can be referred to any other service that will be able to support you as well.

Monday

Audenshaw - AT: 38 Rowcon Close , Audenshaw
10.30 -1pm   -  Every other Monday (From Feb 13th 2012) 

BME - AT: The Healthy Living Centre, ( Hyde Community Action), Great Norbury St. Hyde
9.30am - 12pm   -  Every Monday

Ashton - AT: Cavendish Mill Resource centre, Ashton under Lyne
1pm – 4pm   - Every other Monday: (From Feb 6th 2012)

Tuesday

Droylsden - AT: Droylsden Library, Manchester Road, Droylsden
10am - 12.45pm  - Every other Tuesday (from Feb 21st 2012)

Denton - AT: Haughton Green Centre, Tatton Road, Haughton Green
1.30 - 3.30pm  - Every other Tuesday (from Feb 21st 2012)

Wednesday

Dukinfield - AT: Dukinfield Central Neighbourhood Centre
New Charter Housing Shop, 1 Wellington Parade, Dukinfield
10am – 1pm  -  Every Wednesday

Mossley - AT: Mossley Youth Base, Micklehurst, Mossley
1.30- 4pm  -  Every other Wednesday (from Jan 25th 2012)

Stalybridge - AT: Stalybridge Library, Trinity St.
1pm – 3.30pm  -  Every other Wednesday (from 15th Feb 2012)

Thursday

Ashton - At: Assheton House, Off Water St. Ashton under Lyne
10am to 1pm -   Every 4th Thursday  (from Jan 26th 2012)

Hazelhurst - AT: Hazelhurst New Charter Office, Gorsey lane, Ashton under Lyne
11.00am - 2.00pm   - First Thursday of every month  (March 1st, April 5th, May 3rd, June7, July 5, August 2, Sept 6, October 4, Nov 1)

Ashton - Young Parents Drop In (Aged 16-25). At: Cavendish Mill Resource centre, Ashton U Lyne
1pm – 4pm  -  Every Thursday

Every Friday

Richmond suite, Portland house, Ashton –under-Lyne
10am – 3.00pm   Appointment only   Please phone 0161 339 5450

For more information about the service, contact  07824 526 807.