The West Sussex Signpost Service is commissioned by Supporting People, and delivered by Sussex Oakleaf in the Crawley area. The service is designed to provide individuals or families with help to sort out housing problems, and prevent any kind of housing crisis, including homelessness.

Description of the service
We work with clients and provide information, advice and support with issues such as debts, rent or mortgage arrears, low income, experiencing anti-social behaviour, and family problems, in order to support them to identify their options and find the solution that is right for them.

Signpost also provides a specialist package of resettlement support to people moving out of supported housing. From the moment a person decides they are ready to move on we will work with them to find suitable housing, plan their move, and successfully settle into their new home.

Signpost provides a range of ways in which people can directly access the service, including by telephone 01293 529297, an email address signpost@sussexoakleaf.org.uk and informal drop-ins at Connexions on a Monday 12–2. Drop-ins at property store is 10 – 2 Monday and Tuesday, and 1 – 4 Wednesday and Thursday. The advice line operates Monday – Friday 9 – 5 and from 01 October will offer out of hours service Wednesday evening 6-9 and Saturdays 10-1.

Everyone is treated as an individual and has the choice of a range of services from requesting information or advice, being signposted or referred to other specialist agencies, or receiving an individually tailored package of support from our experienced and dedicated team.

Who could benefit from this service
We know that everyone needs help at times, whether they are a homeowner, a tenant, at risk of becoming homeless or have already lost their home, Signpost is here to help anyone aged 16 or over get back on their feet.

Our approach to delivering services
We work in partnership with Health and Social Services, GPs, family/carers and other appropriate professionals to ensure the person we are supporting is able to maintain and develop a network of support, and have access to the support they require. This approach helps prevent accommodation breaking down and crises.

Our local knowledge of mainstream and specialist services in the community enable us to signpost people on to activities, resources and other sources of support and information, where necessary.

Our skilled and committed staff work 1:1 with people to support them to identify their wishes and draw up a goal-orientated individual support plan to develop the necessary skills and confidence to live more independently and manage without specialist support.

Recovery
Sussex Oakleaf is committed to the principles of recovery-based service delivery. This means we believe that everyone has the ability to learn or regain the ability to be in charge of their own life. We understand recovery to be a person’s individual journey to a life that has personal meaning and fulfillment for them, and includes living well in the presence or absence of symptoms or other difficulties.

Staff receive training and supervision to ensure their practice embodies recovery-based values, and that we retain the hope and belief that the people we support are able to live their lives as they wish, and recover control. This approach enables people to have the central role in designing their lives and their support, and to have support from staff to use tools such as Wellness Recovery Action Plans or the PATH planning model, should they wish.

Case study
John and his son Mark were about to be made homeless. Originally moving out of the family home three years ago after the marriage broke down, they had several temporary addresses, and most recently had been staying with a cousin. This situation was causing them all considerable stress, and the cousin had issued them with a date to leave. John was still officially on the original tenancy agreement and their situation appeared dire. We supported John to quickly get his name taken off the original tenancy, apply to the Crawley combined housing register, and access the Rent Deposit Scheme in order to rent a home within the private sector. The result is that the family has now settled into a house of their own, and can finally get on with their lives.

For more information, please contact:
01444 459517 or send an email to info@sussexoakleaf.org.uk