Second Step work to provide different types of housing for people with mental health issues who require assistance in order to live independently. Importantly, they ensure that all help provided is unique and tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Working within the south west region, Second Step aim to deliver recovery and well-being opportunities for people with mental health issues, as well as a variety of other needs, to achieve their hopes and ambitions. In addition, Second Step also run a Rough Sleepers Initiative, a move-on scheme for people with mental health needs and a history of sleeping rough, and Intensive Tenancy Support, for those who are finding it difficult to cope with tenancy and are at risk of losing their home as a result.  These sources of assistance, amongst a myriad of other holistic services provided by Second Step, provide the vital avenues of support needed by those who are particularly vulnerable and as a result, are more likely to be without a home.

Second Step are based in the areas of Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset. You can find out more about the different kinds of work that is done at Second Step by visiting their website www.second-step.co.uk 

Image credit

Based in south London, Spires is a charity that helps hundreds of homeless and disadvantaged people throughout the year. It aims to improve the quality of life for people who are homeless, insecurely housed, unemployed or suffering from the effects of poverty, mental illness and loneliness.

In addition to health services, Spires also offers learning opportunities with art and crafts, computer training, literacy, ESOL and E-music.

For more than 50 years, the Fry Housing Trust has provided supported accommodation and floating support services to the homeless and vulnerable who been sanctioned, or at risk of sanction, by the criminal justice system. The Trust works across the West Midlands, Worcestershire and Warwickshire.

Help with the following is offered:

• Budgeting money, claiming benefits and managing debt
• Finding independent accommodation
• Setting up a home, new utility accounts and payment plans
• Assisting with organising grants for furniture or collection arrangements of donated items when available
• Independent living skills and cooking skills

With centres in Keighly and Bradford, Keyhouse works to address housing issues for the most socially excluded. They work with homeless families, young people and teenage parents.

It is not only advice on housing that is offered, Keyhouse was part of the setting up an allotment project. Working with service users, they provided plants for the silver medal winning homelessness garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, and they also work with a range of organisations to provide expertise on growing fruit and vegetables.

As well as a project for learning new skills, they are now planning to help service users apply their new found horticultural knowledge to produce cheap and healthy food for their own dinner tables.

Vulnerable women from all ethnic backgrounds are offered support by the Asha Centre.  Originally providing services to women sanctioned by the criminal justice system, several years ago the remit widenned and the centre now offers support to women from different backgrounds and cultures around the county.

Women in contact with Asha are affected by multiple disadvantages. They are socially excluded, considered 'hard to reach' and do not engage with main stream services. The most common problems are isolation, lack of confidence, depression, mental health, domestic violence and abuse, housing issues, lone parenthood, substance misuse, lack of family support, financial problems and reliance on benefits

Referrals come from different sources: mental health professionals, the Probation Service, prisons, housing providers, substance misuse agencies and other local community agencies. 

Asha offers a range of resources and interventions for educational and employment opportunities which engage women and support them to rebuild their lives.

We're Broadway and we say no one should be homeless.

We go straight to the causes of homelessness, tackling poverty, ill health, unemployment and the chronic lack of housing. We challenge people to take control of their futures and give them the tools and support to do so. We help thousands of people every year to change their lives.

Homelessness is complicated. It's difficult. The people we help have complex lives and there's rarely a simple or quick solution - but we don't give up. We believe that with the right help at the right time, every person can turn their life around - whatever their circumstances.

We work hard to fit our services around what the person needs and if something doesn't work we'll think again. We're known for our risk-taking and initiative, and for leading the way for everyone working to end homelessness.

Our work isn't glamorous, but it's real, based on evidence, and it matters. We are making a lasting difference.

Amber provides temporary homes at their centres for young people who may be unemployed, homeless, have a history of addiction, and may have also been involved in crime or served a prison sentence. They offer round the clock care, and work hard in encouraging and assisting individuals in overcoming obstacles or issues that have previously prevented them from living a normal, independent life. This includes offering counselling, literacy and numeracy courses, vocational training, work experience and confidence building to those in need.

Amber aims to assist vulnerable, disadvantaged young people in achieving a better future by providing a safe, supportive environment and placing significant emphasis upon the importance of enthusiasm, committment and determination. 

Freeasabird recognise that coming out of prison and settling back into life after a custodial sentence can be difficult, especially for women who have served time a long way from their families. Many women need to find somewhere new to live, find a job, and cope with money problems or childcare worries.

Freeasabird provides a social network for women to discuss questions relating to jobs, family, housing and finances. The discussions are in a password protected space for sharing experiences and advice on what support is available. The service is online, so it is easy to use, low cost and anonymous so women won’t have to make appointments, meet people face to face or use the telephone to get the support they need.

Signpost and Rite Direkshon, based in Bristol, connect together Afrikan/Caribbean and people with dual heritage who have problems with, for example, unemployment, housing, crime, drugs  and racism. Signpost and Rite Direkshon also provide family support for people who have relatives in prison, at risk of going to prison or being released from prison.

Signpost and Rite Direkshon work with the police, probation, youth offending teams and other organisations trying to address community safety. There is also a volunteering programme which helps young people aged 18 to 25 to develop skills and take up training and employment opportunities.

RECOOP promotes the care, resettlement and rehabilitation of older prisoners, and those who have been sanctioned by the criminal justice system, in particular people over the age of 50. RECOOP works through the provision of support services, advocacy, financial advice and mentoring on issues such as employment and training, and also offer advice on housing and health. The aim is to enable older prisoners on release to take control of their lives and remain free from future involvement in the justice system, and prevent them from becoming socially excluded.

There are specific needs for the older group of prisoners, for example:

RECOOP supports and advises older people on release from prison to improve opportunities for resettlement and rehabilitation and raises awareness of the needs of older prisoners at regional and national level.