What we do
The services we provide allow us to impact our clients’ lives in the way they need support with the intention of re-integrating them into society or re-unifying them with their families.
We provide homeless adults, most of whom are living on the street, and people at risk of being homeless with access to
- daily ablutions, toilet and laundry facilities
- nutritional meals, directly and through partnerships with other NPOs
- social work services
- monthly healthcare wellness and screening clinic
- vocational and life skills training in partnership with 3rd parties
- short term second phase accommodation
By providing these services we create touch points of contact with people to: access their circumstances; gain insight into the number of people in need; and get to start a conversation with them to help them get off the street or get help with other problems like drug addiction, abuse, mental illness, or even just access to a computer.
Daily ablutions and laundry facilities.
Having a safe place to shower and wash their clothing is a service critically required by those living on the street, giving them some kind of self-respect. Lack of access to these facilities results in poor hygiene and further marginalization, rendering them less able to find work or access other much-needed services.
Daily meals.
In association with our partners everyone who comes for a shower gets a meal token for lunch from The Service dining room, lunch on Saturdays served by Ladles of Love and Sundays by RPJ Helping Hands as well as a warm bowl of porridge on Thursdays. We serve breakfast on Wednesdays.
Social care through trained social workers.
Of critical importance is the availability of trained social workers who are on hand to assist clients with any problems. The social workers’ presence is important as it is often the first intervention to help getting individuals off the street, reintegrated into their own communities and reunited with their families. For many, the showers represent their first point of entry to social worker assistance and to prepare the person to move into a shelter and off the streets.
Monthly healthcare wellness and screening clinic
Every last Tuesday of the month two nurses from St John’s Ambulance, specialising in homeless care, attend to our clients’ medical needs. They perform blood pressure tests, advise on nutrition, prescribe and give basic medication and refer more serious cases to the local hospital. On average they see about 100 patients during these mornings. Once the patient received the check-up, they receive a food token as well.
Vocational and life skills training
Short term second phase shelter.
Geoff Burton House (GBH) is a second-phase shelter of The Hope Exchange (THE) that 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 for a limited period only to 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 male adults 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘃𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 and who are committed to leading an independent and healthy lifestyle and 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱/𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 with their families of origin.
GBH accommodates 40 men who have found employment with sober habits and who can afford to pay programme fees in advance which includes accommodation, mandatory psychosocial care sessions with the social work team, assistance with developing a personal development plan and savings plan whilst they are housed affordably, safely and comfortably in shared rooms while they are finding their feet and looking for a home of their own as they gear towards independent living. Clients that do not meet the criteria are able to use services for a referral to a first phase shelter.
