TURNING POINT SCOTLAND Housing First – Glasgow 3 year pilot – supporting 22 service users with active addiction

Background of Project: TPS interested in the Housing First model as a new way of tackling homelessness in Scotland. Initial backing from Community Casework Teams, Glasgow Housing Association, Queens Cross Housing Association and Strathclyde Police Project start: February 2011

Essential Elements of the approach: Aim: To reduce re-occurring homelessness by supporting individuals who are in active addiction Underlying principles: 24/7 support from multidisciplinary team Independent accommodation in scattered site housing No requirement for housing readiness Harm reduction approach Provision of permanent housing and holistic support Respect for service user choice re: apartment, levels of engagement, location and times of support Targets most vulnerable – those that have difficulty coping with traditional services, resistant to service engagement physical and mental health social relationships and networks involvement with criminal justice financial wellbeing employment/ education, meaningful activity sense of self worth/ control over life overall quality of life Underlying principles: Getting client’s into housing at an early stage Housing is not predicated on successful engagement

Accommodation Provided: Tenancies provided – self contained/ scattered social housing provided by Registered Social Landlords Tenants have full tenancy rights with rent contract and unlimited lease Full cooperation with landlords – Glasgow Housing Association. N. G. Homes. Queens Cross H. A. South Side H.A. Thenue H.A. New Gorbals H.A.

Evaluation Heriot-Watt University (Johnsen & Fitzpatrick) 3 year longitudinal study Methods: Staff/stakeholder interviews (x2) Service user interviews (x2) Case file analysis (x2) Interim Report – now available on www.turningpointscotland.com Final Report autumn 2013

Links to European Housing First sites: Housing First Europe – this links us to Copenhagen, Lisbon, Budapest and Amsterdam with secondary sites being Gothenburg, Helsinki, Vienna, Ghent and Dublin. Housing First in Europe (Grundtvig) – This links us to Paris, Marseille, Barcelona, Vienna and Helsinki. Links with FEANTSA and FNARS

Housing First – Glasgow Housing Association Perspective Paul Tonner 18th September 2012

Why Did We Get Involved? A real partnership between Turning Point Scotland as support and care provider and the RSLs as housing providers GHA’s Homelessness Strategy - places significant emphasis on preventing homelessness and sourcing appropriate support from a range of partners in helping our customers sustain their tenancies At the time, the project also fulfilled one of the outcomes of Glasgow’s Homelessness Strategy, namely: ‘Improve outcomes for homeless households with addiction and/or criminal justice issues, including accommodation’.

Why Did We Get Involved? A real partnership between Turning Point Scotland as support and care provider and the RSLs as housing providers GHA’s Homelessness Strategy - places significant emphasis on preventing homelessness and sourcing appropriate support from a range of partners in helping our customers sustain their tenancies At the time, the project also fulfilled one of the outcomes of Glasgow’s Homelessness Strategy, namely: ‘Improve outcomes for homeless households with addiction and/or criminal justice issues, including accommodation’.

Our Approach 10

Delivery First referral received November 2010 All cases for the pilot housed by May 2011 Cases housed in an average of 3 weeks from receipt of section 5 referral As a result of SST, cases ‘moved’ to another RSL in May 2011 Agreed to ‘replace’ SST cases in the South of the city

Case Study – Issues and Interventions Loud music Warnings issued Joint visit Causing damage to flat Abusive to staff Referral to Community Improvement Partnership Police Visits Concierge assistance Fighting in communal areas Graffiti Child Protection meeting Think Yes! Noisy Parties Disturbing Neighbours Fire & Rescue meeting

Housing summary 7 properties let 6 in North West Glasgow 2 left via Second Stage Transfer 1 tenancy terminated 1 new tenancy established in the South of the city 1 further offer currently being pursued in the South 4 current tenancies 13

Housing First Partnership Lynne Cooper ng homes 18th September 2012

ng homes Established 1976 5500 homes in Springburn, Balornock, Possilpark & Parkhouse 7% turnover – average 360 new tenancies per year Excellent track record Partnership working contributed to our success over the last 37 years RSL in multiple deprivation Rehouse people who misuse alcohol, drugs, people with mental health issues and chaotic lifestyles

Tenancy Sustainment Tenancy Sustainment Team set up in 2010 Objective to support vulnerable tenants and help them maintain their tenancies Success since 2010 Abandonments and evictions have decreased New tenants are keeping their tenancies for more than 12 months – 93% sustainment for tenancies started 2011/12 Team have established partnerships with a number of agencies to help support tenants: Keys to Learn

Housing First Partnership Partnership Established in 2012 Key elements of Housing First fits exactly with ng homes Tenancy Sustainment goals 24/7 support available to vulnerable tenants when having difficulty coping with their tenancy Win/Win for ng homes Early days Continue to develop our partnership with Housing First further

Service User Achievements and Challenges to date: Supporting individuals who have never engaged with any service Number of individuals engaged with community addiction services – 21 Number of individuals engaging with Housing First who had a history of non engagement with other services – 8 Number of individuals in tenancy for over a year - 11 Challenges: Engagement of housing providers Furniture Welfare reform Individuals adjusting to daily structure whilst in active addiction.

Future Plans? Incremental increase in number of service users in all areas of Glasgow Partnership working with further housing providers Housing Plus Housing First – mental health, families, prison leavers (Persistent Offenders Project) Geographical spread in several areas of Scotland currently in discussion with Renfrewshire, North/ South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde

For more information: Contact: Ian Irvine (Operations Manager) For more information: Contact: Ian Irvine (Operations Manager) T: 0141 427 8200 E: ianirvine@turningpointscotland.com W: www.turningpointscotland.com SCO28827