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About this event

This session will look at the support Homeless Connect offer to service users that are facing homelessness or in temporary accommodation through practitioners. We will learn how staff can refer to this service and the eligibility criteria to avail of it.

The first support service we will cover is The Starter pack project that was designed to help the transition from Homelessness into more settled accommodation easier. The Starter packs are essential in helping to ensure a good start or even a restart after time spent without a home by providing essential household items to those moving into a new tenancy. This will make a house feel like a home.

Homeless Connect conduct outcome reporting for the funders of this project the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) which takes place when a client is 6 months in tenancy and 1yr in tenancy. Results have found that 89-92% are still in tenancy. This helps to reduce the likelihood of future homelessness.

Homeless Connect will also cover the Getting Started Box that contains ambient food and Cleaning materials we found when starter packs were delivered to a client’s house that some did not have food in the cupboards. We will take a more in depth look during the sessions into what both these packs contain and how FareShare supports.

Bombas is an American Company who conducted a study on homeless people they found that it is very important to keep a person’s feet warm. They donated in total over 8750 pairs of socks, we put a pair in each starter, which are greatly received.

We also look at the additional signpost support provided in the of packs from Money Helper: Getting ready for Universal Credit in Northern Ireland, Making the most of your money, Fee-free basic bank accounts and Help with the cost of living.

Who is leading the session?

Kathy Henry

Learning Outcomes

Attendees will gain insight into how they where they can signpost or refer customers to appropriate sources of information who may be indicating urgent need and/or vulnerability such a risk of homelessness. This session aims to provide insight on:

• Services that support people who are homeless

• Useful approaches for supporting people who are homeless.

Who should attend?

All money guidance practitioners who are supporting service users with difficult conversations and anyone offering guidance to improve the financial wellbeing. It is for practitioners who are dealing with, or might come into contact with, members of the public who may need support around housing issues.

Links to the Money Guidance Competency Framework

This event is designed to help you improve your money guidance practice, developing skills, confidence and knowledge around a specific money related area. Everything that the Money Guiders programme offers centres around the Money Guidance Competency Framework - it's there to help you better understand the full breadth and depth of money related issues that fall outside of the regulated financial advice service sector - the things you talk to your customers about.

Accessibility

If you have accessibility requirements, please inform us when you register by emailing moneyguidersni@reed.com and we will do our best to meet them. Participants should always remember to keep their own client and customer details confidential and not disclose personal information about them.

Keep Up to Date With the Money Guiders Northern Ireland Network

• Contact: moneyguidersni@reed.com

• Register with the Money Guiders Northern Ireland Network here

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The Money Guiders Programme

Money Guiders is a programme run by The Money Pensions Service MaPS, which seeks to help money guidance practitioners improve their knowledge, skills and confidence. Everything that the Money Guiders programme offers centres around the Money Guidance Competency Framework - it's there to help you better understand the full breadth and depth of money related issues that fall outside of the regulated financial advice service sector - the things you talk to your customers about.