EMBolden Floating Support Service


AIMS AND PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE

Offer Support to people aged 55 and above who are from black and minority ethnic groups. Support can be provided throughout the city to people in all types of housing.

What do we mean by Support?

The type of help offered may include support to improve housing conditions, physical and emotional health, cultural and faith needs, and language and communication needs
The support offered will be tailored to the needs of the service user with regular visits from a Housing Support Worker.

Support also means...

  • Assistance in making contact with other agencies who provide support or services for particular problems
  • Encouraging independence and confidence
  • Having an advocate to help when language is a barrier to getting the services that an older person needs.
  • Assistance when considering or moving into sheltered accommodation
  • Assistance to improve safety and security and to reduce the fear of crime
  • Providing help in arranging adaptations e.g. stairlift, showers etc.
  • Tailoring support to cater for individual needs
  • Helping service users to combat other people's anti-social and sometimes racist behaviour


HOW DO PEOPLE APPLY?

If you think that you need more help. there are a number of ways to apply for support :

  • Telephone Leeds Federated 0113 386 1000 and ask to speak to the EMBolden Support Worker
  • Write a letter asking that she contacts you
  • Sometimes people hear about the service because someone else has told them about it. Get the details how to contact the Support worker and ring.
  • If you have contact with another department in Leeds Federated, ask them to pass your name to the EMBolden Support Worker
  • You can ask another service that you may have contact with, e.g a club or day centre, to contact the Leeds Federated Supported Housing Team.


If you are requesting support for someone else:

Telephone Leeds Federated 3861000 and ask for a referral form to be sent. Fill in the form and send it back for the attention of the EMBolden Support Worker
Contact the office and ask to speak to the EMBolden Support Worker.

DECIDING WHO RECEIVES THE SERVICE

Applicants to the service are visited and the need assessed before an offer of support is made. When making decisions on the application we will consider the housing history, support needs, and the Health and Safety risks to the person and others involved. Support is usually offered to the applicant with the highest level of need at the time. If it is agreed that the person is suitable to join the scheme but there is not a place immediately, then the applicant will be put on a waiting list and contacted when a place becomes available.

If it is decided that the service will not be able to provide the help needed, then the EMBolden Support Worker will suggest other agencies or services that would provide the type of help necessary.

SUPPORT AGREEMENT

When you are offered support you need to sign a Support Agreement within the first two weeks. Support may be helpful with any of the following:

Specific need for Occupational Therapist referral/adaptations
Grant applications (e.g. Disabled Facilities Grant)
Budgeting
Assistance with applications to Social Services (e.g. Home Care, or higher levels of support or care)
Benefit advice
Education/training
Health Advice (contacting GP etc.)
Neighbour problems
Independent living skills
Relationship problems
Access to other support services
Liaison with other agencies
Someone to talk to/befriending
Dealing with debts
Dealing with authorities/bureaucracy

The EMBolden Support Workerwill give support where possible, and if appropriate, work with other agencies that the service user is already involved with. She may also make referrals to other agencies for further specialist support if needed.

LEAVING THE SERVICE

Service Users can receive support from this service for up to 2 years. If longer term support is necessary, the EMBolden Support Worker will help the service user to attempt to find alternative support that would suit the needs of the individual.