We strive for early intervention and homelessness prevention for single adults and childless couples aged over 25 in Birmingham.

This can range from offering money and welfare benefits advice, health and wellbeing services and guidance with regards to specialist housing.

Maintaining employment is, of course, an integral part of preventing homelessness which is why SIFA Fireside hosts Job Clubs and CV workshops, English Language sessions and regularly signposts clients to employability training and budgeting workshops.

Our Digbeth Support Centre enables clients’ basic needs to be met, all of the time. We can provide a ‘Care Of’ postal address, safe document storage and access to a range of health services including a nurse, optician, chiropractor, podiatrist and mental health support. We also offer hot meals, showers and clean clothes to anyone who is rough sleeping or in need of emergency support, as well as food parcels, conversation and an internet connection.

SIFA Fireside is also part of a consortium set up to focus on women’s rough sleeping, with the emphasis on creating a pathway model for prevention, crisis and recovery. We engage in outreach and specific services which enable vulnerable women to see SIFA Fireside as a safe space in which to rebuild their lives with dignity.

One of our main aims is to get to a point where our clients don’t rely on SIFA Fireside’s services. This journey to independence requires developing life skills, accessing specialist services, and navigating complex systems.

We respond to our clients’ needs and aspirations dynamically by designing recovery services around them.

Our homelessness recovery offer is focused on developing life and practical skills through activities and groups so that clients are well prepared and equipped to lead happier and healthier independent lives. Our program includes popular creativity workshops where people can express themselves via a range of different art projects.

To increase client involvement and co-production, we involve clients and individuals with lived experience in the design, delivery, and evaluation of SIFA Fireside’s services and policies. We regularly run focus groups to discuss issues and ideas with our clients as well as facilitating quarterly Client Committee meetings.

The service is complemented by a Peer Mentor team that supports clients with navigating the services here at SIFA Fireside, as well as the support available across Birmingham.

We also support our clients to build their own Social Networks by empowering them to get involved in activities within their own community as well as accessing education and training.