This month we’re shining a spotlight on our impactful Homelessness Intervention Team (HIT) here at SIFA Fireside.
What is the SIFA Homelessness Intervention Team?
The HIT team is one of our key frontline services, working within our Digbeth Support Centre and providing help and assistance to our clients who are rough sleeping or who present to us as homeless on the day.
Their work is essential for supporting people who are often vulnerable or facing many barriers to support in a responsive and flexible way. The team is led by Matt, the HIT Service Manager and Rachel, the HIT Lead.
What support do they provide?
Every weekday, the team works to provide dedicated support and practical assistance to rough sleepers, ensuring that those most in need are prioritised for the emergency support on offer.
Following a face-to-face triage to assess the client’s needs, SIFA can provide housing advice and support, as well as signpost clients to a wide variety of partner agencies and services based at the Support Centre – many of which operate on a first come first served basis.
The immediate practical support available also includes the provision of cooked meals at breakfast and lunch time and rough sleeping kits to help during times when the Support Centre is closed. Additionally, we offer access to hygiene facilities including showers, clean clothing and a regular laundry provision.
The team also provide some much-needed conversation, internet or telephone access and a safe space for our clients. Our Support Centre can also act as a “care of” postal address for clients, securely storing any post and other important documents such as Birth Certificates and Passports.
Last month, the HIT team supported 453 clients in our local community and contributed significantly to the 2964 supportive actions completed in total across the organisation.
Which additional services can the HIT team signpost to?
The team may decide to refer clients into one of SIFA’s other frontline teams, such as our Peer Support Service, Recovery Service or Exempt Accommodation Navigator Service, should their support be better suited.
Members of Birmingham City Council’s Housing Options Team are based at the Support Centre and offer daily appointments to our clients, as does a visiting representative of the Department for Work and Pensions.
SIFA hosts regular visits from healthcare professionals and services, such as a physical and mental health nurse, an optician service, a chiropodist, the Umbrella Sexual Health Clinic and the Birmingham liver bus, in addition to addiction recovery support groups.
The HIT team also work closely with other local services, such as the mental health outreach team and recovery services to ensure that clients are linked up with appropriate support wherever possible.
SIFA’s Homelessness Intervention Team are mostly funded by our own fundraising efforts.
If you’d like to donate to help ensure that this invaluable service can continue to support vulnerable members of our community, you can do so here.
