The Government’s Supporting People programme has for the first brought together thinking, funding and planning across a very wide range of socially excluded groups, some of whom local authorities often knew very little about.
We worked with many local authorities when Supporting People was being introduced, on the methodologies around needs assessment and Supporting People strategies. This included looking at how planning for such a wide range of service user groups could be brought together in a coherent way.
Out of this work we have developed a number of practical tools for use with Supporting People Commissioning Bodies and teams. One example is the development of a snapshot survey that looks at the connections between a number of different user groups such as homelessness, offending, substance misuse, domestic violence and young people leaving care. It captures people who might cross a number of these groups, and is a valuable tool in relation to needs assessment.
We have staff and Associates with specific skills, knowledge and experience across the range of socially excluded groups. This means that we are one of the few consultancies that can offer a truly informed needs assessment or strategy and service development plan covering all socially excluded groups.
We also undertake service evaluations, for example new support services for asylum seekers and refugees.
In addition we offer training programmes. For example we delivered a HARP (housing and returning prisoners) training programme for over 20 authorities across one region.
Alongside this work we also develop homelessness strategies, and examine the links between homelessness and Supporting People.
Our services for socially excluded groups include: