Home Works

Lead service provider/commissioner

Name:: East Sussex County Council

Type of knowledge

Type of knowledge:: Project evaluation
Type of evaluation:: Survey; Interviews

Prevention service description

Home Works aims to support vulnerable adults to achieve independent living and wellbeing goals around a variety of issues, including improved mental and physical health, liaison with landlords and/or mortgage companies, relationship disputes, preventing them from being harmed or harming others, supporting them to reduce debt or receive state financial support they are eligible for, or finding employment or volunteering opportunities. Home Works uses a person-centred coaching model which while signposting people to sources of support, also encourages them, where appropriate, to believe in themselves, and engage with their communities and other support structures.

Running since 2009, Home Works is now a mainstream part of East Sussex's Supporting People housing support programme (also included STEPS), which has recently expanded to include a welfare reform project, a helpline and three welfare reform workers embedded in Home Works. This has added an automatic benefits check to Home Works assessment which can be enough to help people avoid eviction, or at least provides an alternative source of support to the Citizens Advice Bureau. In recent months, every Home Works floating support worker has also been equipped with an inexpensive tablet computer that allows them to easily access the internet and use apps wherever they are. These tablets have unlocked the potential for new, imaginative and creative ways of working, allowing clients to experience the highest degree of personalisation in their support, as they work towards independent living goals, and for some to enter the digital age for the first time. These tablets can help people to (among many other things): find housing options and new living arrangements; access financial advice and money management tools; access information and advice on health and wellbeing; research job opportunities and create more effective CVs and make social connections via social media and magazines or newsletters about areas of interest.