Core houses

This ‘second stage’ housing is designed to help homeless people to manage the difficult transition between living in a hostel and the responsibilities of living completely independently, as part of the No Second Night Out pathway.

Sixty-five residents aged 22+ live in 11 houses, mainly in East Oxford. These houses consist of a mixture of self-contained bedsits and houses with shared kitchens and bathrooms. Each resident has at least one session a week with their support worker. The support team is based in a nearby office and is available during weekday office hours (with flexibility), and out-of-hours on call is provided. There is a mixture of low, medium and high support needs clients.

The role of the support worker is to work with each individual to identify and tackle the issues that may prevent them from sustaining accommodation in the future. This may include a wide variety of support including advice on debt and budgeting issues, counselling, help with drug and alcohol issues, and access to health care, training, voluntary or paid work. Support staff will also act as advocates where necessary. Drug and alcohol testing may be offered as part of the support package, which some residents find helpful.

Residents can stay for a maximum of two years, though the average length of stay is 12 months.

Typical options for moving on include the Private Rented Sector, social housing (Council or Housing Association) or other, more specialist supported housing such as a rehabilitation programme.

Couples are accepted and pets may be accommodated in some houses.

Referrals are via the No Second Night Out Pathways Coordinator.