European Social Fund in England
2007 - 2013
Safe as houses Thames reach Bondway
Safe as Houses was a unique endeavour designed by Thames Reach Bondway implemented through partnership work between Thames Reach Bondway and the City Literary Institute. The project was aimed at ex-rough sleepers living in London.
Peer Education gives service users an opportunity to design a curriculum that will provide support and advice to their contemporaries. The project involved three stages - recruiting ex-rough sleepers, training them in presentation and group-working skills to enable them to deliver workshops to other ex-rough sleepers, and assisting them into formal education or work, and benefiting those people to receive accredited status as a peer educator, and those who attend the workshops that are created and delivered as a result of training.
Throughout the course advice and guidance and planning sessions focused on potential exit strategies and career paths for participants. The emphasis was on supporting people into moving into mainstream education and training, leading to long-term and sustainable learning. The programme is a steppingstone back into mainstream education and employment - not a final destination.
Targeting
The Safe as Houses Project was aimed at adults over the age of 25 with a history of homelessness and exclusion. Many are ambivalent about their identity and place in society and have a history of offending, substance misuse and poor mental health. Members of the target group have often had a negative experience of formal education, including leaving school at an early age without qualifications. Few of the target group were unlikely to access training, education or employment without the support provided in this type of programme and setting.
Project aims: The twin aims of the project were:
- To increase tenancy sustainment among formerly homeless people; and
- To improve social inclusion and employability among programme participants.
ESF Matters - making a difference to people's lives
The Project Beneficiaries
The Peer Education Learning experience gave me back the self-confidence to take on new projects. New knowledge makes you feel important. Much of what I've done is possible because of the support of the programme. It has enabled me to have the confidence to try new things out and complete them
Donovan a Peer Educator who moved into both a pre-employment programme run by Thames Reach Bondway and a music technology course at City Lit.
William Peer Educator Thank you for everything you have done. Back to school at 45!
Ramsay completed a Masters degree and then taught in higher education during the 1960s. In subsequent years, Ramsay became homeless and lost touch with the academic side of his life, no longer having the space to apply himself to his writing.
Ramsay completed the Peer Education Programme before the Open College Network accreditation was in place. When it later became available he chose to repeat the whole programme in order to take up the Level 2 accreditation option. This was important for Ramsay, who was determined to take on the challenge of rediscovering his pleasure in writing . Ramsay produced inspiring and thought provoking written work whilst receiving assistance in organising his folder. Receiving Level 2 accreditation of his work provided a valuable link back into qualifications and the academic world. Ramsay is now completing qualifications in information technology.
Safe As Houses Launch
Renowned actress Joanna Lumley and MP Kate Hoey joined representatives from the homelessness charity Thames Reach Bondway and the adult learning college City Lit on Thursday 16 December 2004 to launch an innovative model of education with implications for the voluntary and FE sectors.
The aim of the launch was to roll the training model to other groups beyond homelessness. The success of the project can be replicated amongst any group of adults who would benefit from the mixture of a structured training course and the opportunity to discuss specific issues with their peers. Organisations working with people with disabilities, poor mental health, patterns of substance misuse, histories of offending or anti-social behaviour, could all benefit from this model.
Miranda Clarke, Programme Coordinator at City Lit, said: "The project worked because Thames Reach Bondway's experience of working with homeless people was combined with the educational expertise that we have at City Lit.
Many participants took the opportunity to try further courses at City Lit - an important step away from homelessness."
Jeremy Swain, Chief Executive of Thames Reach Bondway, said: "It is a training programme that has stood the test of external scrutiny and evaluation, and has objectively been proven to provide quality assistance to homeless and disadvantaged people. It has had a profound, positive impact on many lives."
The Safe as Houses Peer Education Programme, launched in 2000, won the education and training category of the 2003 Charity Awards and the 2003 Pavilion Innovation in Training Award for the best training programme.
Funding
The project was granted £325,282 of European Social Funding under Objective Three (Measure 1.2). The funding has come through London Central Learning and Skills Council (a co-financer for ESF). The project will finished in December 2004.
Further information
To contact Thames Reach Bondway please visit: www.thamesreachbondway.com
For further information about European Social Funding please visit:
Learning and Skills Council
The LSC exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. We are responsible for planning and funding high-quality vocational education and training for everyone. We have a single goal: to improve the skills of England's young people and adults to world-class standards. Our vision is that by 2010, young people and adults in England have the knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of a truly competitive workforce. Established in 2001, we work nationally, regionally and locally from a network of offices across the country.
For any media enquiries please contact Vicky Taylor on 020 7904 0789 victoria.taylor@lsc.gov.uk