22 Simon Communities of Ireland Isolation and Boredom As part of these discussions respondents also focused on much longer term roles for support A key challenge identified by a number of staff linked with the challenge of enabling service and service users was addressing isolation, users to integrate not only with communities, but loneliness and boredom that were often accessing activities, especially employment experienced by service users in stand-alone related options. Respondents discussed the very apartments. limited options for service users in relation to taking up training and employment options across “ htosusiarg, and nou u mvevenoby oouraelsi.tiTnare’s Alehoughn olunteeuinig byeas.vice users withinresraytnrmmoCvomiSthtloenhso’erfenhtsretrfeyhtwu,nioitoaloosmiofyoymerhofwndiantrhec’Ia more residents around anymore. You can’t Simon Communities, and the important piece have the Yap. You can’t have the buzz. So you played by Simon Community volunteers was need support in certain areas. I found it OK noted as a significant component of engaging because I’m down at Simon Community service users, a couple of respondents three times a week and still do computing highlighted that they were reviewing the role that there. But if there’s nothing on, I can still just volunteers played in this regard. In rural areas walk in. Go down and have a cup of tea and a there can be also an issue in relation to game of pool. That door’s always open for me preserving the anonymity and confidentiality of (Service user). service users: people may not want their neighbours to be part of befriending or other Staff discussed the short and long term volunteering support. implications for support in addressing these issues. Addressing the challenge of isolation and There was a sense that respondents across the boredom featured as part of the intense support Simon Communities were actively taking this required at the point that someone moves into agenda forwards, but that there was still a long their own home, and the immediate period way to go in developing the range of support afterwards. This links with the earlier discussion options to sustain the longer term integration of in relation to overcoming the fear and anxiety that service users within communities. can be experienced by service users about the Several respondents highlighted the role that prospect of a move. One respondent also businesses have to play as part of their social commented on the role of support later on in the responsibility objectives in taking forwards following weeks, as the initial experience of a employment and training options for service users move wears off, and there is the potential for a and the links that Simon Communities could sense of anti-climax. foster in this regard. A further potential initiative Respondents discussed the role of managing risk noted by one respondent was to develop links and harm reduction approaches as part of this with a bank to promote positive banking with element of supporting people in their own homes. service users. Part of this included the maintenance of social networks around street cultures, and working with people to enable and promote choices around The rural context sustaining a home. This included supporting service users who were clear about keeping Service users who live in rural areas face drinking physically distant from their own home. particular challenges that require tailored Housing-led responses. A number of There was also the role of support in helping to respondents, especially in the larger cities, give people the confidence and skills to manage reported that Intensive Case Management their own front door, and maintain social networks approaches using brokered services seemed to whilst minimising the risk of anti-social behaviour work very effectively. However, one respondent in within people’s homes. Dublin noted that they were able to work with
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