Finding the Way Home “ The DnsttrattiionitpaoeecaiiHous11.ifihrantousing First Housep-ledderncee,echhaisize thndeoolnwrolareohtepcptaaecopmscivesnegnidnIHtseicFTgnngiis0a2snttcdejjtorriPnnio57arEHsRnoommeedD development in the provision of services to long- homeless should have a right to housing within which they term “entrenched” rough sleepers with significant should enjoy privacy and a sense that their housing is a home support needs. HFDP is a strategically innovative of their own. The housing-led approach also emphasizes the ‘normalisation’ that a home of one’s own produces, i.e. that project focused on developing an application of being back in a home is the first step to being back in society the Pathways Housing First model in a Dublin and away from homelessness76. People who were homeless context. In this regard it is essentially proving, often valued independence greatly and wanted to be in a understanding and applying the principles of the situation where their degree of independent living was Pathways Housing First model, as developed by maximised as rapidly as possible, ideally in the shape of a Dr. Sam Tsemberis in New York. home of their own. While it was thought a small group might Service Provider. prefer to live in communal supported housing (see Chapter 4), most people who were homeless wanted the independence of their own home. Among service providers with knowledge of either the theory or the practice of housing-led models of service delivery, The focus on independence, choice and control in housing- support for these approaches was high. Many thought that led services reflected the wishes of people who were homeless the underlying logic was correct and that there were, at least, in Ireland. This links back to the attractiveness of housing-led things to be learned from the way housing-led services services as an idea to people who were homeless, because worked, even if they also took the view that wholesale adoption housing-led services appear to offer them rapid access to their of housing-led approaches might not be suitable or practical in own home and the sense of independence, security, and also Ireland (see Chapter 4). of ‘belonging’ to wider society that they associated with having “ seemce,nherlnkermoa,ttioorourhservichoulsers-leeedid, neumotlsstociofnrgendtfen onoayieoodfeshohoel,ebsnetscoand eesckbteaosaonalabsdlsuuhstsiatwuseemrumcten.eemirlnrfcmpmeddwnnaaircpeeAas.stsailmialeehehfnwoaaernitreeoohtrsasdevnaghnidsuuoewaInniegniwkefmwsdestaewvieo,cdtoeGeybivrvh’Io some kind of support, but now seeing what can survive in some kind of housing, but with quite “ independencenitke houekaow,alou’iveogot to have aftblymsnvayI.lednepednim’It’ndluowohwytironimllamsas’tiknihtI,krointensive support when needed. bit of independence, otherwise you might as well w Service Provider. lie down and die, you know? Independence is everything. I know some people can do it and others cannot, everyone is different, you know. Come and go when you like. Male, long term rough sleeper, aged 53. “ mysellfoaduluyourw,wapdooeaooflookitnngayoerr ownum’tIfyhgwits’etgahtf…reldbiaehntcomoanIk.tgoynis…nca,yme’Ik getting my own place, getting on with my life. Woman, long term homeless, aged 53. 75 Dublin Region Homeless Executive http://www.homelessagency.ie/ 76 It is important to note – and this was emphasised in the discussions with people who were homeless and service providers – that while PHF and other housing-led models do not link housing with treatment compliance (i.e. someone does not have to stop drinking, taking drugs or use every service offered to get access to housing or to stay in that housing) housing-led services do apply some conditions to service users. PHF service users are for example expected to have regular meetings with the support team, often within a service users’ home (though it can happen elsewhere). In addition to complying with the normal terms of a tenancy, PHF service users are also expected to contribute to the rent (see Chapter 2). 18
Finding the Way Home
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