As Personal Development Coordinator Sammy, prepares to leave Opportunity Nottingham for a new role, she reflects on ending relationships and the impact this can have… As I prepare to leave the project, I’ve started to end relationships with Beneficiaries (service users). This can be a very difficult process, and I’m establishing more and more each day just how challenging it is for Beneficiaries when professionals come in and out of their lives. So often the individual’s we work with may have personality issues and attachment issues, and as a consequence they may … [Read more...]
A Beneficiary Journey
Prior to experiencing multiple needs, Ben* had a full-time job and supported his family. A very traumatic event in his past has been identified as one of the key triggers for his journey towards multiple needs. Ben was referred to the Opportunity Nottingham Project in late summer 2016. The referral was made by Framework Housing Association’s Street Outreach Team in Nottingham City. Ben had been rough sleeping for over two years, with the exception of short periods of time in the winter months where B&B accommodation was accessed. At the point of referral, … [Read more...]
In Memory of a Beneficiary
Jimmy Healy is a name that many working within the context of multiple needs in Nottingham City will know, but perhaps not all will know his full journey. Very difficult circumstances in his childhood and a spell in jail, saw Jimmy leave his native Glasgow in his early twenties for a ‘fresh start’ in Nottingham. However, alone and with little or no money, his life was to take a difficult route. Over a period of 40 years he would experience homelessness, substance misuse, hundreds of convictions and a significant amount of time in prison. Jimmy was referred to … [Read more...]