About PRHA
PRHA runs services for people who are housed but who need tenancy support or who are homeless and need support to find and sustain a new home
Prospective support clients are referred to one of our specialist teams by a number of agencies - this includes social services, mental health agencies, the police, prison and probation services, homelessness departments, Rough Sleepers', drug or alcohol agencies.
PRHA's floating support and tenancy sustainment services
We see this as a critical contribution to the prevention of homelessness - many people can be helped to avoid the crisis of losing their home if they receive support.
These services help hundreds of people & have a high success rate. Many people need help primarily with budgeting and managing rent or bill payments. However for a significant number of these people there are underlying reasons such as drug or alcohol use, learning difficulties, mental health problems or literacy issues which are not being addressed by other services. The main role of keyworkers is therefore to assess what the underlying causes are and to develop support networks with clients which will help them for as long as they need them.
Services for offenders
We provide a range of services for offenders including those in prison and due for release, to ensure they are supported to find and maintain accommodation within the community. Without this support the likelihood of their reoffending increases significantly.
Our services include the Tower Hamlets & Hackney Linkworker services. These teams support people who have mental illness and have been arrested or imprisoned to address the underlying causes of their crises. We also provide a service for prisoners who are due for release. "Looking Out" operates in Holloway prison and prepares women for release by helping with housing & supporting them to resettle into the community.
Women Ahead
In 2010, PRHA began a close partnership with the Jagonari Centre in Whitechapel. The project, 'Women Ahead', provides a support service for women offenders. It is part of a Ministry of Justice initiative designed to develop community services which will reduce the number of vulnerable women going to prison.
'Women Ahead' is based in Tower Hamlets but is also open to women from neighbouring boroughs. It provides a safe environment where women can receive advice & support on a range of issues, for example substance misuse, domestic violence and exiting prostitution. They can also gain advice on life skills such as finance & debt management, accommodation, health, children & families and training & employment.
Women are referred to the project by criminal justice agencies, the Probation and Police services and Holloway Prison. Some women are referred from court as part of their community orders. A range of statutory and voluntary sector agencies such as the Mental Health Trust, specialist drug & alcohol agencies, housing providers and other women's services also make referrals. Women can also self-refer to the project.
Specialist Link Workers at Women Ahead provide one-to-one intensive support. There is also a weekly drop-in session. Women can also use other services at the Jagonari Centre, such as physical well-being activities, ESOL courses, an on-site creche and SureStart Children's Centre services.
Probation Minister Crispin Blunt meets service users at Women Ahead project, November 2010
Probation Minister Crispin Blunt (centre) with staff from PRHA, Women Ahead and London Probation Service, November 2010.
