Brewery Lane provides an intensive resettlement service for 20 individuals who have experienced homelessness and problems with sustaining a tenancy. These projects aim to prepare clients for independent living to enable them to resettle in the city and reintegrate back into mainstream society. The project is staffed 24-hours a day, and offers a structured and stable environment where residents are given the space and support to address the issues that contributed to their homelessness.
Residents have their own self contained bed-sit, enabling them to experience a high degree of independent living. They are required to cook their own meals and be responsible for keeping their living areas clean and in a tenable condition. They must also take part in a planned programme of support based on their individual needs and aspiration. Residents have allocated key workers and co-workers who work closely with them and liaise with other housing/supporting agencies to ensure the individual is fully supported in their move towards independent living.
Natalie’s Story: Natalie is 27 years of age and a resident at Jessie Devlin Close for 3-4 months before moving into Brewery Lane in February 2006. Natalie had reached a stage in her life where she wanted stability and to move towards more long-term housing options.
Natalie says, “I’m really grateful for all the help and support I received from Dundee Cyrenians and its staff over the past couple of years. From day one, staff were really supportive of me. They helped me to address my problems, sort out and manage my personal debts and encouraged me to enrol at the local college. This really helped to build my self confidence and I felt really proud of myself when I completed the First Steps to Business course. My key workers attended my graduation which helped to make the day even more special for me. About 6 months ago, I was offered a tenancy. My key workers referred me to different housing support services and to Transform Furniture Project to get me the help I needed to furnish and move into my new home. Without that, I wouldn’t be enjoying living in a house that has all of the home comforts in it – I’d probably have given the tenancy up by now and moved back into homeless accommodation”. The O & R team visited me regularly at home for about 3 months to make sure I was managing okay and not having any problems.
For me life is great now, I am finally settled and living happily in my own home after having had an unsettled way of life for nearly 10 years”.
67 people were referred for resettlement accommodation
36 people were accommodated
at the project
11 people helped to move in to more permanent accommodation
Residential Units: