Sinclair

Schemes: Sinclair
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About Us

Sinclair has strong links with statutory services, such as Probation Service, the Youth Offending Team, Pathway Planning, Housing Advice, drug services and other voluntary agencies.

Aims & Objectives

Sinclair is currently involved in a proactive joint-working partnership with Leeds Drug Interventions Program and Youth Offending Teams, Resettlement and Aftercare Provision. As a result of these partnerships the scheme maintains a number of bed spaces exclusively for those agencies.

The aim of this Resettlement Tier 2 scheme is to house and support men and women over the age of 16 safely within the community, who are experiencing housing problems due to drugs. This is achieved by providing a high standard of accommodation together with support tailored to each individual’s needs.

We attempt to achieve this by providing:

• Assured Shorthold Tenancies for up to 2 years.
• A good standard of furnished accommodation that is equipped with a washing machine and other domestic appliances where possible.
• Information and advice, informal counselling and support around drug related issues.
• Support with a planned move on.
• Help and advice on DSS, housing, and employment issues.
• Access to other services.
• Liaison with other professional agencies.
• Support tailored to individual needs.
• Key working system.

The strategic aim of the scheme is one of harm reduction.

Harm Reduction:
Although abstinence / cessation from drug use may be desirable, it may not be attainable in the short term. Recognizing this reality, Sinclair have adopted a harm reduction approach. This seeks to work practically and safely with the issues involved. This approach assists the users by encouraging safer practices with their drug use, which reduces risks to individual health and also promotes responsibility to community safety. We have strong links with the drug agencies throughout Leeds and are able to help clients gain access to those services.
It is important to note that the responsibility for a change in behaviour rests solely with the client. By adopting harm reduction strategies we are providing people with the opportunity to contemplate change.
Our intention is to create an environment that enables people with drug related difficulties to overcome and/or manage them and begin to live healthy, crime free lives again.
In line with LHC’s mission, we would also seek to reduce the social exclusion felt by many that use drugs.

Support Services

Sinclair mostly provides accommodation based support with the opportunity to provide floating support to a small number of service users.

Most of Sinclair’s residents are granted Assured Shorthold Tenancies for a fixed 6-month term. All tenancies are reviewed at 6 months and are then renewable for further term as necessary.

The Service operates a key worker and support planning system and will co-ordinate individual support packages drawing in expertise from various external agencies as appropriate.

Residents can receive our services for up to a two year period. and will receive help to identify suitable accommodation when they are ready to move to independent living. We offer practical assistance with the actual move on and service users are encouraged to maintain contact during the initial stage of their move to support their success within their new tenancy.

Referrals & Conditions of Occupancy

Applicants for housing at Sinclair must be men or women over the age of 16, single, active drug users, or on a drug programme, homeless or in housing need, for instance, following release from a custodial sentence.

The following information is required at referral
• Name
• Date of birth
• NI Number
• Present housing situation
• Current support
• Income Source
• Housing history
• Current Drug use
• Any special needs

On receipt of the referral, the applicant will be invited to attend an interview or a member of Sinclair would visit the applicant. This would normally take place within five working days.The applicant will be informed of our decision within three days of the interview.

Appeals

Where a referral request has been refused and the applicant or their referrer is not satisfied with the reasons given, they have the right to appeal the decision. Appeals should be made within 10 working days of receipt of the written decision using the accompanying appeals form. Once received an appeals meeting will be arranged within 5 working days chaired by a Service Manager at which the applicant and their referrer have the opportunity to state why they disagreed with the decision. An appeal decision will then be made within 3 working days.

Contact Us

Postal Address:
6 Middleton Crescent, Leeds LS11 6JU
Telephone: (0113) 277 7227
Fax: (0113) 277 5510
Email: sinclair@leedshc.org.uk

Team Leader: Eleanor Mundy
email: emundy@leedshc.org.uk

Service Manager: Jenn Bravo
email: jbravo@leedshc.org.uk

Housing Support Workers: David Gordon, Imran Hussain and Leanne Forster.

Staff cover is between 9.00a.m. and 5.00p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9.00a.m. and 4.00p.m. on Friday.

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