Positive Engagement Team

This scheme is intended to provide a better quality of life for vulnerable people to live more independently and maintain their tenancies.

The programme provides housing related support to prevent problems that can often lead to hospitalisation, institutional care or homelessness and can help the smooth transition to independent living for those leaving an institutionalised environment. The first thing to make clear is that the service is free. Secondly it does not matter what type of tenancy you have, as some people who own their own homes are often as much at risk as people renting a bed sit.

There are a number of similar schemes operating on the Island all helping different types of individuals with different sets of problems. However they will all have one thing in common, and that is, in order to maintain their tenancy and independence in the community they each need some support for a short period of time.

The Real World Trust's support focuses on people who have had problems with alcohol, drugs or mental health problems, which are often, but not always, connected to the drug or alcohol use.

The Supporting People team on the Isle of Wight has decided that, in order to access support, individuals should be referred by a any one of a number of statutory agencies, these may include, Social Services, Community Mental Health Teams, IDAS or probation as some examples. You will already be aware that you have been referred to us.

As soon as we receive your referral someone from the Real World Trust will contact you and make an appointment for a further assessment. This is to ensure that you are an appropriate person for our support.  Generally there is no person that we will not support,

but there are people who we cannot support. Usually there are just six reasons why we cannot support someone which will be one of the following;

• Service users who are in need of care. (Although we can form part of a package of support involving other care agencies.)
• Service users who needs are too complex. (Although we can form part of a package of support involving other care agencies.)
• Those service users that continue to behave in ways that cause themselves and others problems.
• Service users who demonstrate violent and aggressive behaviour towards members of our staff.
• Service users who fail to engage with support.
• Our scheme is full

We will always discuss the reasons why we cannot provide support to individuals and their referrers in order that more appropriate services can be accessed where necessary.

However assuming that support is provided, you will be allocated a permanent support worker to work closely with you. In normal circumstances support is broken down into three key stages, everything being achieved stage by stage by working through a support plan that your support worker will help you draw up.

Firstly we will probably need to help you deal with the major issues that have been causing the most recent main difficulties. This can often be called, crisis management.

Once this has been resolved there normally follows a period of time just getting used to living life largely free of major problems, this can be referred to a period of maintenance and stabilisation.

Finally there follows a period when you may feel that a return to work, training, meeting new friends or some other activity is the final piece of jigsaw. By this time hopefully the problems when you first came in touch with us are a thing of the past and you are approaching the time when you need to return to independent living. This stage is, not surprisingly, called moving towards independence.

The support we provide is normally intended to last for no more than two years. In certain cases this can be reviewed.

Finally I should add that whilst we will accompany you to certain appointments, we are not a taxi service.

Our normal working hours are Monday - Friday 0900 - 1700. We do not open at weekends or on public holidays. There are several telephone numbers that you can call should you need help during out of hours.