38 Supported Housing Units
The Outreach team manages 38 units of supported housing across the Bolton borough. They are fully decorated, furnished and equipped to support independence. Young people who are homeless but still need help can live here and receive support from this team of community outreach support workers. This was the original Backup service.
Young people aged 16-25 years are supported to move in, manage the property and move on at the appropriate time. The aim is that after a period of time, the young person moves into their own secure accommodation having acquired the skills and the knowledge and independence required to manage on their own.
Whilst the young person lives on the scheme they will be provided with a support package that is designed for them.
Backup North West believe no young person should experience homelessness.
For the young people that do, Backup aims to be an outstanding provider of high quality, holistic housing and support services.
4 Low/Medium Need Units
These are 4 units of temporary accommodation in a family or adults home managed within the Outreach Team. Accommodation (usually a spare room) is provided by that family or individual who are trained and supported to allow young people to live with them. The householder will support the young person on a daily basis with independent living and a support worker will assist to manage the placement.
28 Medium Needs Units
Lucas Project opened in 2015 and has 28 flats and bedsits with staff on site 24 hrs a day. A cluster of supported housing units in Farnworth for young people aged 16-25 years, it has communal areas and gardens for education and leisure activities. Young people living here can be supported with low and medium needs as this project provides round the clock support and can live semi independently. The aim is to offer supported housing and tackle homelessness, but also enable independence.
12 High Need Units
Project Front Door is an intensive supported housing service 24 hours a day for 12 vulnerable young people who are homeless with high support needs. These are short term placements designed to offer stability so crises can be managed and averted. A mix of self contained flats and bedsits within one site with staff on site who manage the building and offer support.
A structured routine and programme of support will assist young people to manage and prepare for independence in another Backup service.
12 High Need Units
A new short stay and assessment service named after another Bolton champion, suffragette, Sarah Reddish. She supported and campaign for employment rights and to help the poor. Redds will offer 12 emergency housing placements as a short stay and assessment unit for up to 28 days maximum. This service will act as a housing first, assess later, to prevent risk of harm and rough sleeping for young people who are homeless with nowhere else to go. From here we hope they will move into one of our other services or into another housing providers services with a full needs and risk assessment from us to speed things up. This is the starting point with Backup to tackle homelessness and develop independence.
BACKUP aims to prevent homelessness among 16 - 25 years olds by providing supported housing consisting of furnished accommodation and tailored packages of support which include emotional and practical help with all areas of independent living.
10 High Need Units
A new supported housing service opened in 2021. Named after legendary Boltonian Nat Lofthouse and based in Halliwell, Bolton this is a service for young people aged 16-25 years who are homeless with high support needs. There are 10 self contained and fully furnished one bedroomed flats offered alongside intensive support and housing management. This is designed to be fairly short term, 6 months, to stabilise and support the young people onto the next stage of independence. This project has replaced the Castle House that Backup had previously.
Staff are based on site round the clock for intensive support during the days and evenings and emergency cover through the night.
