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The Kent
Supporting
People Programme funds providers who support people to keep a
roof over their heads.
 This support is provided in a variety of ways
and has helped more than 20,000 people a year since its launch
four years ago. The programme assists by helping with tenancy
or occupancy agreements, managing debt, budgeting and applying
for benefits.
The support can help people to get on with their neighbours,
develop life and social skills or set up home. Vulnerable people
are enabled to resettle, stay safe at home, deal with agencies and
take up education, training or employment.
Following a recent inspection the Audit Commission rated the
programme in Kent as 'Good' with 'Promising Prospects for
Improvement'. The Supporting People Programme is monitored by the
Communities and Local Government Department.
Service user involvement is a crucial element of the way
Supporting People operates in Kent. A key Kent innovation has been
to develop a syllabus (now nationally available and externally
accredited) to equip service users with the skills to get involved
in governance. Two of the service users who have taken this course
are now indirectly employed by the Supporting People team as
Service User Involvement Workers.
They have been greeted very positively by service users who
greatly appreciate being supported by their peers, who understand
the experiences they have had and can relate directly to them.
The service user involvement workers are part of the Supporting
People Programme's 'Expert Through Experience' service user
involvement and consultation programme. The objective is to
actively involve and consult with service users on strategic and
policy issues within the programme via a range of
mechanisms. |