West Cork Tenancy Support And Sustainment
NOVAS’ West Cork Tenancy Support and Sustainment Service provides sensitive and pragmatic support to families and single people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless in the west Cork region. NOVAS is the only voluntary housing agency working in the area, which covers hundreds of miles of rural dwellings and large county towns. The most prevalent issues among this client base include addiction, mental health issues, financial strain, domestic violence and separation.
Like all NOVAS services, the needs of clients are assessed, so that an effective care management programme is delivered in conjunction with other voluntary and statutory agencies. As well as working with the local housing authority, the Tenancy Support Worker also liaises with the mental health services to provide suitable accommodation for individuals with mental health issues. Finding appropriate accommodation, with a support team in place, for people being discharged from hospital also falls within the remit of this role, indicating the wide-ranging issues presenting to Novas’ west Cork services.
While the overarching goal of this service is to provide and maintain suitable accommodation for clients, we also seek to engage clients in community resources to combat isolation and social exclusion so often experienced by people on the margins of society. This issue can be quite acute considering the rural backdrop in which the service operates. We also support clients in accessing specialist services, bespoke to their individual needs, indicating the holistic nature of the care provided.
If you would like any further information on this service, please contact the Tenancy Support and Sustainment Worker, Mike O Donovan on 061 370325 or mike.odonovan@novas.ie
