Our supported accommodation for 20 former rough sleepers is going from strength to strength. Residents not only have daily support from Smart staff to reach their individual goals and aspirations but also have access to health and mental health care as well as drugs and alcohol support services from community partners to ensure that their recovery and progress is maintained.
This used to be a store room at Rogers Court SMART’s 20-bed supported accommodation in Bedford for former rough sleepers. Residents can stay for up to two years, during which time they will be supported to: learn life skills, gain employment, education or training and get help with issues of mental health and or drugs and alcohol misuse. When they are ready, residents will be supported to move to longer-term accommodation.
The project underwent a transformation in July: The communal area has had a welcome makeover, and the one-to-one case work session room is now more welcoming and fully operational. These are essential spaces for meeting with our residents for their individual support sessions. Staff members and residents all worked together to produce some wonderful interior design. All agree it has made a real difference and is a lot more conducive to the life changing work that can occur.