Sanctuary that has risen from ashes (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Sanctuary that has risen from ashes

3:46pm Friday 5th January 2007 in Analysis By Emma Clayton

People using a Bradford day shelter will soon have access to a new training centre, thanks to a £199,000 Lottery grant. EMMA CLAYTON finds out how it will help homeless and other vulnerable people rebuild their lives.

One of the first things you see walking through the door at Bradford Day Shelter is a group of people drinking tea in a communal area filled with the aroma of hot food.

Meals and drinks are served on a drop-in basis, and clothing and blankets are given out to those who need them, which is what you would probably expect of a shelter for the homeless.

But upstairs it's a different story. Corridors lead off to various rooms containing IT equipment, carpentry units, a fitted kitchen where people make their own meals and learn about food hygiene, and a well-stocked library.

The upstairs training unit is aimed at helping shelter-users develop skills leading to further education and employment. The aim is also to boost confidence and motivation, develop a sense of self-worth and help people re-build their lives.

There's also advice on benefits and housing, and a substance support team providing counselling and treatment programmes for drug and alcohol abuse.

Now a burned-out next-door property on the Little Horton terraced street has been refurbished, creating an extended training centre aimed at helping people make the transition from the current drop-in facility to mainstream education and employment.

The project has gone ahead thanks to a £199,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund, given to Horton Housing Association which owns the day shelter and the adjoining house. Further funding from the European Social Fund and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund has enabled the housing association to employ staff and deliver courses.

The new unit - currently known as the Bradford Day Shelter Extension for Community-Based Training - will provide courses in computing, art and basic skills including English on a one-to-one basis.

There will be a drop-in JobClub, a Learndirect facility and English Speakers of Other Languages groups. The extension, run by three tutors, one part-time administration worker and a part-time secretary, will open in February and there will be a public open day.

Education and training manager Ian Burlison says it will bridge the gap between the shelter's existing training unit and more mainstream educational organisations.

"The training we currently offer is informal. We encourage people using the drop-in facility to get involved in classes but they're not structured because the nature of our client base means people don't always stick to set times," he says.

"We find that when people go on to a college course from here there's a high cycle of re-referral because they often find it difficult adjusting to a more structured environment.

"What we'd like is for people to build a few skills at the shelter then move next door to a more structured course. We're expecting 80 people to enrol throughout the year and we're looking at 12-week blocks of accredited courses. There will be some women-only sessions. Those taking part will be assessed and the course they take will depend on their level of skills.

"Once they have signed up for a course we expect a commitment to completing it."

Ian hopes to set up a Buddy system' for those moving on to mainstream courses so they continue to have a contact at the training unit once they start college.

As well as shelter-users, the extension will be open to members of the wider community. "It will be open during the day as well as evenings, making it as accessible as possible," says Ian.

People using the day shelter have had a say in developing courses. "A steering group of users and staff, who have been involved with the process throughout, will be identifying subjects for user-led interest groups," says Ian.

"They have also had an input into the decor and furniture for the extension. The training isn't just about qualifications and certificates; the user-led groups will involve art and social activities. The groups will set about finding funding and organising activities, it will be an empowering process.

"There will be a voluntary ethos too - those completing courses will be encouraged to volunteer within the day shelter. We will retain the current training in areas like woodwork and catering. We don't want to lose that informal facility as it's the first step people take towards learning skills that help them move on.

"We still want people to drop in but we also want to provide longer-term support."

Ian showed me around the new facility, which has been renovated in just a couple of months by Thornton firm Whitaker and Leach. It's hard to believe that not long ago it was a burned-out shell of a building.

Each spacious airy room with freshly-painted white walls will soon be fully equipped, ready for use in the new year.

"The building was bought with help from a grant by Bradford Trident," says Ian. "The lottery funding has been used for the refurbishment which has been a huge job. Whitaker and Leach have been working on it since October, when it was a wreck, and have done an excellent job. We have enough funding to see us through to December 2007 and we're planning to apply for adult education funding to keep it going."

l For more information about the training centre, or Bradford Day Shelter, ring (01274) 393234.