In 2021, Jeremiah Journey worked at a housing shelter in London run by Notting Hill Genesis. The shelter has 42 apartments and houses a mix of people, including those with various medical issues like mental health problems, alcohol misuse, homelessness, learning disabilities, cancer, amputations, dementia, visual impairments, diabetes, autism, and heart conditions, as well as those undergoing dialysis.
It is common for people living in the shelter to be referred by social services, the Housing Association, or council services. If not monitored and provided with services, the residents' needs and problems can be serious. Many programs and services have been cut in the shelter, which has led to a wider scope of needed services among the newer residents. We talked to residents about their health issues and challenges, and how they are getting support. Our research showed that no support services or workshops were being provided. These concerns became more serious during COVID and the lockdowns. Jeremiah Journey partnered with the resident committee at the shelter to create a COVID-19 support group for the residents.
Overall summary of the COVID-19 support group
The COVID-19 Support Programme ran for 14 weeks from January to June 2021. It had 5 participants and 1 facilitator to follow government guidelines. Although 16 people were assessed initially, only 5 could join due to COVID-19 rules. Sessions were held every Monday from 3pm to 4pm. The program focused on understanding each client's needs and building trust, allowing clients to guide their own care and find the best support. It also aimed to gather information upfront to avoid re-traumatization.
On the schedule were two important groups: one focused on COVID-19, running for 4 weeks, which addressed worries about health, isolation, and living conditions. It sought to find ways for people to get help, with peer support being one of the identified resources. The other group, running for 6 weeks, focused on mental health and well-being. It aimed to help participants differentiate between good and poor mental health, and to learn self-care strategies. Participants enjoyed activities like recalling childhood memories and understanding the importance of laughter, as well as working on improving their own and others' emotional well-being. The main goal of this group was to promote both physical and emotional safety.
The participants in the pilot program decided to focus on life skills for the last four weeks. These skills were tailored to each person's needs and provided a space to talk about getting support, whether from inside the shelter or outside, like going to the library or joining a walking group. The facilitator also spoke to the service users one-to-one several times to go through their stresses and concerns and offered advice and signposting where needed.