Our Ethos
1.
Respect
2.
Trust & support
3.
Empowerment Choice &
Change
4.
Safety & Security
5.
Equal opportunities
Respect
S.C.S will work to encourage, respect
between staff, volunteers, and residents.
This respect applies to the values and beliefs held by, different
people, from various backgrounds,
Residents are encouraged to feel that
S.C.S can help them regain some of the dignity and respect that they might have
lost on the streets, while homeless, by treating them as adults who have
meaningful, important lives rather than just providing a prescribed handout, of
actions required. In short, by, allowing choice. Respect involves treating
others as you would like to be treated yourself.
Trust
and support
Establishing trust enables S.C.S, to
communicate with residents, and for them to feel a sense of security. There are
always people around in hostels that will be available to listen to problems
and to turn to when support is needed.
Participation in duties and activities
can help residents to feel like they are part of a community, which in its turn
can foster trust and respect.
Empowerment,
choice and change
Homeless people are dis-empowered for a
variety of reasons; they tend to have been dismissed repeatedly until they feel
their thoughts, feelings and opinions are no longer of any consequence.
S.C.S aims to provide access to
information and referrals to people who will listen with an open mind, our hostels
can help bridge the gap between a person’s current situation and what they
would like to achieve in the future. S.C.S works alongside the residents, enabling
them to make their own choices.
However, the rudimentary nature of some
homelessness services can make providing choices difficult. Despite this, S.C.S
will try wherever possible to increase the range of choices available to our
residents, and recognise people as individuals, with needs and preferences.
S.C.S actively encourages, residents to have a Voice’
regarding what goes on in the project and is often the first step to taking more
fundamental decisions that will change the course of their lives. Sharing some
of the responsibility for how the service operates is another way in which
residents feel that they can be empowered.
S.C.S works towards making residents
aware of the choices that are available to them and to advise them where
appropriate. S.C.S aims to offer opportunities and enable change through empathy
and encouragement. Residents feel that living in a friendly atmosphere where
people help each other out, can lead to opportunities that might not be available
elsewhere.
Safety
and security
Living in a safe environment is a basic
human need. S.C.S has a responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment,
where there is no fear of abuse, attack or harassment.
A safe environment enables residents to move
on and can lead to various other further opportunities.
Encouraging residents to follow S.C..S
House rules through a consistent approach, and good communication system and
trusting one another can all contribute to keeping hostels safe for residents,
staff, volunteers or the surrounding community.
Equal
opportunities
The values of equal opportunities are
essential in all S.C.S hostels. Equal opportunities are based on the recognition
that some minority groups face discrimination in our society. Members of these
groups work and live in hostels.
Equal opportunities must go beyond a
written statement and strategy (although this is important) and be a part of
the day to day work and experience in projects. This can be achieved through
anti-discriminatory practice, evidenced through monitoring. For example,
promoting non-discrimination in areas such as warnings and exclusion. By
continuously monitoring the services provided, staff can work towards being
responsive to the changing needs of the resident group as a whole and recognize
and respect the diversity that exists.
The main objective for S.C.S is to offer
residents a better quality of life than they would be capable of obtaining.
Many decisions and actions contribute to this goal in the longer term, and
these are informed by the values held by S.C.S volunteers, staff and residents.
Therefore, it is important that these values are not taken for granted in the
bustle of life in hostels, but are identified, explored and built into all of
our day to day work and relationships.
