24-hour supported
living services
Established in 2014, Supporting Lives is a trusted provider of 24-hour supported living services and accommodation for those in need. We work alongside local councils, the local police force, charities, and churches to support positive, sustainable changes for vulnerable people. We operate across North East England, including South Tyneside, Durham, and Northumberland.
Stage 1
Our properties offer emergency accommodation and self-sustained assessment suites for those who are referred straight from the streets and/or for those who present with complex needs. Risk is reframed into keeping yourself and others safe and administered through holistic, ongoing, live processes. This is supported by a CRM system that regularly reviews all static and dynamic risk factors as part of an integrated care planning function.
Support Lives referrals
Referrals are accepted via integrated and direct priority pathways including local authority teams, prison leaver services, probation, Criminal Justice diversion schemes and self-referral. Following orientation and comprehensive needs' assessments, residents will be placed within the most appropriate accommodation. This will be in a longer-term stage 2 accommodation unit, or stage 1 until the behavioural expectations required for stage 2 are met.
Stage 2
Stage 2 at Supporting Lives offers residents an environment where they are encouraged to learn and adopt positive behavioural change, all whilst improving their physical health, mental health, and wellbeing. Stage 2 shifts the narrative away from focussing on what’s wrong (symptom-focused assessment and care) towards what’s strong within a person (resilience, transferable skills, and personal experience).
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An emphasis on assertive linkage to mutual aid, community assets, educational resources, and the integration of positive support networks are key to our approach. We firmly believe these are vital to support independent living and reintegration.
ACCOMMODATION AT
SUPPORTING LIVES
Hill Top House in South Shields offers 19-bed spaces and is supported by four 9-13 bed units within walking distance of the main unit.
Supporting Lives do not impose timeframes on residents in stage 1 or 2. We believe behavioural change is not a linear process and people change at their own pace. Instead, our approach encourages the pursuit of valued goal setting with the resident and co-production of individual care plans.
Stage 3
During stage 3, Supporting Lives will provide residents with a move on the option to access a 12-week, phased abstinent-based behavioural change programme that prepares them for independent living by and community reintegration by:
Recognising, levering, and building personal, social, and community change capital
Developing new coping skills and motivational strategies that will empower people to build positive social networks
Identifying and achieving behaviour change using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques and other therapeutic interventions
Empowering individuals to self-manage their own lives through skills development and therapeutic tuition
Enabling people to achieve the highest levels of physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing
Supporting people to transition their lives from a culture of addiction to a culture of change and recovery
Assessing and facilitating the development of independent living, employability, and social skills
We are committed to supporting long-term sustainable change by developing key recovery attributes: strength, wellbeing, resilience, personal and social responsibility, meaning and purpose
WHAT TO EXPECT
24/7 SUPPORT STAFF
At your service, whenever you need us.
PARKING
We have parking availability on and around our premises.
BREAKFAST
We provide continental breakfast between 8-9am.
FREE WI-FI
We provide free Wi-Fi in all our properties.
LAUNDRY
Washing machine and tumble dryers available with soap powder and softener.
GARDENS
We have gardens with picnic benches, perfect for enjoying the sunshine.
LOCAL NATURE SPOTS
All our properties are short walks from the beach, with nearby parks and cafes, too.
CONVENIENT AMENITIES
We have markets and shops close by, and excellent bus and Metro links.
Getting back to basics
Did you know Supporting Lives has a smallholding for livestock and agricultural projects? Working in a communal farming environment fosters a strong sense of community and comradery amongst our residents. What's more, it provides an opportunity to reconnect with a sense of purpose and accomplishment. After all, following a day of rearing animals and growing your own food, how could you feel anything else? By introducing a smallholding alongside our supported living services, our residents can channel their energy into something meaningful. Beyond that, we've discovered this kind of experience can lead to a new hobby and for those so inclined, even employment opportunities.
Work with Supporting Lives
Do you share our passion for supporting lasting, positive changes for those most in need? We're here to help others on their journey to independent living. Would you like to be a part of that? With a range of paid and voluntary positions available, we'd love to hear from you.