Grosvenor Family Lifehouse

31 January 2022

Guest speaker Pauline O'Donnell, Programme Co-coordinator Grosvenor Family Lifehouse in a well-received address advised how they offer a safe, supportive environment for families. She noted:

• they provide accommodation for 18 homeless families, who are vulnerable and in serious housing need, in Belfast in self-contained flats; they have 77 beds and currently are full with 27 adults and 49 children; they have a waiting list and flats when they become vacant are often filled within hours
• the 'families' are made up of gentlemen with children, couples, single mums and grandparents who have custody of the children who all have multiple complex issues and needs with adult ages ranging from single mums 17-18 to those in their 60's and children from babies to the age of 15
  they have a small team of 10 who work with the families helping them make positive changes to their current circumstances and attain their aspirations and learn new skills to help them settle in the community, in particular debt management as lost housing tenancy, due to inability to manage a budget, is frequently a cause of their needing to be there
• their main aim is to break the cycle of homelessness
• the average stay is 18 months to 3 years before re-housing; the length of stay being compounded by the lack of social housing being built and the growing number of needy families
• they use a holistic approach for every adult and child and particularly work with the children
• the staff ensure there is a safety net when they leave the centre

She stressed the success of the communal area created in 2016 and the subsequent purpose-built hub for programmes such as first aid training and even pre-Covid a tai chi class which she explained greatly helped with mental health issues and panic attacks. She highlighted that children suffered greatly with mental health issues during lockdown and that they had worked with each child separately. They have also created a sensory garden with trees, shelters and even an igloo, which is a safe place to play and especially during the pandemic was an area for socially distanced relaxation. She revealed that as their regular surveys of the residents indicate the usefulness of going for walks, they are now looking for finance to develop an area with fitness equipment for adults only.