Opportunity Nottingham has come to a close and Changing Futures is now the main programme working to help improve the lives of people experiencing SMD in Nottingham.
Changing Futures provides specialist support for individuals facing Severe and Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) – a combination of a number of issues including homelessness, substance misuse, mental-ill health, interaction with the criminal justice system, and domestic abuse. Support from Changing Futures is likely to be most helpful to people who are struggling to get joined-up help across these areas at the same time.
Our aim is to provide person centred, flexible and specialist support (often through assistance from a dedicated Navigator) to help coordinate access to a range of assistance they need in a way that works best for them.
We deliver through a partnership of local agencies – Framework, Al-Hurraya, Juno and POW. This enables us to provide specific navigators for individuals who will benefit from support provided by a specialist agency. Embedded practitioners from the project work across probation, mental health services, GP alliance, Social Care and Housing Aid.
Changing Futures aims to work with some of the most complex individuals in Nottingham City. As such there is a threshold that individuals must meet to be accepted onto the programme. If you’re unsuccessful we will signpost to other more appropriate support agencies.
Changing Futures has a focus on lived experience and co-production. We have an Expert by Experience Board who play a key role in the programme. We also have peer mentors, individuals with lived experience, who are working alongside navigators to provide support to beneficiaries.
Making a referral
You can make a referral on behalf of someone you support; and the project also accepts self-referrals.
You can find the application form at http://www.opportunitynottingham.co.uk/changing-futures/ Please complete it as fully as possible and email to changingfutures.refs@frameworkha.org. If information is missing we will contact the referrer to gather the missing information.
The team hold weekly allocations meetings where all referrals are discussed. Following this meeting you will be contacted by a specialist navigator from one of the partner organisations to arrange an assessment.
If you have any questions or require help you can contact the Changing Futures Team via email or by calling 0800 0556191.