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Community Gateway case study

Kernow Community Gateway has been piloting an outreach initiative with one of the high street banks. This is proving successful in reaching people who otherwise probably would not make contact. This pilot has led to opportunities / invitations to
provide presentations to teams and groups.

As a result of this we engaged with a client who was finding it difficult to get the support they needed. They are neurodiverse, with other underlying health conditions and because of their housing situation could not find a way forward.

The client lived in a caravan and was due to be evicted. The circumstances exacerbated the client’s vulnerability, further
complicated by them having dogs, their companions, making it harder to find accommodation. The client did not have any money, furniture, food, or a way to secure a deposit.

Whilst they were away from the caravan for an appointment, they had items stolen from their caravan (including money).

The client had been forced to rely on a local food bank and was facing a high possibility of having to live in a layby in their old car with the dogs.

It was not possible to arrange for a support worker to visit for a number of reasons, the remote geography and lack of services in the area, and the client’s concerns that being seen with support services would attract the wrong attention from the landlord and other site residents.

The Gateway team worked with the client to identify and prioritise what matters to them. A household support grant was applied for and was successful. Gateway colleagues liaised with other key organisations including St Petrocs, Adult Social Care, First Light, Pentreath, Cornwall Housing and Pentreath.

The client is now in temporary housing with their dogs awaiting a permanent home placement. The client has a support plan in place providing them with the ongoing support they need, with clear progression outcomes. The client is grateful and is more confident about their future.

This is a good example of how the Gateway can pull together a collaborative approach to support an individual who was in danger of slipping through a single service model approach.

Kernow Community Gateway