Support services
Supporting families and individuals to address a variety of challenges in their lives
Supporting families and individuals to address a variety of challenges in their lives was at the core of Family Gateway when we were established in 2011, and continues to be an invaluable avenue for impact in the community today.
Our Family Entrepreneurs, Community Entrepreneurs, Health and Wellbeing Coaches and Young Person’s Family Entrepreneurs all work in a uniquely hands on manner, tailoring their approach to fit perfectly to each case. The Barefoot Professional Model means that our staff are able to understand some of what their service users are experiencing, as they’ve quite often experienced it themselves. Money worries, housing trouble, debt, challenging behaviours in the family. We can look people in the eye and tell them we feel what they’re going through, and offer real word strategies that allow them to build their way towards the life they want.
The support we offer is completely bespoke to each case. Our Family Entrepreneurs are flexible and adaptable; ready to create wraparound services as unique as the people they’re supporting. From advocating for families in court, to reconnecting people to nature through gardening, we’re experts in helping people find what they need and providing it to them.
Health and Wellbeing
Working in partnership with Wallsend and North West Primary Care Networks, we employ 2 Health and Wellbeing Coaches to help local people address and remove barriers to their physical and mental wellbeing. The aim of this project is to give people an alternative to their Doctor when tackling these issues, and allow them the chance to see a professional in a more welcoming and community-focused environment.
Individuals must be registered at one of the GP practices within Wallsend PCN or North West PCN: Bewicke Medical Centre, Village Green Surgery, Hadrian Health Centre or Garden Park Surgery.
Looked After Care
This project is designed to ensure the best outcomes for parents and young people who are involved in the Care System. Our staff work with families and professionals to counter the issues that have caused involvement from Social Services, with the ultimate end goal of keeping families together.
We advocate for families in professional settings to ensure they understand what is required of them, and the steps they need to take to move forward. In our experience, misunderstanding of process can contribute to friction between families and statutory services, and our staff use their deep knowledge to bridge this gap.
In situations where removal of a child is deemed necessary, we are able to facilitate contact in a safe environment at Howdon Community Hub.
Support is available for families living in North and South Tyneside, with a Child in Need Plan, Child Protection Plan, or Kinship Carers.
Youth Support
We’re able to provide direct intervention in cases of young people, aged 11-25, who are presenting with challenging behaviour, at risk of being excluded from school, involved in low level ASB, a victim of crime or exploitation or struggling to manage their mental health and emotions.
Our Family Entrepreneurs are able to build meaningful rapport with young people and help them work out a way past the issues in their lives. We can support people directly in education settings, in their homes and can refer them into rewarding activities at Howdon Community Hub and with our partner organisations.
School Support
For Schools and Education settings who want to compliment their existing provisions, we can offer embedded support for young people. We offer the opportunity for schools to commision a Family Entrepreneur, who can focus on supporting pupils in their school who are struggling with all of the issues addressed by our Youth Support services.
Drop-in Support from our partners
Shelter:
Shelter join us every Friday, 1:30pm-4pm to offer free advice around housing, homelessness and renting.
Help for Heroes:
Join us at the Hub on the second Wednesday of every month, 10am-12pm for the Veteran’s Café, where you can learn more about the programme of support and activities for our military community.
