Advice, Support, Information and Encouragement
Archway - New Marston Pastoral Centre, Jack Straws Lane, Oxford, OX3 0DL - 01865 790552 - www.archwayfoundation.org.uk
email: office@archwayfoundation.org.uk
We aim to relieve the distress caused by loneliness. Through a variety of activities we support and befriend those experiencing isolation, by offering a supportive service and by providing opportunities to meet with others in the central Oxford area. Activities on Monday evenings, Wednesday mornings as well as occasional outings. A befriending service is also available.
Office hours: Monday to Tuesday 9.30a.m. to 4p.m., Wednesday to Friday 9.30a.m. to 1.30p.m.
Aspire Oxfordshire - Unit 8, Thames Business Advice Centre, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0DR - 01865 256816
e-mail: oxford@aspire-online.com
Aspire provides full time employment for homeless and ex-homeless people. It also provides support to help cope with the transition from homelessness into full time employment and the training and advice to help people move on into other work. Aspire runs a fair trade catalogue company and employees are expected to deliver and pick up catalogues in the Oxfordshire area. They are also starting up a new gardening business. Referral is via a form filled in by a care worker or equivalent, although anyone with an interest in Aspire is welcome to pop round for a chat and meet the Aspire team.
Office hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Blackbird Leys Advice Centre - 96 Blackbird Leys Road, Blackbird Leys - 01865 770206
Advice and information on a whole range of issues including benefits, debt and housing. Just drop in or call. Free legal advice clinic by appointment and advice on racial issues also by appointment.
Opening hours : Monday, Friday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Citizens Advice Bureau - 96/97 St Aldates - 01865 247578 - www.communigate.co.uk/oxford/citizensadvicebureau
Drop-in advice on benefits, debt, employment rights and legal issues.
Opening hours : Monday 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Thursday 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Connection - Pathway Building, Dunnock Way, Blackbird Leys - 01865 711267
e-mail: cn-oxford@btclick.com
The Connection floating support team works to provide a support service for single people who may be having difficulties coping. Support is provided in people's own homes, whether council, housing association or private rented housing. There is no one specific client group, but people who use the service may have mental health support needs, or drug and alcohol problems, or young people who have been homeless. Those with multiple problems and who do not get help from statutory services are particularly suitable. Clients will get weekly to monthly visits from a support worker for a period between 3 months (e.g. for resettlement) or up to 2 years or longer depending on need. Advice is given on benefits, rights, bugeting and independent living skills, contact with other services and daytime activities, and isolation. Emotional support is also provided. Self-referrals are accepted, as are referrals from Social Services, Oxford City Homes, Cherwell or Oxford Housing Associations, Probation and the voluntary sector.
A good time to contact the Connection team is between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Elmore Community Support Team - 23 Park End Street - 01865 200130 - www.elmoreteam.org.uk
email: info@elmoreteam.org.uk
The Elmore Community is a small independent team of support workers, supporting single people over 16 who are either living in the community or sleeping rough. They offer a variety of services including help with benefits, housing, dealing with police or solicitors, as well as emotional support. The Elmore Community is particularly designed to provide help for those people who are otherwise ‘difficult to place’, who perhaps have a combination of some of the following: mental health problems, learning difficulties, offending, substance misuse, self harm, accommodation problems, or difficult behaviour. The office can be found above the Day Centre.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Face 2 Face Youth Counselling - Union Street Education Complex, Union Street - 01865 251000
Counselling for young people (aged 9-25) who live in Oxford City. The counsellors work at a range of times in a range of places - such as youth clubs, schools, social services offices or doctors’ surgeries.
ISIS Counselling - Little Clarendon Street - 01865 556648
Free NHS counselling and psychotherapy service for anyone in Oxfordshire. ISIS provides both one-to-one and group counselling sessions. To be accepted onto the waiting lists clients can simply complete a self-referral form, or visit their GP or doctor at Luther Street.
A limited number of evening appointments are also available.
Opening hours : The office is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oxford City Detached Youth Project - Old Cells, Prison Yard, New Road - 01865 815054
Drop-in advice is provided Monday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. At other times the team aims to be out and about, forming supportive relationships with young people aged between 14 and 25 who, because of their circumstances, are unlikely to gain that support in other ways. The team hopes to be able to: enable young people to take more control of their lives, to liase and act with and on behalf of these young people within the wider community, to develop relationships of trust, confidence and mutual respect to enable young people to use workers in a confiding, advisory and advocacy rôle, and to make contact on young people’s territory, begin the association on their terms and respond to their agenda. No files or records are kept on the individuals who use the project. Whilst referrals are not accepted, the Project is happy for young people to be put in touch with them, to use them as they wish.
Opening hours : Drop-in advice is provided Monday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Oxford Community Mediation - Regal Community Centre, Ridgefield Road - 01865 776789 - www.medox.org.uk
email: medox@btconnect.com
Oxford Community Mediation works with people in dispute (neighbours, families, work mates, young people in school or college, landlords and tenants etc.) to bring about a resolution. Typically the service sees each party individually, and then arranges a joint meeting. The service is independent, confidential and free of charge, although people who self-refer are encouraged to make a voluntary contribution to the charity's costs if they are able. The service takes self-referrals, but also takes referrals from Housing Associations, Local Authority, Environmental Health and Housing Departments, the police etc.
Opening hours : Telephone Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Oxfordshire Relate - 33 Iffley Road - 01865 242960 - www.relate.org.uk
email: enquiries@national.relate.org.uk
Provides a consultation service and confidential counselling to individuals and couples about any aspect of an intimate relationship, as well as psychosexual therapy. The cost of a consultation, counselling or therapy session is £30 and there is a scheme for anyone who cannot afford this. Everyone is welcome regardless of ability to pay and regardless of marital status or sexual orientation.
Opening hours : Monday to Friday 9.30 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. ; Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Salvation Army Outreach Project - St Giles Church Hall, Woodstock Road - 01865 515012;
07718 754967 / 07764 228480
The Salvation Army provide drop-in and telephone advice and information as well as blankets and food packages, shower facilities, hot drinks, and clothing.
The project aims: to make contact with rough sleepers in and around Oxford. To provide information, advice, encouragement and support to rough sleepers, building trusting relationships with those clients enabling them to move off the streets into accommodation. To work to find the best "fit" between individual client needs and the available resources. When appropriate accommodation is secured, follow-on support is offered to the client to help them maintain their tenancy.
The NCDL Hope Project is also based here - helping dogs whose owners are homeless or in housing crisis. Opening hours : Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
Nurse Practitioner on Monday morning for 2 hours.
Addictions Nurse Specialist on Wednesday morning for 2 hours
Computer Training on Wednesday mornings.
Saint Thomas’ Contact Assessment Team (CAT) - Oxford City Council Town Hall, St Aldates - 01865 252217 or 252342; mobile: 07813 206239 or 07813 210839
The Saint Thomas’ CAT has 3 outreach workers providing advice, advocacy and resettlement support for rough sleepers. Following initial assessment, workers can (a) link people up with hostels and housing agencies within and outside of Oxford; (b) arrange, when available, hostel accomodation anywhere in the country; (c) provide travel fares for resettlement / move-on purposes. Referrals are accepted by phone, letter, or through personal contact from an involved agency.
Thames Valley Probation Service
Thames Valley Probation Service supervises offenders on both Community Orders and Prison Licences. It has two offices in Oxford: Albion House in central Oxford, and Temple Cottage in Cowley and there are two Approved Premises in Oxford (formerly known as Probation Hostels). There are also offices in Abingdon and Banbury.
Albion House, Littlegate Street, Oxford, OX1 1JN. tel: 01865 240750
Temple Cottage, 164 Oxford Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 2LA. tel: 01865 775482
Victim Support - 5 London Road, Bicester, Oxon, OX26 6BU - 0845-4503883 - www.victimsupport.org.uk
email: oxandbucks@victimsupport.org.uk
Victim Support provides telephone advice for anyone who has been the victim of rape or other sexual assaults, domestic violence or any other crime. People can also be visited in their own homes, or they can visit the above address. Referrals are accepted from the police and from other agencies; self-referrals are also welcome.
