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Health and Homeless Programme

Health and Homeless Programme

We’re all at risk of chest, heart and stroke illnesses but for those who are homeless, the risk is even greater and often, they don’t have access to a GP or the conditions that support healthy lifestyle choices.

Chs 6937
Chs 6960

Our Health and Homeless service aims to raise awareness of healthy living and help to reduce the risk of chest, heart and stroke conditions. This service is currently available to homeless hostels and drop-in centres in the Belfast and South Eastern areas. Funded by the Public Health Agency, it prioritises families and young people who are homeless.

  • Well Space is delivered over a one-year period within the Belfast and South Eastern Trust and encourages hostels to embrace healthy options and people who are homeless to incorporate health and wellbeing practices into their day-to-day lives.

    It involves:

    1. Registration of Interest
      • Registration of Interest Form signed off by management
      • One-to-one online meeting to discuss programme and hostel background
    2. Survey
      • Sent out to staff and clients to assess health needs
      • Top three health priorities selected to tailor health and wellbeing needs for the hostel
    3. Health Champion Training
      • Both staff and clients are encouraged to take on this role
      • Action Plan developed by health champions with support from NICHS and with a focus on health priorities
      • Completion of hostel health policy
      • Mental Health First Aid Training
    4. Delivery of Action Plan
      • Services delivered should be in line with health priorities and public health campaigns
      • NICHS will support delivery of services and provision of resources
      • Peer-to-Peer Support Session for Health Champions
    5. Completion of Programme
      • Survey resent to staff and clients to assess changes in lifestyle behaviours and impact made
      • Celebration event
      • Opportunity to progress into another year of the programme to update skills through training and continue to provide services in line with new health priorities from the survey and public health campaigns

  • For those not taking part in Well Space, we also provide the following services:

    • Wellness Webinars
    • Online Lifestyle Health Check
    • Online Cooking Sessions
    • Health Promotion Information
    • Healthy Recipe booklets
    • Advice and support

    To book any of these services please contact our Health and Wellbeing Coordinator via email healthpromotion@nichs.org.uk or call 028 9032 0184.

Bookings and Enquiries