My G.A.F.F Leeds (MGL), is the new name for the government funded initiative that hopes to prevent young people who have a history of street homelessness and /or rough sleeping from developing entrenched behaviours that will impact their ability to maintain successful accommodation in the future. MGL formally single homelessness accommodation project (SHAP) is located in a purpose build building named Lowell House situated in Beeston, Leeds.
We support 5 young people aged 18-25. We are a mixed gender building and are able to accommodate all young people. We accommodate young people who have faced multiple complex and significant difficulties and disadvantages and aim to provide them with a safe and secure environment in which to develop living skills and positive outcomes for the future.
We provide intensive support over a three year period in order to promote independent living skills and future tenancy readiness. We work in a holistic and person centred way, that aims to remove the barriers that have previously impacted tenancies and previous accommodation placements. We specialise in providing a service that is different in its approach to the young people we work with. We focus on giving every young person the autonomy to make decisions about where they live and their support needs. We are led by the young person and their needs, wants and champion their voices and opinions.
We work in partnership with Barca and in addition to an allocated intensive housing support worker within the property, each client also has a dedicated Barca navigator to support them in the community and to access services and support.
We are supported by an art therapist who can provide 1:1 sessions or group activities and a mental health practitioner who is supported by a clinical psychologist to provide structured support to the young people.