Our House project Our House Since 2020, Aspire Oxford; West Oxfordshire District Council and Cottsway Housing Association have been working in partnership to establish ‘Our house’, delivering young people's supported accommodation. Each partner has a different role, with Aspire providing support for participants, Cottsway acting as the landlord and the council providing funding and facilitating the move-on process into social housing. Our house supports single, under 35-year-old people in West Oxfordshire. Successful candidates have the opportunity to live in the shared house and share communal facilities such as white goods, communal areas, kitchens and gardens. The rent is set at an affordable rate, whether participants are in work or not, so they can reap the rewards of employment and save towards their goals. Participants on the project have access to holistic support to help identify their goals and gain the skills to live independently. We are client focussed so our support is based on listening to participants and allowing them to lead the way forward. We have a dedicated Employment, training and education support worker in house who tailors individual plans to help build confidence, work through issues and overcome barriers on the road to becoming ‘work-ready’. The goal of the project is to empower participants by giving them the tools and support needed to write their own story. When a participant moves on from the project, the hope is that they have gained the life skills to sustain their own tenancy, confidence and income through meaningful employment. Case study: DE DE joined the ‘Our House’ project in April 2020, working with the team to establish his requirements across education, training, employment and wellbeing, through the completion of an Action Plan and In-Work Support Plan, where he expressed interest in woodwork, working with motorbikes, and a desire to improve his mental health and stress management. Following a visit to the Sylva Foundation, DE was offered an opportunity to undertake work experience, and spent three months supporting preparation for new courses at the Wood Centre. He also embarked on a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) course at Activate Learning, a Self-Employment Course through Aspire’s ‘Enterprise Development Programme’, and engaged with Oxfordshire Mind ‘Mental Wealth Academy’ to address his mental health difficulties. DE was offered a bursary place on the Sylva Foundation’s professional course for a reduced fee funded by Aspire, and later undertook a work experience placement with Crawley Motorbikes. Ready for move-on, DE was offered accommodation through Clarion Housing, and was supported by Aspire to make the transition, and take his ‘Our House’ furniture to a new one-bedroom property in Chipping Norton to begin his new tenancy as an independent young person. Since completing his course with the Sylva Foundation, DE is now working on woodwork commissions for friends. He hopes to set up his own business, and continues to enjoy his passion of motorbikes alongside this! Get in touch For further information, please contact Emily Green on 07736 976496 or at [email protected]. To make a referral to the project, please complete the online form below. Links to the consent form and information sheet are at the bottom of the page: More informationConsent Form Manage Cookie Preferences