We work with those who are sleeping rough, at risk of street homelessness, working towards recovery from substance misuse and individuals with a history of offending behaviour.
About First People Housing CIC - Building strength and opportunity for individuals facing homelessness and adversity.
First People Housing CIC provides a safe haven, empowers residents through holistic support, and fosters pathways to stable housing and a brighter future.
Who do First People Housing CIC Support?
At First People Housing CIC, we empower individuals facing various challenges on their path to independence. Our doors are open to those who:
Have experienced homelessness: This includes individuals who are currently sleeping rough or at risk of losing their homes.
Are seeking recovery from substance misuse: We provide a supportive environment for individuals working towards overcoming addiction.
Carry a history of offending behavior: We believe in offering opportunities for change and reintegration into the community.
Additional eligibility:
Clients must be twenty-one and over
Can be from anywhere in the UK
Currently we only support for men
Must have a National Insurance number and ID (out of date is fine)
Eligible to receive housing benefits within the UK
To ensure we can provide the best possible support, we conduct interviews with all potential clients based on their completed referral forms. Please make sure the referral form is as detailed as possible to help us understand each person’s unique needs and circumstances.
The interview is more like a friendly conversation to determine if our services are the right fit for each person. In some cases, we may not be able to accommodate everyone’s specific needs, and we'll be sure to let you know why though.
We are located in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, we prioritise supporting individuals within our local community. However, we extend a welcoming hand to those seeking assistance beyond county lines.
We currently offer 86 beds across fifteen properties, exclusively serving male residents. One of these properties, Oxford First, is dedicated to individuals who have recently completed a detox program or are seeking ongoing “clean” recovery support.
Looking ahead, we will be creating a supportive living environment for women fleeing domestic violence, seeking independence and personal growth but are not struggling with addiction,
Our focus remains on creating a safe and supportive environment, empowering individuals by encouraging growth and inspiring change.
How do we support our clients?
Clients are offered therapy, one to one key working, referrals to specialist agencies where appropriate and opportunities to work towards education, training and employment.
We recognise that some people have further to go than others so clients can stay with us for up to two years, at which point we will support them into more stable housing in the Private Rented Sector or Social Housing.
How we support our clients:
We support our clients in learning how to maintain a tenancy, with budgeting their money, cooking and other daily tasks.
They have a set of rules to abide by to keep everyone safe.
There are no drugs or alcohol allowed in the property and no visitors and are subject to random room and drug tests which they agree to before they move in.
“The clients are very lucky to have an organisation such and First People Housing CIC supporting the clients this way. It radically improves their future opportunities and chances of succeeding.”
— Client's Probation Officer
How are we funded?
We currently are a Community Interest Company and therefore Not-For-Profit. This means that if we made a surplus, we would be reinvesting it into improving the local community (Hertfordshire), for example renting new properties to support more clients.
We claim Housing Benefit as Exempt Accommodation which funds the rent and pays for the accommodation costs for the clients. This does not pay towards the support given for the clients. This is grant funded. We are currently converting to a charity.