St Mungo's - OxSPOT
Oxford Street Population Outreach Team (OxSPOT)
OxSPOT
Doesn't provide shelter
Provides guidance
Doesn't provide new skill learning
Accepts time
Doesn't accept things
Accepts money
Service Type
Outreach/needs identification
Service Description
St Mungo's OxSPOT is commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council to provide a comprehensive outreach service for rough sleepers in Oxford city.
The team works 4 to 5 shifts per week in all areas of Oxford—with a mixture of mornings and nights—to ensure each rough sleeper is reached.
Key functions & activities offered
The OxSPOT team works on an assertive outreach model, engaging and supporting people sleeping rough. The focus is on achieving the best for the individual, which normally means working alongside a range of different support agencies to achieve a holistic plan around someone’s needs—mental or physical health, substance use, offending, or benefit issues—with a view to helping them secure and maintain accommodation.
The team’s ethos starts from a simple premise that rough sleeping and living a street lifestyle is harmful and dangerous.
- The team offers a holistic service, taking into account the needs of each and every individual to ensure that service is tailored to their needs
- They take a determined, energetic and assertive approach—they do not give up on individuals, supporting them until they are in a safer environment
- OxSPOT believes that with the right assessment, help and support, individuals can and will make positive choices
- The team delivers a consistent message from the first meeting: that rough sleeping and negative street activity is damaging to the client and the wider community
- OxSPOT works closely with a range of support services, which often attend street outreach alongside the team
- These services take part in designing and delivering the care package with the client and their OxSPOT worker