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Useful Helplines & Websites

by emmawalsh — last modified 2007-03-07 04:20 PM

This page provides a signposting service for homelessness agencies, homeless people and those threatened with homelessness and others.

All information on this page was correct at the date it was published. If you find any information which is incorrect, or if you have any other useful links or helplines that you would like to share with others please contact us. Homeless Link is not responsible for the content of any external websites.

Advice

Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) - advice.

Childline - for children and young people in trouble or danger. Helpline - 0800 11 11 (open 24 hours)

Samaritans - for anyone experiencing emotional crisis and at risk of suicide. Helpline - 0845 790 9090 (open 24 hours) jo@samaritans.org

Shelter - nationwide housing advice and Shelterline. Helpline - 0808 800 44 44 (open 8am-midnight 7 days)

Asylum/Refugee/Immigration

Asylum Aid - advice. Helpline - 020 7247 8741 (open Mon 2-4.30pm and Thurs 10am-12.30pm)

Harpweb - advice and briefings for refugees.

Immigration Advisory Service - advice. Summaries of their service are available in other languages.

Praxis - refugee communities online. Resources and information.

Refugee Action - advice.

Refugee Council - advice and support for asylum seekers and refugees.

Charity Management/Governance

ACAS - works with employers and employees to improve relations. A-Z listings of work related issues. Helpline - 0845 47 47 47

Charity Commission - resources and information regarding registering and running a charity.

Health & Safety Executive (HSE) - information, research and resources, including useful publications and free information leaflets.

Information Commissioner - information on Data Protection Act 1998 and other legal issues, such as the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

National Association for Community and Voluntary Action (NAVCA - formerly NACVS) - information and resources from a network of 350 CVS and other local voluntary and community infrastructure organisations throughout England.

Domestic Violence

Crime Reduction - Domestic Violence mini-site - information and resources, including the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004.

Department of Health - domestic violence - a resource manual for health care professionals.

Men's Aid - support and advice for male sufferers of domestic violence. Contact through their email support@mensaid.org

NADA (North Somerset Against Domestic Abuse) - the organisation has been set up to support and empower women survivors of domestic abuse and to co-ordinate services available to people in North Somerset affected by domestic abuse.

National Domestic Violence Helpline - provides access to 24 hour emergency accomodation. Helpline - 0808 2000 247

Women's Aid - policy and information. Services also available for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, along with The Hideout - information service for children and young people experiencing domestic violence.

Drugs & Alcohol

Alcohol Concern - information and resources.

Department of Health - substance misuse - useful links and information.

Down Your Drink - 6 week online programme to help reduce drink intake.

Drinkline - individual help and advice. Helpline - 0800 917 82 82

Drugscope - information, publications and training.

Exchange - comprehensive free online information on drugs, harm reduction, needle exchange, safer injecting, drug treatment etc.

Home Office - national strategy and general information.

KFx - Learning of Substance - for a thorough sample drug policy, legal advice on storage of medicines and more.

Release - information around drugs, the law and human rights. Helpline - 0845 4500 215 ask@release.org.uk

Talk To Frank - help and advice. A-Z of drugs. Helpline - 0800 77 66 00 frank@talktofrank.com

Ethnic Minorities

Commission for Racial Equality - legal advice. Helpline - 020 7939 0204 (open 10am-12pm and 2-4pm daily)

Operation Black Vote - supports ethnic minority groups and assists in finding information on Black/Asian MPs/Counsellors. Available in other languages.

Ex-Offenders

NACRO - crime reduction charity. They help find practical solutions to reduce crime.

Revolving Doors Agency - work to improve the lives of people who are caught up in a damaging cycle of crisis, crime and mental illness.

Ex-Service Personnel

Combat Stress - is the Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society. For over 80 years, they have been the only services charity specialising in helping those of all ranks from the Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy suffering from psychological disability as a result of their service.

Royal British Legion – providing financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants. For general enquiries call Legionline 08457 725 725 (open 9am-4pm Mon-Fri)

Soldiers' Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association (SSAFA) - national charity helping serving and ex-Service men, women and their families, including widows and widowers in need. Eligibility for help is one day's service in any of HM forces, including the Reserves and National Service. Contact 020 7403 8783 or info@ssafa.org.uk

Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation - registered social landlord which provides housing and enabling services to disabled and homeless ex-Service personnel. Contact 020 7385 2110

Veterans Agency - an MoD agency that offers help to those who have left armed services. Helpline - 0800 169 2277 or Textphone - 0800 169 3458 (open 8.15am-5.15pm Mon-Thurs and 8.15am-4.30pm Fri)

Finance

National Debtline – for free confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems. Helpline – 0808 808 4000

Health

Department of Health - provides policy information covering a wide range of topics. A-Z listing.

NHS Direct - online health information and self help guide. Helpline - 0845 46 47 (open 24 hours)

Royal Women's Hospital (RWH) - offers health advice to women. Factsheets available in many languages on contraception, pregnancy and childbirth.

Human Rights

Liberty - help and legal advice. Helpline - 0845 123 2307 (open Monday 6.30pm-8.30pm, Wednesday 12.30pm-2.30pm and Thursday 6.30pm-8.30pm)

Medical Foundation - support and advice for refugees and asylum seekers who have experienced torture and other human rights abuse.

Your Rights - guide to Human Rights Act 1998.

LGBT

The Queer Youth Alliance - the national organisation run by and for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Young People.

Silence is not golden – Making a stand & raising awareness of homophobia and homophobic hate crime throughout all areas of society

Broken Rainbow – supporting people who have suffered/are suffering lgbt domestic abuse

London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard - providing information, support and a referral service for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people from all backgrounds throughout the United Kingdom.

Pink Parents - aiming to reduce the isolation and discrimination that LGBT families and families to be face.

Lesbian & Gay Switchboards – Links & details of national and international lesbian & gay switchboards

Safra Project – working on issues relating to lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender women who identify as Muslim religiously and/or culturally (Muslim LBT women)

Stonewall Housing – England’s only lesbian & gay housing association

The Albert Kennedy Trust works with young LGBT people who are homeless or a risk of becoming homeless to ensure they have accepting and supportive homes.

Mental Health

Combat Stress - is the Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society. For over 80 years, they have been the only services charity specialising in helping those of all ranks from the Armed Forces and the Merchant Navy suffering from psychological disability as a result of their service.

Department of Health - mental health - useful links and information.

Mental Health Foundation - useful information. See the people & issues section for specialist information.

MIND - advice. Helpline - 0845 766 0163 (to locate your nearest centre)

National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) - offers tailored support to local communities and works in partnership with others to support mental health service improvement.

Revolving Doors Agency - work to improve the lives of people who are caught up in a damaging cycle of crisis, crime and mental illness.

Missing Persons

Message Home - passes messages onto families if person feels unable to call themselves and is away from home. Helpline - 0800 700 740 (open 24 hours)

National Missing Persons Helpline - enquiries about missing persons. Helpline - 0500 700 700 (open 24 hours)

Runaway Helpline - confidential helpline for young people up to the age of 17. They pass messages to families and will help the caller talk to social services and police. Helpline - 0808 800 7070 (open 24 hours) help@runawayhelpline.org.uk

Older Homeless

Better Government for Older People (BGOP) - partnership of organisations working to change attitudes and improve services for older people across the UK.

Help the Aged - advice, policy and information.

UK Coalition on Older Homeless - the Coalition is a UK lobby group of housing and homelessness agencies concerned with raising the profile of older homeless people in the UK.

Policy/Information Services

Crisis - information, policy and research. Good data bank of downloadable research.

Homeless Link - policy updates and general information.

Homeless London - information on services, good practice and local borough information.

Homeless Pages - information on publications and training in homelessness.

Parliament - policy and bill information. Information on MPs etc.

Resource Information Service (RIS) - specialist information service. London hostels directory etc.

Shelter - advice and support. They also provide a site for Shelter Cymru and an information site for the Homelessness Act 2002.

Self Harm

National Self Harm Network (NSHN) - has been a survivor-led organisation since 1994. They're committed campaigners for the rights and understanding of people who self-harm.

Samaritans - for anyone experiencing emotional crisis and at risk of suicide. They have a very good self harm information section detailing research on self harm and a useful factsheet. Helpline - 0845 790 9090 (open 24 hours) jo@samaritans.org

Self Injury and Related Issues (SIARI) - aims to raise awareness about self-injury, as well as offering hope to those who self-injure, their families, and those who work alongside people who hurt themselves.

Young People & Self Harm - provides information and resources for young people experiencing thoughts of self harm or those close to someone who self harms. There is also a guide to local services nationwide.

Single Homeless

Homeless Places Project - provides a detailed picture of the emergency services available to single homeless people in the UK (outside of London).

Supporting People

ODPM - Supporting People - general information about the SP programme.

SITRA - Helpline 0870 162 0746 (for SP providers)

Trade Unions

Trade Union Congress (TUC) - the site offers support on all areas of employment and workers rights, including useful details on maternity rights. workSMART is a host site of the TUC relating to issues around health at work, money etc.

Translator/Language Services

BBC News - up to date information and world news. Currently available in 43 languages.

CITAS - community interpreting, translation and access service. 55 languages and British Sign Language (BSL).

Language Line - interpret and translate in over 150 languages.

Refugee Council provides a free downloadable language identification chart.

Youth Work

Barnardo's - resources and information.

Runaway Helpline - confidential helpline for young people up to the age of 17. They pass messages to families and will help the caller talk to social services and police. Helpline - 0808 800 7070 (open 24 hours) help@runawayhelpline.org.uk

Talk, Don't Walk - provides support, advice and guidance to young people who have run away, or are thinking of running away. Helpline - 0800 085 2136

The Hideout - information for children and young people experiencing domestic violence.

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