Story: Carl Rose
Woodside is a supported, residential housing project for 16–18 year olds who have left care homes. Situated on Christchurch Road, it aims to provide sheltered housing with a dedicated team of staff on hand twenty-four hours a day to support the residents.
On arrival at their open day, I was greeted by the Team Leader, Clive Harris, who talked me through some of the aims of Woodside, which is run by Progressive Care, and he offered to show me around:
“We don’t just offer accommodation and staff supervision, we provide support in training and education, plus teach the young adults life skills and coping strategies to help them in their future. The young person’s needs are continually assessed to make sure they are getting the best from us.”
Clive, a lifetime Burngreave resident, talked of how the project is perfectly located. “It offers residents an experience of multicultural inner-city living. The young people come from care homes throughout the UK to Woodside, so this environment gives them great exposure to a cross-section of communities”.
Clive is trying to organise training and apprenticeship schemes with businesses in Burngreave, offering the residents work experience in a local setting.
Before leaving, I was given a quick tour around one of flats. It was fully furnished, with a kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. Woodside also has a security system in place to help the residents feel safe. I left Woodside feeling pleased care leavers are offered such great support at such a potentially vulnerable time in their lives.