See list of shelters homelessfriends.org.za/shelters-cape-town.html
The following article has been written after several years of communication with COC fieldworkers, shelters and department social development and serves to smooth the way into shelter, which is to many, including NGOs a confusing path since many role players, not just shelters are involved.
The following process does not assume all people want access to shelter. Does not assume shelter is the best solution and does not assume people reasons for not wanting shelter do not have validity in terms of their own perception. Many crossed wires exist and shelter management is a complex issue where this article does not take sides of either shelter or street people where disputes.
However the article assumes it best to overlook these when one’s life and health is in severe danger from being on the street and first gain access as a priority.
Hopefully better communication. Better objective ways to resolve disputes can take place in time with the goodwill of all involved. The same applies to any organisation working with vulnerable people especially.. Continual improvement is always a must.
The following suggestions are made more or else in order likely to produce the best result, Option 1 being the most recommended, though each individual case is different
PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHELTERS
It is wise for person seeking shelter to be upfront about this and ask the social worker or field worker to be referred to a shelter they have not yet been to, if either :
1)They have been to a shelter in approx last 6 months its best to try another shelter and ask the social worker to arrange.
2) If there was a serious relationship problem with staff in a previous shelter, this method will save the person being possibly rejected in a shelter assessment process which must still take place not withstanding the referrals letter from DSD.
3) If for any other reason there is shelter a person doesnt want to attend, one can tell the fieldworker /social worker that, but its probably best to accept then, and in some cases one be placed further afield out of cape town, especially in winter due to shortage of space .
The social worker may not ask or be aware of the necessity of these questions so it’s best for you to tell them.
Option 1 below gives a person the opportunity to avoid as much unnecessary problems as possible but it has the disadvantage of a short waiting period.
The options below that are the ways of entry of increasing complexity and diffiuclty in most cases.
OPTION 1
You can either advise the person of the location or take the person to nearest dept. social development office, or take the person to the train station and give then return ticket to go to the nearest dept. social development offices in local area.
Here is the list of the social development offices.
https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/social-development/
In the peninsula social development offices are Fish Hoek in the main rd opposite the caltex garage ( black wndows )
Each shelter has different entry requirements in terms of relationships with people that have stayed in them before.
The DSD provides the means for the person to be subsided and avoids shelter fees if they are not working.
The person may have to wait some days –( One will be informed when to return with an appointment date ) and go back to the social development offices to get the letter stating DSD will subsidise the shelter fees if the social owrker deems that to neccessary,. The social worker will meantime liases with various shelters to find an opening . However be sure to be open and upfront about PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHELTERS (paragraph above). Make sure you get such a letter.
OPTION 2
One can also report to the City of Cape town emergency help line 0800872201 who will refer to fieldworkers, but personally I have never found success with this method though I am sure there are some successes. (many obstacles arises such as a fieldworker finding the person as many do not people without homes do not stay in the same place , and it’s not possible ) to show a photo of the person if they are willing . Fieldworkers are also very stretched in numbers so this can be a lengthy process.
OPTION 3
Send email to CoC social worker for fieldworkers lorraine.frost@capetown.gov.za with if possible photo and whereabouts, times names. Again CoC fieldworkers can only refer to shelter but shelter assesment still depends on many factors and same applies as in OPTION 2
OPTION 4
Phone a shelter and ask a CoC fieldworker van to pick up the person - it may take many hours and its very advisable to wait with the person and probably have relationship beforehand ,but it does notmean the shelter assessment will be passed. Depends on the persons shelter history. see points above .
OPTION 5 Advise the person to go a shelter morning . Shelters take on first come first served basis, depending on space. However assessment play a big role in gaining access and access is not guaranteed just by attending assessment. The shelter can refer to another if full as they have opening .
Bear in mind for people living on the street this option is sometimes difficult during winter because all shelters might be full often and people are not always happy to relocate to outlying area shelters.
__________________________________
Having said all of the above, one has to realize that most shelters are full with only intermittent spaces the deeper into winter one goes. Estimates are different but at least 4000 -6000 beds are short according to all newspaper reports for the last few year’s. On the other hand most people living on the street are not aware of these methods to gain access, so option 1 above would probably yield the best results ( allowing a 3rd party dept. social devpt. social worker to place on behalf) the earlier into winter one tries because spaces do exist before winter in many shelters
SUBSTANCES. click here for rehab centres
If anyone has substance addiction issues one can still attend shelters but it’s advisable for all concerned they first got to CoC MATRIX (outpatient) and have a screening. There are very few inpatient govt programs and they mostly are fuill with long waiting lists
A screening consists of blood test and questionare with social worker specialised in therapy. The persons motivation to be screened and assessed and attend individual and group therapy can be supported by shelters who in practice are supposed to give a lunch and transport to intensive rehab at a matrix centre.
OUT IN THE DAY
UTURN http://homeless.org.za/
Since most shelters require people to be out in the day Uturn Ministries in claremont also provide many services on a daily basis in claremont. intake times for services/ food/ ministry/ cloth ragging work to get food vouchers and clothes vouchers are 8.30am 11.00am and 2.30pm weekday ( gates are closed shortly after these times )
The following article has been written after several years of communication with COC fieldworkers, shelters and department social development and serves to smooth the way into shelter, which is to many, including NGOs a confusing path since many role players, not just shelters are involved.
The following process does not assume all people want access to shelter. Does not assume shelter is the best solution and does not assume people reasons for not wanting shelter do not have validity in terms of their own perception. Many crossed wires exist and shelter management is a complex issue where this article does not take sides of either shelter or street people where disputes.
However the article assumes it best to overlook these when one’s life and health is in severe danger from being on the street and first gain access as a priority.
Hopefully better communication. Better objective ways to resolve disputes can take place in time with the goodwill of all involved. The same applies to any organisation working with vulnerable people especially.. Continual improvement is always a must.
The following suggestions are made more or else in order likely to produce the best result, Option 1 being the most recommended, though each individual case is different
PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHELTERS
It is wise for person seeking shelter to be upfront about this and ask the social worker or field worker to be referred to a shelter they have not yet been to, if either :
1)They have been to a shelter in approx last 6 months its best to try another shelter and ask the social worker to arrange.
2) If there was a serious relationship problem with staff in a previous shelter, this method will save the person being possibly rejected in a shelter assessment process which must still take place not withstanding the referrals letter from DSD.
3) If for any other reason there is shelter a person doesnt want to attend, one can tell the fieldworker /social worker that, but its probably best to accept then, and in some cases one be placed further afield out of cape town, especially in winter due to shortage of space .
- WHO CAN GET ENTRY ? During the winter program June 5 ( +3 months) in adult shelters, any adult age, including pensioners can get entry, Out of the winter program this is not the case, except for possibly Oudsthoorn or Ceres Haven shelters.
- Couples cannot get entry in same dormitories but can where men and women dormitories exist.
- Parents with children can get entry only to the Ark and some womens shelters (link above)
- Non SA citizens can only get entry if they are legal refugees.
The social worker may not ask or be aware of the necessity of these questions so it’s best for you to tell them.
Option 1 below gives a person the opportunity to avoid as much unnecessary problems as possible but it has the disadvantage of a short waiting period.
The options below that are the ways of entry of increasing complexity and diffiuclty in most cases.
OPTION 1
You can either advise the person of the location or take the person to nearest dept. social development office, or take the person to the train station and give then return ticket to go to the nearest dept. social development offices in local area.
Here is the list of the social development offices.
https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/social-development/
In the peninsula social development offices are Fish Hoek in the main rd opposite the caltex garage ( black wndows )
Each shelter has different entry requirements in terms of relationships with people that have stayed in them before.
The DSD provides the means for the person to be subsided and avoids shelter fees if they are not working.
The person may have to wait some days –( One will be informed when to return with an appointment date ) and go back to the social development offices to get the letter stating DSD will subsidise the shelter fees if the social owrker deems that to neccessary,. The social worker will meantime liases with various shelters to find an opening . However be sure to be open and upfront about PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH SHELTERS (paragraph above). Make sure you get such a letter.
OPTION 2
One can also report to the City of Cape town emergency help line 0800872201 who will refer to fieldworkers, but personally I have never found success with this method though I am sure there are some successes. (many obstacles arises such as a fieldworker finding the person as many do not people without homes do not stay in the same place , and it’s not possible ) to show a photo of the person if they are willing . Fieldworkers are also very stretched in numbers so this can be a lengthy process.
OPTION 3
Send email to CoC social worker for fieldworkers lorraine.frost@capetown.gov.za with if possible photo and whereabouts, times names. Again CoC fieldworkers can only refer to shelter but shelter assesment still depends on many factors and same applies as in OPTION 2
OPTION 4
Phone a shelter and ask a CoC fieldworker van to pick up the person - it may take many hours and its very advisable to wait with the person and probably have relationship beforehand ,but it does notmean the shelter assessment will be passed. Depends on the persons shelter history. see points above .
OPTION 5 Advise the person to go a shelter morning . Shelters take on first come first served basis, depending on space. However assessment play a big role in gaining access and access is not guaranteed just by attending assessment. The shelter can refer to another if full as they have opening .
Bear in mind for people living on the street this option is sometimes difficult during winter because all shelters might be full often and people are not always happy to relocate to outlying area shelters.
__________________________________
Having said all of the above, one has to realize that most shelters are full with only intermittent spaces the deeper into winter one goes. Estimates are different but at least 4000 -6000 beds are short according to all newspaper reports for the last few year’s. On the other hand most people living on the street are not aware of these methods to gain access, so option 1 above would probably yield the best results ( allowing a 3rd party dept. social devpt. social worker to place on behalf) the earlier into winter one tries because spaces do exist before winter in many shelters
SUBSTANCES. click here for rehab centres
If anyone has substance addiction issues one can still attend shelters but it’s advisable for all concerned they first got to CoC MATRIX (outpatient) and have a screening. There are very few inpatient govt programs and they mostly are fuill with long waiting lists
A screening consists of blood test and questionare with social worker specialised in therapy. The persons motivation to be screened and assessed and attend individual and group therapy can be supported by shelters who in practice are supposed to give a lunch and transport to intensive rehab at a matrix centre.
OUT IN THE DAY
UTURN http://homeless.org.za/
Since most shelters require people to be out in the day Uturn Ministries in claremont also provide many services on a daily basis in claremont. intake times for services/ food/ ministry/ cloth ragging work to get food vouchers and clothes vouchers are 8.30am 11.00am and 2.30pm weekday ( gates are closed shortly after these times )