How you can help
How to find us
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SIFA Fireside works with those
who are homeless, affected by alcohol or
otherwise socially disadvantaged
Volunteering
We have a team of around 50 volunteers who
help with sorting donations, making and serving food, helping in the office and fundraising.
Please see our separate volunteering leaflet for
more information.
‘Supporting independence from alcohol and tackling homelessness’
SIFA Fireside
empowers and supports people to meet
their short and long term goals
Donations
We appreciate donations of long-life food,
toiletries, clean adult clothes, sleeping bags
and blankets. All food must be within date
and not damaged. Donations should be
dropped off Monday-Friday between 10:00am
and 1pm. Please visit our website for more
information: www.sifafireside.co.uk/
supp_donate.php
48-52 Allcock Street
Digbeth
Birmingham
B9 4DY
Tel: 0121 766 1700
Fax: 0121 771 4666
Email: [email protected]
Website:
www.sifafireside.co.uk
SIFA Fireside is a company Limited by Guarantee
Registered in England No. 3094905
Charity No. 1049728
Call us on:
0121 766 1700
Visit our website:
www.sifafireside.co.uk
Our Service Users
In Birmingham the official statistics indicated
that in 2009/10 4,193 people presented as
homeless, although this does not include the
‘hidden homeless’ such as those who are
staying with friends. The main causes of
homelessness are relationship breakdown, a
violent partner or substance misuse, although
there are many other factors that contribute to
homelessness, such as social exclusion,
unemployment, poor education and poor mental health. Each year SIFA Fireside helps over
2,000 people in Birmingham, with a variety of
problems including homelessness and alcohol
misuse. Around 80-100 people attend each of
our drop-in sessions every week day.
How we can help
Drop-in
On weekdays we have two drop-in sessions
per day. One runs from 9:00am to 10:30am
which provides breakfast and a range of other
services including accommodation advice and
help with phone calls. Showers and laundry are
also available for rough sleepers. Our
lunchtime drop-in runs from midday-1:00pm.
Subject to availability during this time we can
provide food parcels as long as the recipient
has a referral
Alcohol Service
Keyworking
SIFA Fireside works with people who are concerned by their use of alcohol.
After an initial assessment the client is assigned a keyworker who will help them to
monitor their alcohol use and then gradually
reduce it to a level they are comfortable with.
Our outreach service and Hospital Liaison
workers can also carry out assessments.
Alternative therapies
We offer Auricular Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy
and Electric Stimulation Therapy to any of our
clients where we and the client feel it is
beneficial. These treatments can help people
with alcohol problems, sleep problems and
anxiety.
Social Inclusion
To promote physical, social and mental well
being, we run a range of social activities on
weekdays including gardening, art courses,
music workshops, discussion groups, a book
club, a health forum, performance arts,
football training, interior design, basic IT, an
English club, photography and film groups.
Some of these activities are provided in
partnership with Crisis Skylight.
Mental Health support
SIFA Fireside has a Mental Health Link Worker
who provides information and advice as well as
sign posting to other more specialist agencies
and we work closely with Birmingham &
Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust’s
Homeless Mental Health Team.
Resettlement Service
The Resettlement Team can help people in receipt
of benefits find independent accommodation as
well as providing on-going support.
They can also help anyone with
a pin number from Birmingham
City Council, Midland Heart or
Family Housing to bid online for
Council let housing through the Home Choice
letting scheme. A drop-in for this service is
provided from 11:00am to 1:00pm every
weekday (except Wednesday).
Employment & Training
Once a person feels able to make
a regular commitment they can
access education and training
including practical experience
through our Volunteer
Development Programme. Please see the
VDP leaflet for more information.
We also run a weekly Job Club which offers
help with CVs, job applications and interview
skills
Accessing our services
Individuals can self refer through our drop-in
sessions or over the phone. Agencies must fill
in a referral form available from our website.
Please visit our website for full details:
www.sifafireside.co.uk/serv_referral.php