Homeless hostel

thefires

I got my dole suspended cause I'm not a registered address when u receive a cheque of the homeless section they give you a form to sign of an Dublin civil agency

Do you have to stay in these homeless hostels or can I just sign in and walk out and get myself a normal hostel ???

bluemartin

thefires wrote: »

I got my dole suspended cause I'm not a registered address when u receive a cheque of the homeless section they give you a form to sign of an Dublin civil agency

Do you have to stay in these homeless hostels or can I just sign in and walk out and get myself a normal hostel ???

I don't quite understand your question, I gather you have been booked into a homeless hostel and now you have to present some proof you are residing there so as to get your benefits reinstated?

Unless you can afford to move out and stay in a 'normal hostel' I would advise you to stay in the homeless hostel for the simple reason they are professional working there you can assist with your move towards more permanent accommodation. In other words stay within the system and you are more likely to be accommodated sooner.

thefires

Do u really need to stay in these homeless hostels when you get your homeless payment ???

babyblue84

Hey there, as faf as i know in order to keep receiving a payment from homeless persons unit you need to be linking in with homeless services and staying in hostels. are you currently staying with family/friends?If so, have you gone to see community welfare officer?

thefires

babyblue84 wrote: »

Hey there, as faf as i know in order to keep receiving a payment from homeless persons unit you need to be linking in with homeless services and staying in hostels. are you currently staying with family/friends?If so, have you gone to see community welfare officer?

Ok , does anyone know if these are professionally run places ???

Mrs OBumble

thefires wrote: »

Ok , does anyone know if these are professionally run places ???

Well I would expect that all the workers there have social care qualifications. Whether you consider that professional or not, I don't know.

Avada

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Well I would expect that all the workers there have social care qualifications. Whether you consider that professional or not, I don't know.

In a lot of cases the staff don't have social care qualifications (I know of 3 people working in one's in Dublin that don't).

Roselm

thefires wrote: »

I got my dole suspended cause I'm not a registered address when u receive a cheque of the homeless section they give you a form to sign of an Dublin civil agency

Do you have to stay in these homeless hostels or can I just sign in and walk out and get myself a normal hostel ???

I think you need to ask your Community Welfare Officer. If a homeless hostel can count as an address then maybe a certain period in a normal hostel does. It's definitely worth checking out.
There may well be profesionals at homeless hostels but as far as I know also drug use or if not drug use on the premises then people who use and may try to get you using too.

thefires

Roselm wrote: »

I think you need to ask your Community Welfare Officer. If a homeless hostel can count as an address then maybe a certain period in a normal hostel does. It's definitely worth checking out.
There may well be profesionals at homeless hostels but as far as I know also drug use or if not drug use on the premises then people who use and may try to get you using too.

So these are basically dodgy places !! And there is a difference between homeless hostel and your normal backpacker hostels ?? Really frightened about living in these places !!!

Gatling

Roselm wrote: »

There may well be profesionals at homeless hostels but as far as I know also drug use or if not drug use on the premises then people who use and may try to get you using too.

A bit of an odd statement to make

thefires

thefires wrote: »

I got my dole suspended cause I'm not a registered address when u receive a cheque of the homeless section they give you a form to sign of an Dublin civil agency

Do you have to stay in these homeless hostels or can I just sign in and walk out and get myself a normal hostel ???

Hi! I used to volunteer with homeless services. You must stay in accommodation for homeless people that is provided by the council. The ones I worked with were chaotic, but not all of them are. A handful are far nicer than backpacker hostels.

If you want to pm me, feel free.

There's nothing to be frightened about in engaging with homeless services. It isn't all drug users and alcoholics, and some hostels are strictly drug free. But do engage and stay in the accommodation.

thefires

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Hi! I used to volunteer with homeless services. You must stay in accommodation for homeless people that is provided by the council. The ones I worked with were chaotic, but not all of them are. A handful are far nicer than backpacker hostels.

If you want to pm me, feel free.



There's nothing to be frightened about in engaging with homeless services. It isn't all drug users and alcoholics, and some hostels are strictly drug free. But do engage and stay in the accommodation.

Ok , was sent to one already in Dublin 8 , as soon as I got there , they where kicking the heads of each other , didn't Evan go in I was that terrified !!!

Extremely worried about the whole thing

thefires

thefires wrote: »

Ok , was sent to one already in Dublin 8 , as soon as I got there , they where kicking the heads of each other , didn't Evan go in I was that terrified !!!

Extremely worried about the whole thing

I know it's frustrating going back to the council, but do go back and tell them this. Go early...20 mins before they open, and queue. That's when lists are emptiest. There might be a one-night bed in the smaller, peaceful hostels, or you might be lucky and get a longer stay, those vacancies open up fairly regularly.

I was a floppy haired little jellyfish when I volunteered with these places & although i saw plenty of fights, was never once attacked nor did i get much aggression (In fact, the opposite). I know it's not really the same thing. I'm only trying to show you that quiet guys will get ignored as a rule, and staff will take care of you if they see you're worried.

If you don't stay in some homeless accommodation nobody can pay you. Do you have somewhere for tonight ?

dar100

Stay for one night, get your form stamped and go back to where you are presently staying.

Alternatively, ask someone you know that owns their house to let you sign on from their address.

thefires

So I can't stay permanently for awhile in a homeless hostel ???? No wonder people are homeless !!!

Avada

thefires wrote: »

So I can't stay permanently for awhile in a homeless hostel ???? No wonder people are homeless !!!

Of course you can, but your question was do you have to.

thefires

thefires wrote: »

So I can't stay permanently for awhile in a homeless hostel ???? No wonder people are homeless !!!

Pretty much.

There are 2 broad categories of hostels - per-night, and medium stay. All of the 'entry level' homeless hostels for men are per-night, i.e. you ring the freephone number every evening.

You would be very lucky to get into an indefinite place in a medium-stay hostel straight away (they're for people ready to move into private living). That used to be v. rare when I was volunteering, I expect it doesn't happen at all these days.

I'm frustrated even writing this, so i'm not defending it. It's a stupid system.

dar100 wrote: »

Stay for one night, get your form stamped and go back to where you are presently staying.

I wouldn't advise this because the hostels share info with the Council. I've never been on the council side so unsure how often they check the lists, but it's a risk.

btw, in case i was unclear, although you probably won't get an indefinite bed in the nicer, medium-stay hostels, you might get one night here & there, or for a few nights. Always try.

the_syco

thefires wrote: »

So these are basically dodgy places !!

Not really. A lot of people are homeless because they have their own daemons, and some turn to drugs and alcohol to escape them.

thefires wrote: »

And there is a difference between homeless hostel and your normal backpacker hostels ??

I think the homeless hostels are €4 a night, although that could have changed, and the backpackers are a lot more. You'll get drug use and alcoholics in both, except some of the hostels are "dry" (alcoholic free) hostels. Perhaps get to the queue early, and ask for a dry hostel. It'll probably be quieter, but someone may smuggle a naggin in.

thefires wrote: »

Ok , was sent to one already in Dublin 8 , as soon as I got there , they where kicking the heads of each other , didn't Evan go in I was that terrified !!!

As said, get in early. Otherwise you'll be given somewhere where there is a free space. And it seems you found out why there is a bed not taken; no-one else wanted to go there!

It would be interesting to hear the experiences of anyone who has used homeless services in the past few months. Have things changed much?

After that misfortunate man died on the threshold of Leinster House, the Minister promised a bed for anyone who wanted one up until Christmas. He didn't say anything about the period after Christmas, or not that I heard.

bluemartin

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

It would be interesting to hear the experiences of anyone who has used homeless services in the past few months. Have things changed much?

After that misfortunate man died on the threshold of Leinster House, the Minister promised a bed for anyone who wanted one up until Christmas. He didn't say anything about the period after Christmas, or not that I heard.

Not everyone homeless will want to enter a homeless hostel. As outlined above many are too scared of the fights, the drunks and the drug culture. In addition many are fearful of being attacked due to former issues with homeless people in a particular area. They are numerous complex issues with homeless people and there is no one size that fits all. Homeless hostels can be tough environments to live in and work, one never knows when a client will overdose, threaten suicide, self harm, start a fight etc. In addition many because of their addictions cannot abide by the rules of the hostels and often end up being evicted shortly after being admitted. You just have to be compassionate and show empathy to all thosr you come into contact with. Many people are only one paycheck away from homelessness especially in the present tough economic conditions.

Homelessness will never disappear completely, we just have to cope with it as best we can.

the_syco

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

After that misfortunate man died on the threshold of Leinster House

He was addicted to heroin, and sold two houses that his mum had given him. No-one is beyond help, but you must first want help, and some people don't.

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

the Minister promised a bed for anyone who wanted one up until Christmas. He didn't say anything about the period after Christmas, or not that I heard.

From what I've heard, the amount of homeless beds have dropped.

The_Conductor

There were a number of emergency accommodation beds opened on a temporary basis in the run-up to Christmas. Fast track approval was given by the councils to open the units- which were mostly in the Dublin City Council jurisdiction. They were temporary beds, opened on a temporary basis- and its my understanding that they have subsequently been closed.

OP- you do need to liaise with the homeless organisations- such as the Peter McVerry trust (there are several others too). Not all homeless accommodation units allow alcohol and/or other substances- and most have very strict rules associated with them.

I don't know the current homeless numbers for Dublin (which is where over 90% of all Ireland's homeless congregate- the numbers in our other urban centres are far smaller in comparison)- but from talking to some volunteers- they are still substantial- though possibly falling in number.

While I have never had the misfortune to be in your situation- what I would suggest is as a very minimum- to liaise with one of the homeless groups to at very least comply with the requirements to have your social welfare benefits restored. Once your social welfare benefits have been restored- you have more options open to you.

I really hope things work out for you- I know people like me can never fully understand what you're going through- please take care.

the_syco

the_syco wrote: »

He was addicted to heroin, and sold two houses that his mum had given him. No-one is beyond help, but you must first want help, and some people don't

According to his former partner he had been in treatment & wanted help.

I said the man was misfortunate, which he was. I think he died with enough indignity without totally irrelevant strangers squabbling over his conduct.