Open Door homelessness service in St Albans

Following a major redevelopment programme, Open Door in Bricket Road, St Albans now has excellent new facilities including 12 single bedrooms with wash facilities - so offering a much improved environment for homeless people that will help to promote their dignity, self-worth and self-esteem. Other improvements to the building include the extension of the communal areas to offer access to computers, so opening up on-line resources to help users back into longer term housing, education and work.

Revised room arrangements will improve the provision of counselling as well as access to physical and mental healthcare, so addressing the problems leading to their homelessness. The developments have also given access to homeless people with mobility problems.

The pressures on the staff and volunteers have been reduced through improvements to the kitchen, food storage, laundry facilities and the staff overnight accommodation.

As well as the improvements to the physical building, there is a daytime drop in service which offers counselling and access to physical and mental healthcare, so addressing the problems that can lead to homelessness. We will also be providing educational and training courses at Open Door including healthcare, IT, basic skills, CV writing and pre-tenancy training.

The Vision for the future of Open Door is in line with Hertfordshire Supporting People’s 5 year strategy and the Government’s rough sleepers strategy “’No one left out – Communities ending rough sleeping".