Life at our accommodation on Gresty Road is about having fun, being part of a community, learning new things and having the opportunity to create a new future. There is a Games Lounge where residents can play snooker, pool or table tennis, access the internet or just chill out.
There is also a Music Cafรฉ, laundry room, a gym and a communal courtyard. Residents all have their own rooms with an en-suite bathroom and shared kitchen. Those engaging in YMCA life can progress to one of our larger self-contained apartments. When people feel ready to move out into independent accommodation, they can join the Resettlement scheme.
Everyone has the right to live in safety, free from abuse. The person causing the harm may be a stranger but, more often than not, youโll know and feel safe with them.
There are many forms of abuse and neglect.
Sexual abuse includes
Physical abuse includes
Psychological abuse includes
Domestic abuse isย typically an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse by someone who is, or has been, an intimate partner or family member.
Discriminatory abuseย includes some forms of harassment, slurs or unfair treatment relating to your:
Financial abuse could beย someone stealing money or other valuables from you. Or it might be that someone appointed to look after your money on your behalf is usingย itย inappropriately or persuading you to spend it in a way youโre not happy with.
What to do if you are being abused or bullied
Donโt worry about making a fuss โ tell someone you trust as soon as possible.
If you feel you have been abused or bullied in any way, please report this to a member of staff, ideally your Housing Coach or our Designated Safeguarding Officer. If the allegation is against a member of staff, you can speak directly to the Housing and Support Manager or the CEO. There are signs up around the building with their phone numbers on, or just call 01270 257673 and ask for the number to report a safeguarding issue.
If you prefer, you can talk to your GP or social worker or contact the Cheshire East Safeguarding Team on 0300 123 5010 (0300 123 5022 evenings and weekends). If you believe a crime has been committed, talk to the police or ask someone you trust to do so on your behalf.
Your licence agreement gives full details of our house rules at 189, but you canโt go far wrong if you:
Aggression & Violence
Residentsโฆ
Drugs & Alcohol
Residentsโฆ
Visitors
What’s Curfew?
Curfew is 12:30 a.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday
Curfew means you canโt:
You canโt make noise at any time that might disturb other people
Clothing
When downstairs, you must be suitably dressed in the opinion of the duty officer. This means:
Fobs
People In Your Room
It is important for staff and residents to have a good working relationship, so there is a code of conduct that Housing Coaches abide by. Housing Coaches cannot:
These are some of the ways you can progress beyond the GLO Academy whilst youโre living at 189.
You can get involved with:
We are always looking for ways that residents can be involved in the running of YMCA Cheshire and our other activities.
Why not join in with KIT, GLO academy sessions, or even volunteer within one of our departments?
Would you like to be on the Resident Rep group, meeting regularly to put forward new ideas?
Come and see any of the support or engagement staff for more information
Housing Coaches will discuss resettlement with you within the first 4-8 weeks of you arriving. This doesnโt mean that youโll be expected to start looking for somewhere else to live straightaway! Itโs just that some people are ready for independent living immediately whereas others benefit from the support that YMCA Cheshire offer over a longer period.
You need to be:
Most residents move out into social housing. The houses are owned by organisations such as the Guinness Partnership and Your Housing Group, but you bid for properties through the local council through a website called Cheshire Homechoice. Your Housing Coach will help you apply. New properties are added each day so itโs important that you keep checking and making sure you bid regularly!
Youโll also have a better chance depending on what band you are placed in. The bands go from A to E, with A being the highest priority and E being the lowest.
Remember that there are 20,000 people on the waiting list for housing in Cheshire East! Show housing associations (and private landlords) youโd be a better tenant than other applicants by:
You can also move into private accommodation, but be aware that you arenโt entitled to much housing benefit when youโre under 25 so it might not be affordable for you. Some landlords are also unwilling to accept tenants in receipt of benefits so you may find it more difficult than social housing.
Once youโve been offered a property, there are several more stagesโฆ
We want to hear from you!
At YMCA Cheshire we really value your views and opinions and have made positive changes to the way we work by listening to your feedback and suggestions.
If youโve got suggestions,
