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Handcrafted Durham workshop

History

A trainee proudly showing his completed woodwork project

Since 2012 Handcrafted has been providing housing, support, training and opportunities to empower the most vulnerable people in society to do the hard day-to-day work of turning their lives around.

A newly refurbished apartment

We have developed a sustainable hub model that allows us to offer person-centred, holistic support in the communities where it is needed most. First established in Durham, this model has now grown across the North East, with hubs in Chester-le-Street, Gateshead, Sunderland and, most recently, Darlington.

Each hub is based in an area of high deprivation and provides a welcoming place where people can find community, practical support, training and opportunities to rebuild their confidence. While our model is consistent, each hub is shaped by its local area. We work closely with local authorities, community groups and partner organisations so that our support responds to the specific needs, strengths and rhythms of each community.

A climbing wall with two Handcrafted residents on it. Stood on the floor below is a Handcrafted housing support worker, who look

Our work focuses on people facing multiple and complex barriers, including homelessness, unemployment, care experience, offending histories, asylum or refugee experience, addiction, poor mental health, disability and domestic abuse. Because these needs are often interconnected, our support is holistic, practical and relational. We help people build stability, confidence, skills and a stronger sense of belonging.

In 2023, we developed Engage, our specialist provision for 16–25-year-olds. Working across the region, Engage supports young asylum seekers, refugees and care leavers to build stability, independence and community. Alongside housing and practical support, the team creates opportunities for young people to experience ordinary parts of young adulthood they may have missed, including friendships, shared meals, sport and learning new skills.

Image depicting someone helping another person up a mountain

Testimonials

There are countless challenges and barriers between our Fairchance service users and a healthy, productive and satisfying life.

We often use the term ‘chaotic lifestyle’ to describe the multitude of issues they face, and we contrast this lifestyle with an ideal that is secure, positive, stable and fulfilling. Often people looking in on the lifestyles of our service users find them intimidating, disorientating and full of risk – it should be no surprise that the same is true the other way around. For our service users who are looking into employment, education and stable accommodation, what they often see is a very unfamiliar culture and environment that they are unable to navigate.

Handcrafted helps to bridge this gap. It’s a middle ground between work and leisure where our service users are building confidence, self-esteem, working relationships, responsibilities, a sense of achievement. As a natural consequence of this and armed with the skills necessary to make this transition our service users are developing goals and ambitions and making plans for the futures that they are beginning to see as a reality for themselves.

Joe, Fair Chance Project, Oasis Aquila Housing

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