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.
We have developed a sustainable hub model to deliver our person-centred, holistic approach. And have scaled it across the North-East, first in Durham then to Chester-Le-Street, Gateshead and, recently, Sunderland.
Our hubs are based in areas of high deprivation to provide a welcoming community and holistic support. We ensure our hubs are flexible, able to adapt to their area’s specific needs by working alongside local councils, community groups and organisations.
The focus of our work is supporting people with multiple, complex needs from disadvantaged backgrounds, who we find most benefit from a holistic approach designed to meet their interconnected needs. Their needs include a combination of factors such as homelessness, unemployment, leaving care, leaving prison, seeking asylum, addiction, mental health issues, disability, and domestic abuse.
In 2023, we began our specialist young person’s provision for 16-25s, the Engage Hub. They work across all of our areas supporting and housing young asylum-seekers and refugees, and care leavers with complex needs.
I have been able to make a number of referrals to Handcrafted of local individuals who have been out of work for quite some time, and who lack self-confidence and experience. It is a very nurturing environment, which enables people to grow not only in a skill (such as woodwork), but to also grow as individuals.
Handcrafted builds the confidence and self-worth of everyone they engage with, and provide a second to none experience.