Origins
The project was imagined and developed as 411 HUB by our CEO, who brings nearly 20 years’ experience in working for AMAT UK.
Relaunched as part of AMAT’s 25th Birthday, The Hive provides a ‘one-stop shop’ of services, activities and opportunities, in addition to support led by, and for, homeless people in Medway.
Based at 411 High Street, Chatham, The Hive aims to be a psychologically-informed environment – welcoming, comfortable, and safe; working with a strength-based approach, to engage homeless adults in finding the relevant support for them to help rebuild their lives.
This community space aims to support Homeless and Vulnerable Adults to:
- Make positive social connections within their community and feel welcome and supported, leading to reduced social isolation and improved confidence and self-esteem.
- Address the issues that contributed to their homelessness and improve their physical and/or mental health.
- Fulfil their aspirations for volunteering, life-skills development, training, education, and employment.
- And ensure that people at risk of homelessness receive timely advice and support to prevent homelessness.
People become homeless for different reasons. Our Residents often have multiple and complex needs, in addition to their housing needs. This can include poor physical health and mental health difficulties, alongside harmful coping mechanisms often caused by past trauma and abuse, or adverse life events, such as bereavement, job loss or relationship breakdowns. Being homeless can, in turn, make many of these problems even harder to resolve, as barriers can prevent Residents accessing appropriate services.
A snapshot of the homeless community that The Hive engages with reveals:
- 99% are unemployed
- 90% report a mental health issue, yet only 66% have a mental health diagnosis
- 74% have physical health problems and 37% have a physical or learning disability
- 56% have had police involvement, 46% having been convicted of an offence
- 33% report struggling with alcohol issues and 57% cite drug misuse
The services operating from The Hive offer a 360-degree support model that is based on the needs of each individual, resulting in more meaningful engagement and outcomes. Services operating from The Hive are centred around Physical and Mental Health, Addiction, Housing, improving literacy and numeracy, reducing social isolation, and improving self-esteem. You can see our list of partners here
If you’re a Resident with AMAT UK, find out more information on what’s available to you at The Hive here
