First Step assessment centre
E: foyers@east-thames.co.uk
T: 020 8472 3845
F: 0208 472 3898
Lady Helen Seymour House, Florence Road, Plaistow, London E13 0DW
About First Step assessment centre
Opened: July 2002
Units: 22
First Step provides an assessment centre service for our foyers in east London. First Step provides a pre-Foyer assessment process by which we work with young people to answer the question "is a foyer the most suitable place for you?".
First Step offers a wide range of training and development opportunities to young people. These range in type and style from basic skills sessions to health related sessions.
How does First Step work?
First Step provides a residential or non residential assessment service. There are 22 residential places at any time.
The service aims to answer the question above, by working with the young person in key work sessions, looking into their background and conducting assessments to ensure that the foyer programme is best suited to their needs and aspirations. We can not guarantee move-on accommodation.
The work with the young person and the background information gives us a chance to assess the appropriateness of the foyer in terms of:
Helping the young person to define and meet their career goals.
Helping overcome the problems and challenges they might be facing.
Helping secure and provide any specialist support the young person might need.
How long does it last?
The assessment usually takes 6 to 10 weeks and the young person is engaged in the process throughout. If both the young person and the First Step team agree a foyer is appropriate, they will be moved on to the foyer.
Where the assessment process concludes that a foyer is not appropriate we assist the young person in finding more suitable accommodation that can better meet their needs and aspirations.
Who are our services for?
All applicants to our foyers who have been identified as falling within our target group and have had an Initial Housing Interview and a Careers Assessment will come to First Step for assessment.
This means that those coming to First Step are 16 -23 years old, have a local connection to the Borough in which the referring foyer is based and are in housing and training need.
Core sessions:
- group induction
- what’s it like to live and learn in a foyer?
- health advise
- basic skills screening
- anti social behaviour: what is that?
- fire safety
- residents meeting
These services are restricted to First Step residents.
Depending on the young persons’ needs there will be other sessions available. These sessions provide preparation for life in the foyer:
- basic skills support
- effective communications
- cooking & food hygiene
- diversity awareness
- basic home maintenance
- housing rights & options
- money management: how do I pay my rent?
- From NEET to EET; advice on further education, training and jobs
These services are restricted to First Step residents.
We can also ensure specialist support is available for the following needs. This can be in group or individual sessions:
- drug or alcohol counselling
- breaking the cycle of offending behaviour
- mental health support
These services are restricted to First Step residents.
