OSW as an organisation is committed to client participation to influence how homeless services can best respond to the multiple needs of homeless individuals.

What is Participation?

The basic principle of participation is to consult with and actively include service users in the decision making process. It's a process of involvement which empowers individuals and creates projects and services based on need rather than assumptions.

Why participation?

There are many benefits to client participation for both the homeless individual and their organisation or service provider.

The benefits to the homeless individual:

• Empowerment;
• Sense of ownership of projects;
• Gain awareness of organisational decision making and funding;
• Gain practical skills and knowledge;
• Builds self esteem and self awareness;
• Gain confidence in voicing their own opinion;
• Move towards self help; and
• Receive services which are responsive to their needs.

The benefits for the organisation:

• Ensures that homeless individuals are the starting point for services, which are based on research and consultation with homeless individuals rather than making assumption about needs.
• Breaks down barriers between staff and homeless individuals;
• Homeless individuals provide their 'insider' knowledge to improve the organisation's services;
• Readdresses the power balance by including those previously excluded;
• Participation helps to move homeless individuals towards employability.

Ladder of Empowerment Model

The Ladder of Empowerment provides a framework with which to define and recognise participation activity. The ladder model has been developed and used by homelessness and social care service providers as a useful point of reference to demonstrate the different levels of participation in their service.

The ladder has five rungs, with each rung acting as a stage in the gradual process of empowerment, starting with "information" at the bottom and leading up to the top rung of "control". Below is an explanation and examples of participation within OSW at each level.

Information - Bottom rung. This level is about sharing information and ensuring that homeless individuals have the power to make informed choices and decisions.

• OSW's Volunteering Guide (88 Kb) is an information guide for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
• The Active Futures project host volunteering fairs where homeless individuals can find out more information on volunteering opportunities and meet the project workers.

Consultation - 2nd rung. This level is about ensuring that homeless individuals are offered choices on the development and direction of an organisation or service. Their views and opinions are actively sought by the organisation on how to improve existing services.

• OSW's No Home, No Job (225 Kb) report included a survey of 300 homeless individuals, interviews with 200 individuals, and 10 focus groups.
• OSW consulted hostel residents from across agencies that make up the Pan London Providers Group (PLPG), about the Transitional Spaces Project (TSP). The objective of the exercise was to gain the views of hostel residents on the proposed TSP service. At the time of consultation, while a model of delivery had been devised, it had not been finalised, so the consultation was timed to give people a genuine opportunity to shape the 'final product';.

Influence - 3rd rung. At this level homeless individuals are contributing their ideas for change and improvement and they having a direct impact on service delivery. As they have power to effect decisions and the work of the organisation.

• OSW's Client Policy Forum meets on a regular basis to discuss our policy and research work, and through their feedback directly influences and shapes the development of future OSW programmes.

Partnership - 4th rung. At this level, users have equality with staff and equal power. Each partner is equally important for the partnership to work.

• OSW's research programme employing homeless individuals to conduct peer interviews and research into employment success factors.
• The Active Futures programme conduct volunteering interviews where both the Project Officer and the homeless individual discuss what the individual wants to achieve and then put together an action plan.
• The OSW Homeless Customer training programme developed and facilitated by homeless individuals.

Control - Top rung. At this level, homeless individuals would be fully represented in the decision making structures of, and directing the work of an organisation or project.

• The OSW Empowerment and Innovation Fund was directly targeted at homeless individuals, giving them the opportunity and means to develop and manage their own employment projects.