About us

What we do

Number 11 is based in the community of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent and aims to provide long-term, sustainable and holistic care to those in need. We believe that addressing the source of problems is the key to providing the best solution. We’re here to support people to move from a place where they are dependent on charitable help to a place where they are self-sustainable. Rather than being target-driven, we focus on the person, instead of allowing people to fall through the gaps between the many existing support services.

Our community of Burslem is ranked amongst the most deprived in the country. The Super Output Area Statistics show that the town is in the top 5% most deprived areas of England and almost 40% of Burslem residents are unemployed. At Number 11, we want to address these issues and bring about transformation and restoration to the community.

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Number 11 Journey of Change

It’s important to us that every individual who accesses Number 11 can see where they are and where they’re going on their own individual journey towards self-sustainability. Our ‘Journey of Change’ helps clients to plot their progress as they make their way through an interactive 5-stage process from ‘Stuck’ to ‘Independence’.

All of our clients receive 1:1 support whilst doing this from their assigned peer mentors. The journey may be challenging for many and some may take longer than others, but we are committed to support every single person, wherever they find themselves.

Re-build

From chaos to stability

 

Many of those visiting Number 11, first come to us in crisis – often stemming from problems outside of their control. Our focus is on getting to know the whole person, their story and where they’ve come from. We work with clients to identify the roots and causes of problems, but also we look at what makes them tick, what they like doing, which methods help them engage and how they would like to move forward.

We then begin a bespoke coaching and mentoring process, beginning to address some of these root causes, this is often a long and complex process and whilst we have many different evidence-based models that we use, there is never a one size fits all, and so we emphasise thinking creatively to make sure each individual’s journey is tailored to them.

This is not a quick process, imagine you’ve suffered decades of abuse, struggles with addiction or mental health issues – it doesn’t get fixed overnight. This is why we’re in it for the long run,  as we know a plaster over the problem doesn’t work. In order to help clients break down entrenched behaviours, develop healthier coping strategies and see sustainable change in their lives we need to give individuals the time they really deserve. This then provides the platform by which they can begin develop hope, aspirations and a life they feel has purpose.

Re-engage

From isolation to inclusion

 

For many in our community, loneliness and boredom are an everyday reality and struggle. Our Re-engage activities go alongside our Re-build programme, seeking to help everyone feel part of the community through providing a family, a listening ear, laughter, and well-being support, alongside more structured leisure and group activities.

Our centre is based around a Pay-As-You-Feel Cafe, as mentioned this is firstly because we know the value of good nutrition – but most importantly it’s because we know that eating together helps us build community and break down barriers. Our focus in the cafe is on creating a family, with lots of laughter, games and fun. Whilst offering the quality in our services is vital, ultimately, we’re aware that it’s not programmes and services which change lives, but instead it’s relationship, and so creating a family runs through the heart of all we do.

On top of this we run workshops focussed on bringing people together. Whether it’s music, arts and crafts or group games, we’re simply providing our clients with opportunities to develop relationships which don’t have an agenda. These support networks are vital for those going through other programmes, such as Re-Build. We were made to do life together and that’s what Re-Engage helps our clients to do.

Next steps

From hopelessness to employment

 

Next Steps is our latest programme, which is designed to support individuals into employment, taking them from positions of hopelessness to aspiration and from unemployment to finding work. Once clients have built stable foundations by accessing the different services within the Re-Build programme, opportunities are provided to improve one’s knowledge and education through a range of interactive workshops and educational courses. Core subjects such as I.T, English and Mathematics are on offer to clients and they also have the opportunity of gaining official, accredited qualifications. Additional workshops are on offer which are designed for individuals to develop and improve their social and practical skills such as cooking, budgeting and gardening.

Having provided opportunities for learning, clients are then encouraged to find employment. We do this by offering a range of interactive workshops, which are focused specifically on topics such as Searching and Applying for Jobs, CV building and Interview Technique. At this stage, clients are also provided with opportunities to develop their work experience by engaging in community and enterprise projects as well as exploring the idea of committing themselves to volunteering at local organisations and services. Every client’s progress is tracked thoroughly and any progress made is recorded and monitored throughout the Next Steps programme.

Can you support our clients on their journey?

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