Night Safe Haven coming to Great Yarmouth

I would like to tell you about a new project starting up in Great Yarmouth. I work for St John Ambulance in Norwich as their Youth and Community officer. In conjunction with the NHS and Norfolk police we are aiming to provide a safe haven along the seafront each Saturday night between 2100hrs and 0300hrs. This will be manned by volunteers and St John first aiders. I set the Norwich SOS Bus project up in 2001 and also help set up 12 further projects around the country. I have now been tasked with doing the same in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. I have always approached local churches when trying to build the volunteer bank as I find people have so many skills to offer the project. I am able to offer training to the team as well. I very much need volunteers to help.

 

Please contact me, Colin Lang MBE, at

 

tel: 01603 431639

email:  mailto:colin.lang@norfolk.sja.org.uk?subject=NIGHT%20SAFE%20HAVEN%20IN%20GREAT%20YARMOUTH&body=I%20am%20responding%20to%20the%20article%20on%20Network%20Yarmouth%3A%20%0D%0A

 

 

  

The Night Safe Haven Project provides a ‘first point of contact’, signposting, and first aid to people who are experiencing health, social/emotional problems and which are causing their well being to be threatened. The Service is operational on Saturday nights and is designed to:-

 

·        Meet the needs of any person in Gt Yarmouth’s night time economy.

·        It is a first point of contact for those whose well being is threatened by:

·        Inability to get home,

·        Illness or injury,

·        Emotional distress or other vulnerability”.

·        A valuable service helping to reduce the number of people needing to go to A&E and Police Stations on Saturday nights.

 

 

 

Our service aims are

q       To prevent alcohol related accidental deaths caused as a result of extreme levels of alcoholic intoxication

q       Reduce the numbers of people needing to go to A&E on a Saturday night from Gt Yarmouth’s club land by providing onsite first aid services

q       Reduce the numbers of people needing to go to Police Stations on a Saturday night from Norwich’s club land.

q       Reduce number of physical assaults carried out as a result of females being unable to get home safely

q       To provide a volunteer run, supportive service, acting as a first point of contact and safe environment for anyone of any age who’s well being is threatened in Gt Yarmouth’s club land on a Saturday night.

q       To support existing volunteers in personal and professional capacity

q       To provide a service that is sensitive and responsive to service user's cultural, religious and gender needs.

   

Using the Gt Yarmouth’s Safe Haven has shown effectiveness in:

·        Enabling vulnerable people to get home safely – therefore reducing the risk of accidental death or assault

·        Enabling injured people to get immediate first aid

·        Giving clients vital ‘time’ in which to calm down, sober up, recoup, wait for a taxi to take them safely home

·        Are provided with a ‘safe’ environment at a time of vulnerability for any vulnerable person regardless of age, sex, background

 

·        Enabling volunteers to achieve varied experience and develop key skills

·        Enabling volunteers to gain confidence, and to feel they are making a difference to in the community

 

 The Safe Haven provides a service to anyone of any age  within Gt Yarmouth’s and surrounding area, night time economy.

 

 

 

Evidence indicates that the following principles of service and care are important

 “The Safe Haven is a multi-agency initiative to meet the needs of any person in Gt Yarmouth’s club land at night time. It is a first point of contact for those whose well being is threatened by: inability to get home, illness or injury, emotional distress or other vulnerability”.

q       Dedicated team responsible for providing a range of intervention/support

q       Dedicated to provide ongoing development of volunteers and staff

q       Dedicated responsibility for effective management of the Project by St John Ambulance Norfolk.

q       Services delivered in the most appropriate setting eg Marine Parade Gt Yarmouth.

q       Dedicated responsibility for co-ordinating the full range of support/advice and advocacy in partnership with other agencies.