HOP provides clients with advice, support, information and advocacy on a wide range of homelessness-related issues, including:

• Accessing accommodation

• Drug and alcohol dependency

• Mental health

• Benefits and welfare rights

• Intravenous drug use

• Harm reduction

• Employability and personal development

• Health care

• Legal problems

As well as on-street outreach work, we also offer a duty service at our Grindlay Street Court office (Monday-Friday, 9.30am-5pm), where clients can present for referral, access a member of staff, or request advice, information and assistance.

Mr P For Persistence

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Mr "P", 43, slept rough in Edinburgh for many years. He was usually to be found staying in the same doorway, enabling HOP staff to engage with him over a period of time.

While living on the streets, Mr P made use of very few homeless services other than food handouts, and had even stopped attending the winter night shelters, following a dispute with another of their clients.

Initial contact with outreach workers soon prompted concerns over Mr P’s mental health. He was often witnessed responding to non-existent stimuli, as well as exhibiting other bizarre behaviour. ...