The Association is a finalist in the category of Health and Social Care Integration for the Housing Hub which works within the Community Connectors project and works with two partner third sector organisations; Active Communities and Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH) providing social and physical activity and mental health related support.

The aim of the project is to reduce the strain on GP services in the Johnstone and Linwood areas by referring people on to appropriate services within the community for support with various issues.

The Housing Hub provides impartial housing advice and assistance to people in the area regardless of whether they are a social housing tenant, rent from a private landlord or are a home owner. Solving problems relating to poor or unsuitable housing and providing assistance can address the issues presented and sometimes allow people to remain in their current homes.

Connecting clients with the appropriate services has been an integral part of the services, and through the three organisations working together Linstone has seen significant levels of engagement with over 92 per cent of those referred to the Housing Hub engaging with the service.

Housing Hub adviser, Hazel Boulton, said: “We are delighted to be recognised for this project, 70 per cent of our client base is of working age with the majority of all people referred to us saying that their mental health can be affected by their current circumstances. For most, regaining a feeling of control over their circumstances has been paramount to them experiencing an improvement to their wellbeing. People were often not aware of how to apply for housing or did not understand the often complex processes involved, so we are glad to provide advice that makes a meaningful difference to peoples’ lives.”