What we do
Confidentiality
We respect your right to confidentiality and we will not give information about you to anyone else unless you wish us to. If you want to call us for some advice anonymously or get a friend to call us on your behalf, please do.
Cost
All our advice and support services are free as we receive funding for them.
Our services are:-
Information and Advice Service |
We provide independent information and advice including housing, welfare benefits and health and community care.
Housing: this includes homelessness, finding an appropriate place to live, your rights and responsibilities, and dealing with your landlord.
Welfare Benefits: such as income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit, employment support allowance, disability living allowance and tax credits.
Health and Community Care: this includes getting equipment, adaptations and practical help for living at home, helping you prepare for meetings and assessments, help with GPs and hospitals and getting mobility services.
This service is funded by Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council and North Somerset Council, together with the Henry Smith Charity. It is available if you live in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, or Bath and North East Somerset.
Floating Support |
We provide support for up to two years to help you live independently in your own home. The service provides:-
- Resettlement support to help you find and/or maintain housing that meets your needs.
- Support to manage your physical and mental health.
- Advice and help to apply for welfare benefits.
- Support with budgeting, managing debts and paying bills.
- Information, support and advocacy to access a wide range of services, eg counselling, befriending, Community Care Services, parent support, training, education and employment.
This service is funded by the Supporting People Team of Bristol City Council and by South Gloucestershire Council and is available if you live in these areas.
MASS - Migrant and Asylum Seekers Service |
This service provides Information, Advice and Support to people with No Recourse to Public Funds, who are affected by or living with HIV.
Brigstowe are able to offer information and advice in the following areas:-
- Health and Community Care
- Charges for Care
- Income maximisation
- Access to Legal Services
- Access to specialist services (Debt)
- Housing
- Education and training
And support around:-
- Improved understanding of rights and responsibilities
- Advocacy and Representation
- Signposting and Referrals to specialist agencies (Domestic Violence, Mental Health Services, Health)
- Access to health and medical treatments
- Housing
- Grants
- Improved Social Networks and Participation
This service is funded by the MAC AIDS Trust and is available to people living in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
REACT! Social Group |
We provide opportunities for clients to socialise, support each other and learn new skills. REACT!'s name comes from "Recreation and Activities" which we believe is a key part of the work that we do.
The main purpose of the client group is to promote health and wellbeing, address social isolation and empower clients. A group worker facilitates clients' personal and social development through the organisation of a range of social and practical activities.
These include day trips to places such as Longleat, Weston super Mare and Berkeley Castle, together with theatre trips, movie nights and spa days. Other activities may include workshops and training, such as digital photography, using the internet, and one day cookery schools.
Skills and experience can also be developed by volunteering for appropriate tasks.
In our determination to address stigma and encourage testing we are also developing services that encourage clients to offer mutual support and the confidence to speak out.
Please contact us if you are interested in any of these services.