A CHARITY has recruited two new part-time prevention support workers to provide housing and benefits support to those in need.

The Standing Tall Foundation (STF) has announced that Shauni Ward and Jess McCarthy-Scarsbrook have joined the organisation.

Both Shauni and Jess have joined following the closure of the Teardrops Charity in St Helens. Co-founded by Shauni in 2016 starting out as a homeless charity, Teardrops had offered support to vulnerable people across the community.

Shauni and Jess will between them cover housing-related issues and benefits and welfare advice and support, consolidating the STF’s team, portfolio of services and one-stop-shop proposition for people who are in crisis.

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The STF, based on Borough Road, was founded in 2020 by Andy Reid MBE and John Tabern, promoted mental health and physical wellbeing of community groups, providing professional support and services.

The STF has people present with multi-complex needs and says it has had an increasing number of clients come through the doors with mental health and addiction issues due to underlying problems with their housing or benefits situation.

STF support is free at the point of entry, with more than 90 per cent of clients unemployed, living in poverty or acute financial difficulty.

The STF says that Shauni and Jess are experienced with a proven track record and bring with them a waiting list of 40 people who need urgent intervention.

Shauni, who co-founded the Teardrops charity, has joined the Standing Tall FoundationShauni, who co-founded the Teardrops charity, has joined the Standing Tall Foundation (Image: Submitted)

The closure of Teardrops has meant they could only rely on non-specific support, with there being a real need for an understanding of the complex issues these individuals can face with mental health and drug and alcohol addiction.

In the aftermath of COVID Teardrops saw a 200 per cent increase in demand for services to provide support with housing, welfare and benefits advice and year on year STF has seen similar increases. In 2024 it expects to support around 3,130 clients across all interventions, and 750 specifically for addiction support.

The STF says Shauni and Jess will support people at the earliest possible stages with housing, welfare and cost-of-living challenges, with people more likely to access the help they need if it is in one place, aligned, and fundamentally in a friendly and non-judgemental safe space.

The charity adds that the STF Hub offers a “person-centred” support for people who are at risk of crisis with mental and physical health services, alcohol and substance misuse, wellness coaching, housing and benefit advice, financial budgeting and planning, CV development, employment and education support.

Andy Reid MBE said: “We are delighted to welcome the girls on board and look forward to being able to support even more people in our town with the issues they may be facing.”

Shauni Ward added: “Supporting the community is at the heart of the Standing Tall Foundation.

"Jess and I are excited to be joining an amazing team of people doing what we love. We have a passion to help and support the people within our community.”

  • Anyone who needs help or support with housing and benefits, mental health or addiction support can contact the Standing Tall Foundation on Referrals@standingtallfoundation.org.uk.