Specialist Housing

Stays last up to a year, with tailored support to help people.

Specialist Housing

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We provide supported housing for individuals and couples (18+) with medium to high support needs. Stays last up to a year, with tailored support to help people:

  • Manage finances, reduce debt, and maximise income
  • Build support networks and confidence
  • Address physical/mental health and substance misuse
  • Maintain tenancies, stay safe, and avoid eviction
  • Make positive life choices and engage in the community

Residents are referred through the Council’s Housing Options Team (Gateway Service) and work closely with staff to prepare for independent living.

Opportunities include: independent living skills, financial literacy, arts and crafts, health and wellbeing activities, volunteering, and training—delivered by our team and in partnership with other agencies. Each resident also receives 1-to-1 support from a dedicated worker.

Hostel Accommodation

The 700 Club provides 29 units of accommodation for individuals aged 18+ in housing crisis and who have medium to high support needs. People referred to the service will be either homeless, at risk of being homeless or occupying inappropriate accommodation within the Darlington area.

Individuals can stay within the Hostel service for up to one year during which time they are supported to:

  • Recover stability in their lives and address the barriers that prevent them from living independently. Barriers may include an addiction or a mental health issue.
  • Reduce debt, maximise income and manage finances.
  • Establish and maintain a support network, engage with activities designed to promote skills, confidence and independence.
  • Manage physical/mental health and/or substance misuse.
  • Maintain accommodation and avoid eviction, comply with statutory orders and stay safe by minimising risk/harm to self and others.
  • Make positive life choices and receive opportunities to contribute to the wider community.

 

The service is delivered from two hostels; both located close to Darlington town centre and local amenities. Both hostels are well established in Darlington and are known and accepted by local residents. The hostels are maintained to the highest standards. All rooms have en-suite facilities.  Both hostels have a communal lounge, laundry room and kitchen.

The accommodation caters for males and females, one of which is suitable for a wheelchair user. The project is staffed 24 hours a day by both trained support workers and housing management staff.

Referrals

Access to the service is through the Housing Options Team at Darlington Borough Council.

Opportunities

Throughout their time with the 700 Club, individuals are expected to engage in the support provided to address their issues, to be pro-active in their transition and promote their personal development in order to progress into independent accommodation and inclusion within the wider community.

The Lodge

Opened in 2013, The Lodge offers safe, short-term accommodation for people in housing crisis—whether already rough sleeping or at risk.

  • 13 rooms (most en-suite) with facilities for snacks, drinks, and communal living
  • Staffed 24/7, tailored for people with complex needs
  • Referrals via Housing Officers, Probation, Hospitals, Social Services and more

We believe in the No Second Night Out principle:

  • No one should spend even one night on the streets
  • No one should have to live on the streets
  • No one should return to the streets once helped
  • No one should end up on the streets in the first place

The Lodge provides stability, safety, and a pathway to independent living.

Floating Support

Our Floating Support service helps individuals, couples, and families (16+) in Darlington affected by substance or alcohol misuse. We work 1-to-1 to reduce risks, build life skills, and support independent living.

Support may include:

  • Tackling substance use and relapse prevention
  • Finding and sustaining housing with councils or landlords
  • Reducing crime and offending linked to substance misuse
  • Accessing benefits and managing finances
  • Improving health, wellbeing, and social care access
  • Developing skills, education, training, and employment opportunities

Support is client-led and holistic—you set the goals, we walk alongside you. Hours are flexible and gradually reduce as independence grows.

Accessing support:

  • Self-refer by calling 01325 366397
  • Ask a professional (e.g. Housing Options, Probation, Social Services) to refer
  • Or drop into our Head Office (Roadway House, Beaumont Street West, DL1 5SX) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9am–12pm

Church View Apartments

From the early days of the 700 Club, we recognised the need for supported move-on accommodation—for people ready to live more independently, but not yet ready for life entirely on their own.

In October 2020, this vision became a reality with the launch of Church View Apartments. In partnership with Homes England, we transformed Pembroke Court on Neasham Road into 32 self-contained one-bedroom flats, providing a stepping stone for independent living.

Residents receive person-centred, trauma-informed support that is:

  • Strengths-based
  • Culturally appropriate
  • Housing-focused
  • Outcome-driven

Through holistic support, skill-building, and confidence development, we help people make a smooth, lasting transition to living independently in their own homes.

Housing First

700 Club is working with Darlington’s Housing Options Team to offer Housing First, a proven approach to supporting people with complex needs who have not benefited from traditional services.

Housing First at the 700 Club is about providing homes, stability, and the personalised support people need to rebuild their lives.

What is Housing First?

Housing First prioritises giving people a stable, independent home as a foundation for addressing other challenges, such as mental health, substance use, or long-term homelessness. Unlike traditional models, there are no preconditions for housing—tenancy is a right, not a reward.

This approach is widely used internationally, including in the US, Canada, Finland, and France, and is growing across the UK.

  • How Housing First Works

The model is built on seven key principles:

  1. People have a right to a home
  • Housing is provided quickly, based on suitability, not conditions
  • Tenancy is secure, even if support is not used
  1. Flexible support for as long as needed
  • Support is tailored, long-term, and adapts to changing needs
  • Links with wider services to meet holistic needs
  1. Housing and support are separate
  • Engagement with support does not affect tenancy
  • Support continues even if housing is lost or changed
  1. Individuals have choice and control
  • People decide where they live and how support is provided
  • Support plans are person-led, not imposed
  1. Active engagement approach
  • Staff work proactively to engage clients, doing “whatever it takes”
  • Small caseloads ensure persistent, personalised support
  1. Strengths, goals, and aspirations focused
  • Support builds confidence, skills, and self-worth
  • People are empowered to achieve their personal goals and integrate into the community
  1. Harm reduction approach
  • Support reduces risks from substance use, self-harm, and other health issues
  • Recovery and wellbeing are promoted alongside safe housing