Alcohol

 

  • Anyone bringing alcohol on the premises must immediately hand it over to staff on entry to the premises, for safekeeping purposes.  It will be returned when they are leaving the hostel.

 

  • Anyone who does not wish to hand over their alcohol for safekeeping will be refused admittance as long as they are in possession of the alcohol.

 

  • Persons found to have alcohol in the hostel for themselves or others may be asked to leave the hostel following relevant investigations and at the management's discretion.

 

  • Management and staff will dispose of alcohol found on the premises.

 

  • Anyone who presents themselves as a risk to staff or other residents while under the influence of alcohol or other substances may be placed on a drinks ban or a drinks restriction and be asked to stay out of the hostel for a designated time, at staff’s discretion.

 

  • Alcohol is not to be consumed in the vicinity of the hostel i.e. car park or surrounding areas.

 

Drugs

 

The Lighthouse Hostel neither condones nor approves of the possession, use or supply of illicit drugs and will not allow such activity on or in the vicinity of the premises.

 

  • All illicit drugs are banned from the hostel.

Persons who partake of illicit drugs and cause problems through their behaviour associated with drugs taken may be asked to leave the hostel.

 

The same also applies to those who abuse solvents.

 

  • We reserve the right to carry out room searches at any time, especially if we have reason to suspect illegal activity. Please see room search policy and drugs policy for more information.

 

  • While we recognise that some people may have a drug dependency and aim to support such persons to address this dependency, whilst maintaining their rights to confidentiality, you should also be aware that we will not permit illegal use of substances or the storage of illegal substances or drug paraphernalia within the hostel or in the vicinity of the hostel.

 

  • Anyone bringing drug paraphernalia (syringes, bongs, pipes, burnt spoons etc.) on the premises must immediately hand it over to staff on entry to the premises for safekeeping purposes.  It will be returned to you when you move out of the hostel.

 

  • Anyone who does not wish to hand over their drugs paraphernalia for safekeeping will be refused admittance as long as they are in possession of same.

 

  • If a resident is found to be in possession of a prescription only drug in the name of another, the use/possession of illicit drugs procedure will be followed.

 

  • If drugs are found in the communal areas, the PSNI will be contacted and advised that a substance has been found and that it requires disposal.

 

  • The Lighthouse Hostel has a legal obligation to report illegal activity to the police.

 

  • For more information please see the drugs policy.

 

Failure to comply with any of the above points will result in disciplinary proceedings in accordance with the Lighthouse Hostels Drug Policy

 

Service/Charge 

 

  • First payment of £37.00 Service Charge is to be paid no later than

7 days after arrival.

 

  • Residents who miss the first payment will be asked to sign a bad debt form, for more information on this please speak to staff or see Debt Management Policy.

 

  • A £10 Key deposit (£20 for those in the private block) is required from each resident. This deposit will be returned to you when you are leaving as long as you return your keys.

 

Violence

 

  • Violence of any degree will not be tolerated in the hostel.

 Any incidents that arise will be reported to the management.

Those responsible may be excluded from the hostel.

 

  • Anyone who brings an offensive weapon, blade, knives etc. into the hostel or anyone who commits a criminal offence on site may be excluded from the hostel.

 

 

Medication

 

· The Lighthouse has a Medication Policy to ensure that effective procedures are in place to promote the protection of residents and staff in the administration of medication.

 

  • Anyone bringing medication on to the premises must immediately hand it over to staff who will record it and store it in a locked cabinet/cupboard.  Medication records must be filled in when taking medicine.  See medication policy for guidance regarding this.

 

  • Any abuse of prescribed medication may result in exclusion from the hostel.

 

Health and Safety

 

  • Due to new legislation and for health and safety reasons smoking WILL NOT be permitted in any area of the hostel, including the bedrooms.

 

If found smoking in the hostel disciplinary action will be taken, please see Termination of Services Policy for more information.

 

  • Anyone found tampering with fire safety equipment (e.g. fire extinguishers, smoke alarms) will be asked to leave the Hostel.

 

§ Fire doors, including bedroom doors must not be wedged open. All doors should be free from clutter and easily accessible.

 

  • Fire drills will take place regularly. Everyone must respond immediately DAY or NIGHT. The recognised assembly point is the car park.

 

  • For more information please see the Fire Policy and Health & Safety Policy which are displayed on the notice board on the first landing. Residents must make themselves aware of these policies.

 

Hygiene

 

  • Residents must take full responsibility for their own belongings and advised to keep their bedroom door locked at all times.

 

  • Animals are not allowed on the premises.

 

  • Residents will be supported and encouraged to maintain their bedrooms and personal hygiene to a good standard.

 

General rules

 

  • General access is through the monitored main door in the car park at the rear of the building.

All other doors are strictly emergency exits only.  These doors are all alarmed.

 

  • Residents must not loiter in the car park or Lower Bridge Street or sit on the steps of surrounding businesses.

 

  • Residents are not permitted to play ball games or any other games in the car park.

 

  • Residents must not leave litter in the car park.

 

  • Residents are asked to comply with hostel closing times:

 

Sunday - Thursday  1 am

Friday & Saturday  2 am

 

Note: - If you intend to stay out all night you are asked to notify management before 3pm. Residents are allowed two nights out per week.

 

  • Internal closing times are as follows:

 

Kitchen 10.00pm

Games Room              12 midnight Sunday to Thursday

Games Room               1am Friday and Saturday

Laundry Room            11pm every night

 

(Note: Residents should not be visiting anyone else’s room, or disturbing another resident after 11.30pm.)

 

  • Residents should keep the door open when they have other residents in their room.

 

  • Residents should not lend to or borrow from each other, from staff or volunteers.

 

  • Residents must comply with the 10 am wake up calls.

 

  • Residents must complete their chores before 12.30 pm.

 

  • Music and TV’s in the bedrooms should be at a sound level that does not cause disturbance to anyone.

 

  • CD’s, tapes, videos, DVD’s, magazines and books of a horror, occult, or sexually explicit nature are not permitted within the Hostel.

 

  • Displays of flags, emblems, posters or clothing likely to cause offence to other residents or staff will not be permitted in the hostel. (i.e. that of a political nature or indecent posters of people.)  No Rangers, Celtic, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland football clothing may be worn. 

 

Note: If such items are found they will be retained or disposed of at the management’s discretion.

 

  • Residents must be willing to engage with staff and work on their Support and Resettlement plans as a means to working towards independent living.

 

  • Residents who call or require an ambulance and then decline to go to hospital, will be issued with a warning, as this is wasting valuable hospital resources.  A second occurrence of this nature will lead to a 7 day notice.

 

  • Any resident who attends A&E must return to the hostel with a discharge letter.

 

            Eviction

 

For breaches of guidelines that do not result in a risk to others, such as (this list is not exhaustive):

· Staying out unauthorised.

· Not engaging with staff.

· Non payment of service charge.

· Not adhering to the wake up calls.

Residents will receive a verbal warning.

Continued breaches of the same will result in:

 

o Community Hours

o A 1st written warning.

o A 2nd written warning.

o A conditional notice to quit.

o Notice to quit.

o Termination of services.

For breaches of guidelines that may result in harm to self or others will result in the disciplinary procedure being followed bar the verbal warning.

Examples of these include, but are not exhaustive to:

 

· Verbal abuse/threats of physical abuse towards staff or other residents.

· Consuming alcohol in the hostel.

· Breaching drinks ban.

· Breaching drugs policy.

· Sectarianism, Racism or Harassment.

Depending on the severity of the breach of guidelines and the outcome which may result, management may decide, after consultation with the resident and staff involved, to bypass written warnings and issue the resident with a conditional notice to quit: In which they will agree with the resident, a set of individual conditions to which they must adhere, in order to maintain their tenancy. This will be reviewed within one week of being issued and if no further breaches of house rules have occurred within this time a risk management plan will be set in place to minimise the risk of the breach occurring again. Breaches of house rules during the time of the conditional notice to quit will result in the resident being asked to move on immediately.

A notice to quit will be issued by management if it is decided after discussions with a resident and staff that a resident can no longer be accommodated in the Lighthouse due to non compliance of hostel guidelines. A notice to quit allows the resident 7 days to secure alternative accommodation, within this time staff will assist the resident in searching for accommodation.

Residents must also be aware that being found smoking in your room on 2 occasions will result in you being asked to move on. The first occurrence will result in community hours and a conditional notice.

Residents can appeal any disciplinary action taken by following the procedures outlined in the Appeals Policy.

 

Visitors

 

  • All visitors must sign the visitor’s book on arrival and leaving.

 

  • Visiting hours are: Mon – Fri (9.30am – 4.30pm)

 

  • All visitors should use the front office (Linenhall Street) as their entry point

 

  • Out of hours visiting should be arranged in advance with staff.

 

  • Due to confidentiality and health and safety visitors are restricted to the interview room.

 

  • Access to the living areas of the hostel will only be permitted to other professional such as PSNI, CMHT or GP’s in case of an emergency,

 

  • When a resident moves on from the hostel but leaves behind his belongings, these will be packed and retained in storage for a period of two weeks.

After the two-week period the items will be disposed of.

 

  • From time to time these guidelines and regulations may have to be amended.

However, residents will be advised of any changes that may occur.

 

 

Residents Meetings

 

  • Residents meetings will take place once a month. All residents are encouraged to attend.
  • Residents will be given the opportunity to give feedback about the service and make suggestions in areas such as health and safety, policy and procedures, training and activities.
  • Those who don’t attend the meetings will have the minutes read to/with them by their keyworkers to allow them opportunity to make suggestions and give feedback.
  • If residents have issues which they would like to address in relation to the service provided they can complete a complaints form (these are located in the dining room), speak to a member of staff or a member of the Residents Committee.

 

Residents Committee

 

  • The residents committee is voted in by the residents during a residents meeting.
  • Members change when residents move on or step down.
  • Committee members are involved in policy and procedure development and reviews.
  • Committee members are involved in recruitment of new staff.
  • Committee members attend staff meetings as resident representatives.
  • Committee members are involved in conducting environmental risk assessments with staff.

 

Emergency / Out of Hours Support

 

Staff are available on hand twenty four hours per day.

Emergency and Out of Hours telephone numbers can be found in the Local Directory.  Copies of this can be found in the Dining Room and Interview Room. 

 

A variety of Helpline numbers can also be found in the Residents Info Pack in your bedroom.

 

Please note that there are a range of policies displayed on the notice board on the first landing for your attention. These include the Equal Opportunities policy, Anti Harassment policy and the Safeguarding policy, Drugs policy, Health and Safety policy, Complaints policy and Appeals policy.

 

If you would like further information in relation to policies and procedures please ask a member of staff.