About Signposts

Mission Statement

“Signposts — working to empower the community”

The Aims of the Service

To relieve the poverty and promote the benefits of the inhabitants of Lancashire and Cumbria with particular reference to those living in what is known as the West End of Morecambe, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, age, race or of political, religious or other opinions.

Objectives

To provide services which relieve, support, help and advise:

• Those who are poor

• The unemployed

• The elderly

• Those physically, mentally ill or convalescing

• People with a disability

• People who are dependent on alcohol and drugs

• Victims of abuse, violence or crime

• Families or carers of the above

• The general community

The agreed values on which the Service is based are:-

• everyone should be seen as unique and individual and accorded dignity, respect and status

• service users should be given opportunities to develop skills and capabilities that enable them to make choices and take decisions about their lives

• comments or complaints about services can be used positively to highlight or remedy service deficiencies

• relationships with service users should be conducted in an open manner

• confidentiality is a major right

The Signposts Vision

The Signposts vision, outlined below, is based upon the Aims and Objectives of the charity.

To provide services which relieve, support, help and advise:

Those who are poor:

by working in the most disadvantaged parts of Lancashire and Cumbria including the rural areas, providing a service that is locally based, accessible and accountable

The unemployed:

by providing information and advice services, access to volunteering, gateways to employment including the opportunity to join the Signposts' team and the provision of high quality training, and the development of social enterprise models

Elderly:

by working in partnership with statutory services and others to enable older people to live independent fulfilled lives in their communities via volunteering, information and advice, alternatives to daycare and health drop-ins and clinic provision

Physically or mentally ill or convalescing:

by the provision of specialist services and encouraging health and wellbeing within the project, within the team and within the community by the provision of groups, access to information, healthy eating, work with carers and respite provision

People with a disability:

by working within equal opportunities and inclusive practice which seeks to involve everyone in services and at all levels of the organisation, together with specialist provision around access to activities and leisure and young carers

People who are dependent on alcohol and drugs:

by working in a non-judgemental and inclusive environment which sees the individual rather than their drug or alcohol use and which seeks to make a difference, and by working co-operatively with statutory services to offer community based provision

Victims of abuse, violence or crime:

by working with communities to address the causes and the fear of crime, by working with those who are the victims of crime particularly domestic violence, by providing diversionary activities for young people and recognising that young people are often the victims of crime rather than the perpetrators. By seeking to enable people to have control of their lives and circumstances so they can make positive choices around living in harmony with their family, neighbours and community

Families or carers of the above:

by the provision of specialist family support services, childcare, mobile crèche provision, practical help, advice and information, work with young people and young carers in a non-judgemental way which encourages those who are hard to reach to access services, to feel valued, and to gain control over their lives and circumstances and for their voices to be heard.

The agreed values on which the Service is based are:-

Everyone should be seen as unique and individual and accorded dignity, respect and status
Service users should be given opportunities to develop skills andcapabilities that enable them to make choices and take decisions about their lives
Comments or complaints about services can be used positively to highlight or remedy service deficiencies
Relationships with service users should be conducted in an open manner
Confidentiality is a major right