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SIFA Fireside - A Brief History

SIFA Fireside was formed in December 2007 through the merger of SIFA and the Fireside Charity. Both organisations had a long history and well-established reputations in working with people who were homeless or otherwise disadvantaged, providing a city-wide service.

Fireside grew from an initiative started in 1984 by the Birmingham City Centre Council of Churches to provide a one day a week "drop-in" at St. Martin's Church for homeless and socially excluded people. Because of the high demand, the Sisters of St. Paul Convent in Selly Park became involved and the current premises at Pershore Street were acquired and renovated in 1993. Fireside offered an open-access service to adults, including practical help and more specialist work in resettlement, both emergency and long-term accommodation. A skills development programme to support those in tenancies or otherwise settled was run with Business Action on Homelessness.

Meaningful activity was also provided through projects such as theatre groups, an allotment and other recreational and social opportunities. Fireside also had a long history of volunteer involvement and of voluntary fundraising through events and links with parishes and schools.

SIFA (formerly known as HARP) was established in 1982 to provide services for "homeless alcoholics", otherwise then described as "street drinkers", a group whose alcohol dependency was associated with extreme social disadvantage and marginalisation.

HARP set up open-access drop-in facilities for street drinkers based around St. Mary's Church, Moseley. Floating support and Supported Accommodation projects were developed with support and funding from the local authority. SIFA has since been successful in obtaining a range of statutory contracts which include Supporting People and the Probation Service as commissioners.

HARP became SIFA in 2003, a name which then more accurately reflected its commitment to working with its service users in a way which supported progress towards independence from addiction and reintegration into society.

Over the last few years the profile of clients had changed to include people from more diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, as well as younger people experiencing social exclusion, poverty and substance misuse problems. Against the stereotype, many of SIFA's clients had their own tenancies, temporary or supported accommodation, although generally at risk through alcohol-related issues.

About Our Management Team

Cath Gilliver: Chief Executive

Cath Gilliver trained as a psychiatric nurse and then as a psychotherapist and spent nearly thirty years working in NHS mental health services, first as a practitioner and from 1999 as a Senior Manager. Cath then worked as a Senior Mental Health Commissioner for South Birmingham Primary Care Trust (2003-4) and joined the voluntary sector in 2004 as Regional Director of icap (Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy) which works particularly with the Irish community. She has been Chief Executive of SIFA Fireside since April 2007 and has successfully implemented the merger between SIFA and the Fireside Charity which took place in December 2007.

Qualifications

  • RMN 1977
  • UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) registered 1996 –
  • Diploma in Management and Leadership in Mental Health Services NHS 2000
  • M.A in Social and Cultural History, Warwick University 2001
  • Prince 2 Project Management course; South Birmingham PCT 2004

Carole Fox: Operations Manager

Carole Fox has worked in Homeless services in various roles with vulnerable people since 1993. Carole worked for Focus Housing as a Direct Access Project worker, Assistant Hostel Manager (Nights), then as an Assistant Manager responsible for Housing Management at one of the largest Direct Access Hostels in the West Midlands. Carole then took over Project management of a Young People’s Hostel with a remit to establish a second project, a 21 Bed Direct Access Hostel for 16-25 year olds.

Following this Carole became a Network Manager with KeyRing Living Support Networks developing independent living schemes in the West Midlands. Priority tasks were securing funding, contract management and day to day management of staff and volunteers. The drive behind KeyRing’s innovative service was its commitment to being service user-led, and its ethos to empower and promote independence to people excluded and discriminated against because of Learning Disability. Carole then became a Regional Manager with Keyring with responsibility for developing staff teams and new Supported Networks across a large geographical area.

Carole joined SIFA Fireside as Operations Manager in 2008. Carole is currently undertaking training with Birmingham City University to enable SIFA Fireside managers to supervise placements for Social Work Students and to ensure SIFA Fireside continues to develop as a learning organisation.

Qualifications

  • Supervision Assessment & Mentoring Skills for the Workplace. Institute of Applied Social Studies, Birmingham City University. (Graduate Level) 2008
  • LDAF – Foundation Module.
  • LDAF – Understanding Abuse. British Institute of Learning Disability 2006
  • Level 4 Care Management. Walsall College of Art & Technology 2004
  • Management and Leadership; Chartered Institute of Housing 2008/9

Hannah Wilson: Development Manager

Hannah Wilson trained and worked as a hospital social worker, specialising in mental health and palliative care from 1996-2000. In 2000 Hannah moved to Albania and worked as a development manager implementing educational projects in the female prisons and also began a local charity to work with Albanian prisoners (2000-2006). On returning to the UK, Hannah worked as an advocate and campaigner for an international organization, where she was working to address the injustice of human trafficking. Hannah became the Development Manager at SIFA Fireside in September 2008.

Qualifications

  • BSc in Social Policy and Sociology at Southampton University (1992-1996)
  • Diploma in Social Work at Southampton University (1992-1996)
  • Registered with the General Social Care Council in 2008

Steve Mundy: Finance Manager

Steve Mundy joined Barclays Bank in 1972. After 21 years in branch banking he moved into Human Resources in 1993 and took early retirement in 2007. In addition to his career in Banking Steve has had strong links with the voluntary sector serving as a Trustee for Entrust Care, a Coventry based charity providing respite and residential care for children and young adults with learning disabilities, fulfilling the role of Treasurer and then Chairman during an 18 year period between 1988 and 2006. Since his retirement Steve has pursued opportunities to provide operational and financial support to organisations in the voluntary sector and joined SIFA Fireside in March 2009.

Qualifications

  • Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers