The Elmore Difference
Elmore Community Services (ECS) is a registered charity governed by a Board of Directors. It provides high quality services for marginalised and disenfranchised people throughout Oxfordshire. Elmore was established in 1989 after an Oxford research project identified the weaknesses of service provision for people deemed ‘difficult to place’.
Elmore aims to work with people with complex needs (including mental health) who do not easily fit into existing service provision or who need support to access service provision in their local community. We identify gaps and barriers in current provision and use this information to lobby for, and create and implement models of working that address these issues. We work directly with people on the margins of society and aim to support individuals to have equal access to the basic rights of society.
What makes us different?
- We have a unique role, acting as a kind of mediator between clients and statutory agencies. We provide clients with the opportunity to engage with a service they trust, when otherwise they may not engage at all.
- We identify and research gaps in service provision and develop new services to meet emerging needs.
- We have a robust and creative approach to risk management. We are able to safely with clients who are considered too risky by other services.
- We work using The Team Approach, which enables staff to successfully support chaotic and challenging clients.
Elmore staff are known for their skills and expertise; they come from a range of professional backgrounds including social work, occupational therapy and psychology.
- Staff work creatively and effectively in engaging with people considered difficult to engage.
- We provide person centred support services which deliver positive outcomes for clients, communities, stakeholders and commissioners.
Elmore’s flexible approach is summed up in this stakeholder feedback that describes them as the agency who will “pick up clients who other floating support agencies won’t”.
Other agencies value Elmore’s person-centred work, saying that Elmore are “Very responsive to clients needs. Workers always seem to listen and take into account the views of the client and focus support around this.”
The staff team described as having “compassionate professionalism”, being “friendly and helpful” and “responsive in working with partnership agencies”.
In a recent stakeholder survey Elmore was described by 95% as being responsive and flexible to meet diverse client needs, and another 95% said that they felt they have an effective partnership with Elmore.
on The Elmore Difference Further information
