Our vision is: No-one should have to live on our streets.
Our Mission is: To get the homeless to a home.
Our Method is: To make available temporary shelter rehabilitation opportunities, social welfare services, family re-unification services, physical care and support to adult persons living on the streets who are committed to getting back home.
Guest vs Clients
Our mission is to get homeless people back to a home. This means that The Haven interviews guests before they really become our clients. We must ensure as organisation that somebody really wants our help. We are obliged to that towards our government, our donors and towards our clients.
A client who wishes our help is required to visit our social worker, contributes towards the system by working and/or paying shelter fees and does do everything in their power to get back on track. Guests are at our shelter on a temporary base.
Shelter fees
Our clients are asked to pay shelter fees. We wish to break the cycle of entitlement and ensure greater equality in the relationship between The Haven staff and our clients. The Haven believes that it is crucial for homeless persons to take responsibility for their lives. Part of our method is that a homeless person has to pay R15 per day for The Haven services if they don’t have a regular income. However, people who cannot afford to pay will still benefit from our services. They will get support via general funds, income from the Buy a Bed campaign and the The Haven passports. We do require clients to contribute though by asking them to help with daily tasks such as gardening or peeling vegetables. By doing this they can “earn” the passports.
Hospitality rules
We strive
We try to make this place as welcoming as possible. Feel free to talk to the staff, volunteers and other clients. Fellowship is important to us and your contribution will help us to improve.
Communicate with words. Speak up or write them down.
Respect each others privacy.
Help the staff run The Haven well. Follow the duty rosters and if you see something you can improve/make better, please feel free to share your thoughts.
We would like to have a hygienic place. Please don't bring food into the dorms or lockers. It creates a breeding place for cockroaches and rodents.
Personal daily hygiene is important. Please use our shower facilities to keep your self clean. Please clean and dry the facilities for the next person after you.
Wash your clothes regularly and keep them fresh.
We love to have a clean dorm. Make sure your bed is need and tidy and refresh your bedding regularly.
Your locker is property of The Haven. You can use it, but please keep it neat and tidy.
What we do not wish:
No persons under the influence or in possession of drugs, alcohol, weapons (or potentially dangerous implements) are allowed inside The Haven. Intoxicated persons or persons in possession of drugs will get a warning and have to wait outside the building of The Haven untill sober. The host of the day will record this matter in the incident book. The client is required to meet the social worker the next weekday morning.
If you bring in drugs, it will be destroyed in your presence. The host of the day will record this matter in the incident book. The client is required to meet the social worker the next weekday morning.
Possesion of weapons is not allowed. If you bring them on our premisses they will be confiscated.
No smoking is allowed inside any part of the building. You may smoke in the courtyards.
Men are not allowed to enter ladies dorms and vice versa except with permission of a host of the day.
Do not enter the kitchen or store rooms without permission of a supervisor.
The Haven reserves the right to withdraw services to anyone not co-operating with our staff in our efforts to help you back to a home, family or community. Infringements of the rules can result in up to three official warnings from the manager followed by a termination of services notice. A client will get time to correct his or her behavior. Staff are not allowed to threaten clients with termination of services. Violence towards clients or staff can be seen as a reason for immediate termination of services. Not leaving voluntarily means that we will call on the security company or the police and have you removed.
Please note that you are not a tennant. Your stay is meant to be temporary. All personal belongings left at The Haven by you will only be kept for 7 days after your departure. On the 8th day after your departure your clothing etc. will be taken into stock and given to needy persons.
With all these hospitality rules we sincerely hope we can make your stay as beneficial as possible.
Suggestions and complaints procedure
Our organisation tries very hard to assist you on your personal journey. We welcome your suggestions for improvements. Please share your thoughts and write them down on our Client Relation Form which also can be used for complaints. Each one of us can help to make The Haven more friendly and beneficial.
The client relations procedure is as followes:
1. Complete the Client Relations Form;
2. Hand over the form to the supervisor on duty and ask for a signed copy as a proof of your suggestion/complaint;
3. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, approach the manager with the suggestion/complaint;
4. If you are still not satisfied, alert the Head Office: Tel: 021-425 4700 / Fax: 021 425 4900 / info@haven.org.za