DENS

Who we are

About DENS. Our aim is to be the first port of call for people in Dacorum who are facing homelessness, poverty and social exclusion; to support and empower them to take the next positive step in their lives, secure and maintain a long-term housing option and be an active member of their community.

We ensure individuals have access to temporary and short-term accommodation, and individuals and families have access to emergency food and provisions. We provide a range of services so that people can develop the resilience, skills and confidence to take the next step in their lives.

We rebuild lives.

We provide a range of integrated services, which together form a pathway to support people towards an independent future. Our services include:

Outreach - Working with local rough sleepers to build trust and offer access to any services needed – with a focus on bringing people off the streets and into safe, stable accommodation.

Day Centre - A community-based setting, providing immediate expert advice, where anyone is welcome to drop in, have a shower, a hot meal, some clean clothes, as well as some friendly company.  

The Elms - A 44-bed hostel providing emergency and short-term accommodation to single, homeless adults.

Crash Pad - Emergency overnight accommodation offered to people during severe cold weather, or when we are unable to accommodate them immediately at The Elms.

Move On - Providing support for The Elms residents into more independent living in shared accommodation.

Resettlement - Supporting clients moving from The Elms or Move On into council, social housing or private rental.

Counselling - In-house therapy support on a one-to-one or group basis to help clients process past trauma.

Social Enterprises - Developing employability skills and self-confidence in a supportive environment, while also raising income to reinvest into DENS’ services.

Foodbank - Providing emergency food parcels and household provisions to local individuals and families facing poverty.

In the Community - Supporting people in the community during this cost of living crisis and helping reduce the need for the Foodbank. 

Our culture and values

Integrity

At DENS, integrity means being authentic. We believe in honesty and reliability. We live this value by being accountable for our actions, having genuine open communications, having clear processes and realistic expectations.

Respect

At DENS, respect means being kind, honest and trustworthy. We believe in valuing the opinions and celebrating the uniqueness of others.  We live this value by maintaining a positive regard of our clients, colleagues, and stakeholders in a non-judgemental, unbiased manner.

Collaboration

At DENS, collaboration means that together we are united. We believe that working in partnership is the key to better communications and stronger relationships. We live this value by adopting a One Team/One goal mission across the organisation to achieve our aims and ensure the best outcome for our clients.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

DENS is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community.  We firmly believe that all individuals should be treated on the basis of merit and without prejudice; promoting equality of opportunity so that no job applicant is subject to unfair or unlawful discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, ethnicity, cultural background, faith, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, part-time working, union activity or political beliefs. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community