SOME residents of the Glen Road in West Belfast have voiced concerns about plans by the homeless charity the Simon Community to open a hostel for single adults in the area.
The Andersonstown News was contacted this week by the Glen Road Residents' Group (GRRG), a newly-created organisation claiming to represent families across the wider Glen Road and surrounding estates.
The proposed move by the Simon Community to premises adjacent to All Saints College is a temporary one while the charity's current Malone Road premises undergo much-needed redevelopment.
In an email to this newspaper, the GRRG says it believes the Glen Road location is "unsuitable, unsafe and lacking proper safeguarding consideration."
The group is also disputing claims of community engagement by the Simon Community, claiming that "no meaningful consultation took place with parents, schools, or the wider community before decisions were made".
They say that it was only during a recent community open night after plans were already advanced that residents were able to confront Simon Community representatives with their concerns.
The GRRG also expressed "deep disappointment" at the reluctance of local school principals and political representatives to speak out.
“If others feel unable to speak, then we as residents will,” a spokesperson for the group said. "We will be the voice for our children and our community when no one else will."
The add that while residents acknowledge and appreciate efforts by Sinn Féin representatives to raise concerns so far, they insist that more decisive action is needed.
A petition opposing the re-location has at the time of writing gathered over 300 signatures.
Jim Dennison, Simon Community Chief Executive, said: "We’re aware that some misinformation may be circulating about what Simon Community does and the type of service that will be provided at Glen Road.
"Those staying in the Glen Road service will be young people without a safe place to stay; many will be care leavers or have faced difficult childhoods and are relying on us to give them safety and security. Many of them will be in employment or education.
"This is not a drop-in service or an emergency shelter. It’s a medium-term residential service where young people live for an extended period – typically 12 to 18 months, and sometimes for the full two years the service is in place.
"Safeguarding is central to every aspect of Simon Community’s work. Like all of our accommodation services, the Glen Road will have a 24/7 fully trained team on site, our highly experienced Malone Road team will move with the young people, providing continuity of care. Simon Community operates robust safeguarding and incident management procedures, and we have a close partnership with social services and the PSNI. All of this will continue in the Glen Road site.
"Alcohol and illegal drugs are not permitted on the premises.
"Our aim is to provide a secure and stable temporary home, where young people are supported to live safely and responsibly as part of the wider community.
“We understand that the introduction of any new service in a community can raise questions and concerns and I want to acknowledge the many local residents, community groups and organisations of Glen Road who have engaged with us constructively and positively over recent months.
"So far, we have held two open days for the local community and we intend to continue this engagement with local residents, elected representatives and other stakeholders.
"We also want to reassure local residents, parents and the wider community that this particular service has operated successfully in South Belfast for over 20 years, in a residential area right beside Methodist College, with an excellent record of safety and positive relationships with neighbours.
“It’s extremely difficult to find properties that meet the requirements for a service like this. The site on Glen Road offers an enclosed site with self-contained units and is close to local services and transport links so the young people can stay connected to their education and employment.
"Moving here means we can continue supporting these young people without disruption while helping them become part of the strong, thriving West Belfast community.
"Where people still have legitimate questions and concerns, we encourage them to continue talking to us. We will do our best to answer all questions and provide clarity wherever we can. Our focus remains on transparency, strong safeguarding and protecting the young adults in our care.
"Every single day, Simon Community works with hundreds of people experiencing homelessness across Northern Ireland and the demand for our services keeps rising.
"This temporary move to Glen Road will allow us to keep supporting these 26 young people safely and help them move out of homelessness as quickly as possible.”
