Sifa Fireside

Charity 1049728

www.sifafireside.co.uk

Overview

Summary

Sources:Civic AtlasAI-assisted

SIFA Fireside appears to be more than an emergency day centre: it operates as a bridge between immediate survival support, statutory systems and longer-term recovery for adults affected by homelessness in Birmingham. Its role seems particularly shaped by people who face overlapping barriers, including poor mental health, substance use, exclusion from services and restricted access to public funds. The organisation’s model combines practical access, sustained relationship-based support and client involvement, suggesting an effort to reduce both homelessness itself and the institutional disconnection that can prolong it.

See observations

Operational geography

Sources:ONSCivic AtlasAI-assisted

Coverage: Citywide

Operational areas:

Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bordesley and Highgate

Confidence: low

The available evidence identifies SIFA Fireside’s main hub and Digbeth Support Centre in Digbeth, but does not directly establish ward-level operational activity.

  • SIFA Fireside website
    The organisation identifies its Digbeth Support Centre as its main day centre for adults facing homelessness in Birmingham, providing emergency support, health access, advice, meals, showers, clothing and recovery activities.
  • SIFA Fireside, Housing and Substance Misuse Worker vacancy, updated June 2026
    The Exempt Accommodation Support Service is based at SIFA Fireside’s main hub in Digbeth, Birmingham.
  • Birmingham City Council, rough sleeping support page
    The council directs people rough sleeping in Birmingham to SIFA Fireside in Digbeth for drop-in and emergency support.
Remaining uncertainties
  • The evidence identifies one fixed operational site in Digbeth, but does not provide a current ward-by-ward map of outreach, referrals or clients supported elsewhere in Birmingham.
  • Citywide coverage is directly evidenced for the Exempt Accommodation Support Service, which states that it provides outreach across the city. It is not clear whether every other SIFA Fireside service operates citywide or is mainly delivered from the Digbeth hub.
  • The Peer Support service undertakes outreach in the 'local community', but the available evidence does not define that community geographically; it should not be assigned to additional wards.
  • SIFA Fireside works with Birmingham City Council, including as a route into the Housing Options Team, and is funded in part by Adult Social Care and Public Health. These relationships support Birmingham-wide reach, but the evidence does not establish additional partner-hosted operating sites.
Additional evidence needed
  • A current service-delivery or outreach map showing the wards, neighbourhoods or accommodation providers reached by the Exempt Accommodation and Peer Support teams.
  • The full 2024–25 impact report or current annual report, if it includes geographic breakdowns of referrals, outreach activity, client residence or partner delivery locations.
  • Current service specifications or commissioning documents from Birmingham City Council for the Adult Lead Worker, Exempt Accommodation and Peer Support services.

Areas of work

Source:Charity Commission
  • General Charitable Purposes
  • The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
  • The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty

Who they help

Source:Charity Commission
  • Elderly/old People
  • Other Charities Or Voluntary Bodies
  • Other Defined Groups
  • People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
  • People With Disabilities
  • The General Public/mankind

How they help

Source:Charity Commission
  • Provides Advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
  • Provides Human Resources
  • Provides Services

Discoveries involving this organisation

Observations

Sources:Civic AtlasAI-assisted

  • A bridge between crisis support and systems navigation

    SIFA Fireside appears to use its day centre as an accessible entry point, then connect people to housing, health, welfare and longer-term support. This may make it an important intermediary for people unable to navigate fragmented services alone.

    Why it matters

    Its significance may lie not only in providing essentials, but in converting moments of crisis into sustained contact with services and routes towards stability.

    Show evidence

    • “The Digbeth Support Centre provides meals, showers, clean clothes, food parcels, internet access, health services and appointments with the Department for Work and Pensions.”

      Source:Organisation

    • “The Homelessness Intervention team acts as a conduit to Birmingham City Council’s Housing Options Team.”

      Source:Organisation

  • Focused on exclusion beyond homelessness

    The organisation appears to define homelessness as closely connected to structural and eligibility barriers, rather than solely a lack of accommodation. Its specialist offers suggest attention to people likely to be underserved by mainstream systems.

    Why it matters

    This helps explain why SIFA Fireside has developed services around immigration status, service exclusion, substance use and exempt accommodation, rather than a single generic homelessness offer.

    Show evidence

    • “The Adult Lead Worker Service supports people experiencing two or more issues including substance use, poor mental health, repeat homelessness, offending history and exclusion from mainstream services.”

      Source:Organisation

    • “The Restricted Eligibility Team supports non-UK nationals with no recourse to public funds or restricted eligibility to public funds.”

      Source:Organisation

  • Relationship continuity appears central to recovery

    SIFA Fireside appears to treat recovery as a gradual process requiring trust, peer connection and client influence, rather than a short intervention ending once accommodation is obtained.

    Why it matters

    This suggests its distinctive capability may be sustaining engagement with people who have reason to distrust services or who risk returning to homelessness after transition.

    Show evidence

    • “Peer Mentors support people rough sleeping who struggle with loneliness, disconnection and trust in services.”

      Source:Organisation

    • “Clients and people with lived experience are involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of activities, services and policies.”

      Source:Organisation

    Remaining uncertainties

  • There is no evidence of service scale, outcomes, waiting times or unmet demand.
  • The organisation’s formal partnerships beyond Birmingham City Council and the Refugee Migrant Centre are unclear.

    Additional evidence needed

  • Outcome data showing housing, health, income and sustained-engagement results by service.
  • Referral pathways, partnership agreements and accounts of where clients disengage or cannot access support.
Charity Commission profile
Source:Charity Commission

Activities

SIFA Fireside is the main day centre for homeless and vulnerably-housed adults in Birmingham. We provide a range of services to prevent homelessness and to support adults who are homeless or vulnerable by meeting their immediate and long-term needs.

Charity objects

THE RELIEF OF PERSONS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, VULNERABILITY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION BY PROVIDING ADVICE, ASSISTANCE, INCLUSION, ENGAGEMENT AND EQUAL ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR SUCH PERSONS, INFLUENCING THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOMELESSNESS AGENDA AND EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS TO THE NEEDS OF SUCH PERSONS