About
At Clearout NI we believe in creating business value and social value hand in hand. Having a positive social and environmental impact in our local community is a core aim of everything that we do.
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We do this by helping clients suffering from Chronic Disorganisation, Self-Neglect and Hoarding Behaviours to regain control of their lives. We help clients become more responsible and contribute in society, becoming better tenants, neighbours and giving back to our community.
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We devise practical solutions for Tenants, Landlords, Home Owners and Housing Associations to deal with the underlying mental health and addiction issues that often surround our Clients.
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We aim to collaborate successfully in a multi-agency approach to tackling the anti-social behaviour of hoarding. We help home owners and self-funded applicants with individually tailored packages, and social housing tenants with our Tenancy Sustainment Packages. We aim to reduce the risk of eviction and the escalating costs across multiple agencies when eviction is actioned.
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Chronic Disorganisation:
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Chronic Disorganisation is a real thing. As a member of the Institute for Challenging Disorganisation, we stay up to date with current science and training in this area.
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Sometimes additional burdens in a Client's life (caring responsibilities, bereavement, family breakdown or long-working hours etc) mean that keeping the home tidy has become overwhelming and before long the home has become extremely disorganised.
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Depression can be a major factor in homes that present with extremely disorganised living conditions
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Chronic Disorganisation can be a factor in the lives of people suffering with other mental and physical conditions such as ASD, ADD, ADHD, Dyspraxia, Fibromyalgia and many more.
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Self-Neglect:
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Symptoms of Self-Neglect include infrequent washing / self-care, unclean appearance, unclean clothes, piles of rubbish within the home, untreated pest infestations and more.
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Self-Neglect may or may not include hoarding behaviours. Hoarding is the emotional attachment placed on items with a failure to discard appropriately. Sometimes someone who is Self-neglecting may accept interventions when offered and when the discarding is suggested they might not resist.
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Extreme Self-Neglect has been referred to as Diogenes Syndrome which includes the hoarding aspect and a level of squalor that significantly impacts on the person's wellbeing, in this situation the discarding is often resisted.
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Depression and Addiction can be a large factor in a Self-Neglect situation, it can also occur as a result of Dementia, Brain damage, Depression and Psychotic Disorders
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When treating Self-Neglect we try to replace the unhealthy attachment to objects with healthy interaction and relationships to people and community
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Hoarding Disorder:
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Not everyone living in chronic disorganisation has the mental illness known as 'Hoarding Disorder'
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The World Health Organisation recognised 'Hoarding Disorder' as a mental illness in 2018:
"Hoarding disorder is characterised by accumulation of possessions that results in living spaces becoming cluttered to the point that their use or safety is compromised. Accumulation occurs due to both repetitive urges or behaviours related to amassing items and difficulty discarding possessions due to a perceived need to save items and distress associated with discarding them. The symptoms result in significant distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning."
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The American Psychiatric Association has recognised Hoarding Disorder since 2013 in the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' (DSM-5), it includes the compulsive behaviours aspects of accumulating and inability to discard.
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Hoarding presents a risk of fire, squalor, infestation and/or structural collapse and the subsequent cost of dealing with this can run to thousands of pounds
Our Mission
To change lives by restoring homes
Our Vision
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To create a company with a holistic approach to dealing with extreme disorganisation and hoarding issues to support the wider community
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To provide work & career opportunities for those affected by hoarding disorder (the individual and their children, friends & family)
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To reduce social isolation for those living with hoarding behaviours
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To restore families' lives impacted by Chronic Disorganisation, Self-neglect and Hoarding Disorder
Our Values
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Trust
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Honesty
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Kindness
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Fairness
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Respect
Our Goals
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C: Community driven activities
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L: Life changing interventions
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E: Empathy with clients and their families
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A: Advancement of opportunities for those recovering from or affected by hoarding
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R: Restoring lives
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O: Outreach through comprehensive aftercare
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U: Unrivalled compassion for our clients
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T: Team based approach
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Our Colleagues
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Forsensic Psychologists
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Clinical Psychotherapists
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Hoarding Practitioners
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Hoarding Support Workers
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Therapeutic Cleaners
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Volunteers (Graphic Designers, Social Media Stars, Drivers)
Our Company Charter
We are committed to:
1. Pay the real living wage or more.
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As of Sept 2022 the Low Pay Commission is advising the UK Government that the Living Wage is £10.90 per hour, we pay £15 per hour for our entry level roles. This equates to £29,250 for a 37.5 hr week
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As of Oct 2022 the median wage in NI was £30,000 (https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/news/employee-earnings-northern-ireland-october-2022)
2. Offer fairer hours and contracts, with flexibility towards our staff’s needs.
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We pay 8 hours for a 6 hour shift, as we include 1 hour's commuting time before and after work
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We pay staff for their lunch break time, no deductions
3. Provide clear and transparent policies that support employee wellbeing. A positive, supportive approach to dealing with mental health and disabilities.
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We are a therapy based business and therapy is available to all staff
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We encourage actively talking about mental health issues amongst our staff and management
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We support Aware NI initiatives such as: Mental Health First Aid training for our team members and 'Mood Matters in the Workplace'.
4. Encourage employee representatives meeting regularly with management to provide an employee voice.
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We have monthly team meeting with a staff and management with an open ideas forum where we make suggestions and vote on those ideas. Every team member has an equal vote, no manager can overturn the decision
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5. Have no gender, disability or ethnicity pay gaps.
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Pay is based on the role. All staff in the same role receive the same hourly rate
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Pay for future management level roles will be calculated as follows:
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Team Leader / Supervisor = 1.25 times the Team member's hourly rate​
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Mid-Level Management = 1.5 times the Team member's hourly rate
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Senior Management = 1.75 times the Team member's hourly rate
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CEO / MD = 2.5 times the Team member's hourly rate
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6. Recycle & reuse and focus on our environmental performance.
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We donate as much as possible from our home clear out operations to local charities
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We only instruct licensed waste carriers to pick up the rubbish from our clear outs, the carriers use local recycling facilities
7. Pay fair taxes and report transparently to HMRC.
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We have an electronic accounting system that connect directly to HMRC and we are 'making tax digital' compliant
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All taxes are paid on time
8. Treat our clients according to our values: Trust, Honest, Kindness, Fairness & Respect
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9. Uphold the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code for sourcing. The ETI Base Code is founded on the conventions of the International Labour Organisation and is an internationally recognised code of labour practice. It consists of nine clauses as follows:
I. Employment is freely chosen
II. Freedom of association and the right of collective bargaining are respected
III. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
IV. Child labour shall not be used
V. Local living wages are paid at national legal standards
VI. Working hours are not excessive, complying with national law
VII. No discrimination is practiced
VIII. Work performed must be on the basis of a recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice
IX. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
10. Follow the ‘Prompt Payment Code’ set by Chartered Institute of Credit Management on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. We undertake to:
a. Pay suppliers on time
b. Give clear guidance to suppliers
c. Encourage good practice
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Our memberships:
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Hoarding UK: https://hoardinguk.org
We are members of Hoarding UK, the only UK charity dedicated to helping promote awareness of the issue of Hoarding.
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Institute for Challenging Disorganization: https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/
We are members of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization in America, a not-for-profit providing first class training and support for Professional Organisers.
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