Complex Lives
Projects
Person-centred support for life’s toughest moments
Complex Lives recognises that no one experiences challenges in neat categories. We support people navigating homelessness, substance misuse, criminal justice involvement, mental ill-health and other intersecting issues – often all at once. Through collaborative, multi-agency responses, we meet people where they are and offer practical help, emotional support, and a pathway forward. At the heart of this work is trust: building it, holding it, and using it to create lasting change in people’s lives.
Welcome Team
The Welcome Team is an integral part of CoLab in a variety of ways. The team are a first point of contact when a visitor arrives at CoLab. We are very proud of the hospitality we offer to everyone who visits CoLab; visitors may be coming to a group meeting, attending a training course, accessing support for the 30+ different projects and organisations or may arrive uncertain of what they need and the Welcome Team will help them to understand and navigate the services.
We provide an inclusive, respectful space where all voices matter. Where members of the community can access laptops, have a cup of tea or coffee, or have a chat with one of our listening volunteers.
STaR Project
Exeter STaR (System, Treatment and Recovery) is a dedicated service supporting people who are rough sleeping or living in temporary accommodation and facing substance misuse challenges. Funded by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and building on the understanding that traditional drug and alcohol services don't always reach the people who need them most, STaR has grown into an established part of Exeter's response to homelessness and substance use. Rather than expecting people to fit a model, STaR is set up to shape treatment to the individual.
A One Team Model, Built on Alliance Working
STaR brings together CoLab, Waythrough, BCHA, Inclusion Health Devon, BtheChange, Devon & Cornwall Police, Exeter City Council, and Devon County Council Public Health as one multidisciplinary team. It builds on established best practice and relationships across the city so that support feels joined up rather than fragmented.
The team works to the MEAM (Making Every Adult Matter) framework, which underpins coordinated, long-term responses to complex, overlapping needs—housing, health, justice, and recovery—through genuine partnership rather than separate referrals between services.
Recognising that recovery often stalls on the small, unglamorous things as much as the big ones. A small personal budget for each client, for a bus fare, ID, a phone top-up, helps unlock practical barriers to engagement.
Relationship-Based, Wrap-Around Support
STaR is built around outreach, not appointments. Our workers follow the person, meeting people where they are, staying in contact through setbacks as well as progress, and building the kind of consistent relationship that makes trust, and eventually change, possible.
In practice, this includes:
Care coordination and advocacy
Housing support
Harm reduction (naloxone distribution, needle exchange)
Cognitive behavioural relapse prevention therapy
Detox preparation and overdose welfare checks
Support attending appointments and pro-social activities
Coordination with other support providers
Upskilling other services in harm reduction and treatment pathways
For some people, this is what makes recovery possible for the first time. For others, it's what keeps them engaged long enough for progress already underway to stick.
Find out more about the STaR project at starexeter.org.uk
High Intensity Use
The High Intensity Use Project is a people-first initiative focused on supporting individuals who frequently attend the emergency department in Exeter. By concentrating on what matters most to each person, we aim to break the cycle of repeated presentations and help them reach meaningful resolutions.
We celebrate the uniqueness of every individual, recognising that most don’t fit into traditional boxes. Our approach brings together key practitioners to work collaboratively—avoiding siloed efforts and ensuring everyone is aligned to a shared plan.
Delivered in line with the https://www.thinkouts.com/high-intensity-user-solutions/, this project builds on the innovation and impact of CoLab’s Welcome Team but also working with a wider cohort across Exeter and East Devon. It has become a vital extension of our navigator-led support for people living complex lives, helping both individuals and organisations find a win-win way forward.
Vision Care Charity for Homeless People is a charity providing eye-care services to homeless and vulnerably housed people. The clinic is situated within CoLab. VCHP Exeter is immensely grateful to a great team of volunteers and also donations from Specsavers, the Pret Foundation, Thomson Software Solutions and Bill Opticians, who have supported them.
The opticians operate from the Atrium and rely on volunteers; these include qualified optometrists, dispensing opticians, students and lay clinic assistants. If you are interested in getting involved please contact info@vchp.org.uk.
Vision Care Charity for Homeless People
DentAid
Dentaid The Dental Charity provides dental care and oral health advice for people experiencing homelessness, harm, poverty and abuse.
Our mobile dental units travel the UK providing outreach dental clinics for the most vulnerable people in our communities.
We help people at risk of health inequalities who’ve been living with the misery of toothache and restore their self-esteem by giving them more confidence in their smile. We know that oral healthcare can help our patients move on to a new chapter in their lives.
Please contact the CoLab Welcome Team to find out next dates.
Laura Greenhill
Head of Service for Complex Lives
I’ve been part of the CoLab journey for 9 years, beginning my journey in criminal justice and now leading both the Welcome Team and the High Intensity Use project. I’m a passionate advocate for equitable access to housing, health, and support services.
My favourite thing about CoLab is the open-door policy creating a single point of contact and a non-judgemental, safe space for individuals. My approach is rooted in collaborative, multi-agency working and a strong commitment to equality and inclusion.
The Welcome Team is the first point of contact for anyone entering CoLab, offering triage, support, signposting, and a listening ear to over 1,200 visitors each month. We aim to provide a compassionate and understanding environment from the very first interaction.
The High Intensity Use project is working closely with individuals who frequently attend A&E, providing intensive one-to-one support to help them address complex, non-medical needs and ultimately reduce reliance on emergency services.
Outside of work, I enjoy running, fitness, adventures in my campervan and spending time with my dog.