The Omnis Centre, based at Greenstead Community Centre (GCC), opened this month. It brings together CBH and GCC with KTM Care Ltd, Family Solutions, Catch 22, Phoenix Futures, Essex Police, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, and local hate crime ambassadors. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to offer café customers specialist advice and support, particularly for young adults who may be having mental health difficulties or have neurodiverse other personal issues that make them vulnerable to criminal activity.

The café-style initiative is being supported by a £2,000 grant from CBH’s Community Fund and £8,150 from Colchester Borough Council as part of Project Morpheus, a multi-agency initiative that aims to tackle the problems that lead young people into anti-social behaviour.

The agencies involved share resources and information to tackle hate crime, cuckooing, violent crime associated with county lines and the exploitation and abuse of people with learning difficulties and/or autism.

The café will offer the same services to anyone who uses the centre but its focus will be on reaching out to vulnerable 18 to 24-year-olds and their families. It is hoped that it will also offer people with learning disabilities, autism, and mental health conditions an opportunity to socialise in a safe environment. People with learning difficulties, mental health issues or autism in particular will be signposted to agencies that might be able to offer further help.

All café staff will be qualified hate-crime ambassadors and all incidents of hate crime and cuckooing reported to them will be passed on to partner agencies for further support. Acts of violence often occur when people go into crisis over a prolonged period and café staff will be trained to spot signs of likely problems and make appropriate referrals.

Other specialist support will include money advice, referrals for financial assistance, benefits claim assistance, help with food and fuel poverty, and support to deal with rent arrears to sustain tenancies.

Philip Sullivan, Colchester Borough Homes Chief Executive, said: “This trailblazing initiative brings together – under one roof and with a shared focus – dedicated, specialist agencies that can provide a welcoming space to help tackle some of the more serious challenges vulnerable younger people, and especially those with autism, face.

“The new café will help bolster Project Morpheus and the parallel work it is doing to reach out to young people in the borough to steer them away from crime and anti-social behaviour – and I’m delighted CBH is playing a leading role in this initiative.”