Proud Official Sponsor
Chaos to Order Project
Chaos To Order Project
Since 2019, we have been funded by Birmingham City Council to run the Chaos to Order project, this initiative adopts a multi-agency, person-centred approach, working alongside other organisations to provide tailored support to individuals in Birmingham.
Over the first ten years of our operation, we worked with Birmingham City Council on many occasions. Although there was no dedicated funding available to invest in this type of support across the city at that time, we were consistently able to demonstrate the positive impact of our work in supporting individuals living in challenging environments.
This hard work paid off in 2019, when Birmingham City Council contacted us to confirm that funding had become available through Adult Social Care, and not just to support existing services, but to establish a dedicated hoarding support project.
The Chaos to Order Project was initially commissioned as a four-year programme running from 2019 to 2023, and was later extended for a further three years through to 2026 in recognition of its impact and ongoing need.
Project Aims
Funded by Birmingham City Council’s Preventions and Communities department, the aim of this project is to better educate and upskill the agencies who encounter hoarding behaviour and help them integrate that understanding into their everyday procedures.
There is a limited amount of funding to help with extra services such as clearing, cleaning and one-to-one work with citizens this can only be applied for after agencies have used their usual funds to address these issues. Citizens have to consent to be part of the project to access them.
Phase One - Project Outcomes
During September 2019 – September 2023, the project delivered significant impact across Birmingham:
1,711 staff trained and mentored
516 citizens supported
179 managed clearances(client requested)
390 face-to-face visits conducted
190 skips provided(client requested)
12 individuals supported through counselling
We are incredibly proud of the success of Phase One of the project, particularly as our founder, Heather, initially managed all referrals and one-to-one support independently. The scale of impact achieved during this period reflects both her dedication and the strength of the model developed.
We would also like to acknowledge and thank the wider network of partners who helped make this work possible. In particular, Social Worker Ruth Hare from Adult Social Care provided invaluable support throughout, including enabling social work students to undertake placements within the project, which helped strengthen delivery capacity.
Phase Two - Extending The Impact
Partnering with Northfield Community Partnership
Following the success of the first phase, and the data collected demonstrating the level of need for dedicated hoarding support services, we were granted a further three years of funding to continue and expand the project until December 2026. This has enabled us to move into the next phase of development, with a focus on embedding the service more deeply within Birmingham City Council’s infrastructure and strengthening its long-term sustainability.
To achieve this, we have partnered with Northfield Community Partnership and their Neighbourhood Network Scheme (NNS), enabling us to build stronger connections across the city. Through this collaboration, we now work alongside Neighbourhood Network Schemes citywide, supporting social workers to connect citizens with local services, community activities and wider practical support networks.
To further enhance accessibility and responsiveness, we have also introduced two dedicated hoarding coordinators to support Heather in managing referrals across the city.
Meet the Team
Heather Matuozzo
Project Lead
Zoe Dixon
Hoarding Coordinator
Sam WainmanÂ
Hoarding Coordinator
Alessia Matuozzo
Project Administrator
Funded Hoarding Training
As part the project, funding also enables us to deliver hoarding awareness training to partner organisations across the Birmingham City area. Designed to increase understanding of hoarding behaviours, the sessions equip professionals with the knowledge and confidence to identify need earlier, respond appropriately, and signpost individuals into the right support.
This wider training supports the overall aim of the project which is to improve outcomes for individuals affected by hoarding and strengthen the system of support across the city.
