Tackling Worklessness in Social Housing

What works in helping tenants into employment?30 April 2009

Victoria WhittleHead of Community InvestmentBroomleigh Housing Association

Erica WattsCommunity Investment ManagerBroomleigh Housing Association

About Us

BHA formed 1992 LBB full voluntary stock transfer 15,000 managed properties across 8

boroughs; Bromley Croydon, Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth, Medway, Merton and Sutton

13,550 properties in Bromley Part of Affinity Sutton Group Over 50,000 properties in group

Our Vision

Broomleigh’s mission is to:

‘help to build better lives’ through secure and affordable homes, stronger communities, improved education opportunities, involvement in decision making, access to good services and an enhanced quality of life.

To achieve this vision there are four key corporate objectives:· Improving efficiency and effectiveness· Growing the business· Providing excellent services· Increasing our influence

As part of Broomleighs commitment to ‘excellent services’ we have a dedicated Community Investment programme. 5 Key areas of delivery:

(i) Financial Inclusion(ii) Youth(iii) Environment(iv) Healthy Living (v) Employment and Training

Our Objectives

Financial Inclusion

Credit Union Basic Bank Accounts Financial literacy Money management

workshops Debt counselling

Environment

Natural Estates• Pilot Project• Creating natural gardens on 2 BHA

estates Allotments

• Encouraging local residents to grow and maintain planting and vegetables – also linked to a Country Markets project

Youth

Summer University In collaboration with LA,

Jack Petchey and London Challenge 46 FREE summer activities and courses

for 8 – 25 years ArtsTrain

Creative and Media arts programme offering accredited training, volunteering and paid work opportunities for 11–16 years

Healthy Living

Bromley Active Living Centre – BALC Over 200 local residents enrolled Diverse groups and bespoke sessions Reduced ASB on the estate Development opportunities for locals –

Volunteers and Olympic hopefuls!

Activate London Pan-London Health and Well-being project Led by Peabody trust, funded by Big Lottery 7 Projects delivered by BHA covering

Physical health Mental health Healthy eating

Employment and Training

Stepping Up 2 year project 85 homeless families within Bromley, Croydon

and Southwark Focus on progressions to accredited training

and part-time employment Outreach IAG and employment support with

high level of wrap-around support Soft-skill employability workshops Key Partners – St Giles Trust, Oasis Trust,

Lifeline

Employment and Training cont

Stepping Up so far…… 68 Participants signed up 42 non-eligible participants also receiving low-

level IAG support Various additional support needs including DV,

Lone Parents, Substance misuse and Ex-offenders

33 participants attended employment skills workshops

14 progressed onto further accredited training 5 entered paid employment (1 self-employed) 1 sustained paid employment for 6 months

Employment and Training cont

Pathways 4 Cray 2 year project 105 individuals within wards of Cray Valley East,

Cray Valley West and Orpington Focus on sustained employment progressions Outreach IAG and programme of short,

accredited vocational courses Ties into to LAA and LSP to reduce

unemployment locally. Works to complement authorities –People into Employment’ project

Key partners – LBB, Bromley Field Studies Centre, Bromley Gypsy Traveller Project

Employment and Training cont

Personal Best New 2 years contract Targeting 200 unemployed residents in

Bromley Providing outreach and IAG to support

participants to access volunteering, training and employment opportunities supporting the capacity building of the workforce for 2012

Supported to complete Level 1 qualification in ‘Preparation for Event Volunteering’ (Pre Volunteer Programme for the Olympic and Paralympic Games) with affiliated partner (Bromley College)

Partnerships - formal

Contracted delivery partners Develop and negotiate SLA’s Deliver to agreed targets and

timescales (usually with paid outcomes) Offer specialist and/or specific support

and services e.g. Job Brokers, training providers, employers, peer mentors, advice agencies etc

Partnerships - Informal

Informal partners Non-contracted but still forming a critical

‘partnership’ Often acts as source of referral from other

agencies and therefore compliments outreach provision e.g. Children and Family centres, In-house tenancy teams

Can provide a source of referral to other agencies

Win-win situation and equally important in terms of delivery

Real collaborative working can help offer holistic support for residents – e.g. CAB, Advocacy services

Pros of Partnership Collaboration

Collaborative working enabling partners to specialise in core areas of expertise

Enables a wider range of services and support to be offered to participants

Able to explore new and wider project opportunities

Enhanced cross referrals and sign-posting opportunities

For formal partners – Enables VfM and excellent service delivery

For informal partners - Maximisation of resources at no extra cost

Questions & Answers