Creating Pro-Social Places – The Importance of Urban Design

To support the collective social wellbeing set out in the Marmot Review, Fair Society Healthy Lives (2010), we need to foster a culture that regards and manages places as essential infrastructure. We have entered a critical era where greater thought leadership in our place-making culture is essential.

Dubbed “Toxic Assets” by CABE, Britain’s poorly performing urban places and communities continue to absorb much of our GDP, where land, places and people are exploited and treated like commodities. In his book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive, Jarred Diamond discusses the dangers of continued exploitation and the outcomes for societies that could not change their behaviour patterns: certain extinction.

With expenditure outstripping income, we have entered a long period of economic depression with high levels of ‘welfare’ costs signifying a nation under stress. Whilst the government’s economic austerity measures may rebalance the budget on paper, their short-term nature does not address the fundamental health and wellbeing issues that impact individuals, communities and the wider stability of the nation.

The Marmot Review emphasises the impact of urban quality on matters of equity, health and wellbeing giving urban designers an important role to play, but not through the technocratic fixes that they are typically trained to deliver. So, where do we start when thinking about the relationship between place-making, health and wellbeing?

Please visit CREW Regeneration Wales' website to read the post in its entirety.

Graham Marshall BA(Hons) PGDipLA MAUD CMLI
Professor Rhiannon Corcoran

Co-operation housing helps build co-operative communities

At the Wales Co-operative Centre, we are running a Welsh Government funded project to utilise co-operative housing approaches to help meet the demand for affordable housing. We know that co-operative approaches lead to a sense of ownership and empowerment which lead in turn to improvements in quality. These principles are extremely important drivers for those social landlords currently engaging in developing this approach – increased tenant ownership and empowerment leads to reduced arrears, reduced void turnarounds and improved community and quality of life.

In West Wales, Grŵp Gwalia is working in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council to develop a co-operative housing scheme near Carmarthen town centre that will see 27 new homes built.

In recent months, Gwalia has held events to engage with potential members to the Carmarthen housing co-operative. A core group has come forward comprised of people on the housing waiting list who believe they can bring something to a co-operative housing living situation. The site has also recently received planning permission.

One young family, which has been provisionally allocated a property on the Carmarthen site, told us why they've got involved:

“We are living in temporary accommodation for the homeless. It’s not ideal but it’s a roof over our heads. We had so many issues in our last property that Environmental Health said it was unsafe for us to live in. Also, there’s no security when you rent privately. Landlords can tell you to move out at any time. The housing co-operative offers you the chance to live within a close knit community, you know everybody and have the security of housing. You’re in a house and you don’t get kicked out for no reason - it’s all a plus to us.”

This development is part of a wider initiative, led by Welsh Government, where several pilot projects are being developed to explore the use of co-operative models as an additional housing option.

Amongst the other lead pilot projects are developments with Seren, Cadwyn and a Community Land Trust in West Rhyl which North Wales Housing is working with.

The benefits of developing co-operative housing approaches are many. They help to fulfil the need to provide more affordable housing. They offer a community led approach so are often more sustainable in the long term than other approaches. Co-operative housing developments are largely self policing, and their approaches are democratic and based on fairness and equality. Co-operatives tend to work together to look after their communal areas and are often able to manage the maintenance or maintenance contracts on their homes.

There are several different approaches which can be taken up when a social landlord is developing co-operative housing. Ownership can be completely devolved to the co-operative, ownership can be based on a long-term lease to the co-operative, and the social landlord can stimulate co-operative approaches to the management and upkeep of the properties.

In 2014, the Welsh Government pledged to increase the supply of affordable homes to 10,000 before May 2016. Co-operative housing has the potential to make a sustainable contribution to that target and to offer a long term and sustainable approach to housing provision, as well as to the development of local communities.

You can read more about the Grŵp Gwalia scheme here. 

David Palmer, Co-operative Housing Project Manager
Wales Co-operative Centre

Employment and Skills Week - housing is a rare case of economic growth

Five years ago, i2i launched the first Can Do Toolkit in response to demand from the housing sector for practical help to capture the power of housing investment for local people and communities. It wasn’t a new idea. In my TPAS Cymru days, I had the privilege to be shown the work of the Young Builders Trust who, in partnership with Cardiff Community HA, had set up a training and employment project for young people who were then able to move into the homes they had helped build and refurbish. Many other associations and local authorities have been involved in similar schemes over the years.

The difference now is that this approach is standard for most housing associations and local authority landlords across Wales. Our annual survey published in March showed that the housing sector, by adopting the i2i approach, had created 5,135 jobs and training opportunities - 1,365 every year. And this happened at a time when the Welsh economy has struggled with recession. Compare housing with the steel industry, a sector close to my heart as the proud son of a steelworker. Tata Steel employs just under 4,000 at its Port Talbot works and is the largest single site employer in Wales. In July, a further 400 redundancies were announced. The contrast with housing is evident both in terms of the numbers and the direction of travel – housing is a rare case of economic growth.

The other good news is that where housing has led the way, others are following. The recently launched Community Benefits Guide from Value Wales (you can obtain a copy from communitybenefits@wales.gov.uk) has adopted the Can Do Toolkit ‘double default’ approach, making targeted recruitment and training the first ‘ask’. Our motivation remains to make real and lasting differences to people's lives. In the words of my i2i colleague Gareth Jones, community benefits are:

‘a long term solution to bring employment, economic and social gain to disadvantaged populations to help break the cycle of poverty and promote equality and inclusion.’

This is a long haul, made worse by welfare reform, austerity and more looming public service cuts. What can’t be denied is that housing continues to lead the way in the most challenging of times. CHC and its members, local authorities, contractors, small businesses and communities themselves have contributed to this success and learnt huge amounts in the process. We deserve a collective pat on the back. And then we need to refocus and move on, build on what we’ve achieved and keep our eye on the prize of long term, economically vibrant communities across Wales.

Keith Edwards, Director
CIH Cymru

This week is Employment and Skills Week, run by the Community Housing Cymru Group in partnership with CIH Cymru and NIACE Cymru. 

Reducing the risk of falling

As we grow older, gradual changes to our health and the medications we take can contribute to an increased risk of falling.

Every year, around one in three over-65s living in the community and one in two people aged over 85 will have a fall.

There are many reasons why the risk of falls and fractures increases with age, including weaker bones and muscles and being less mobile. However, many falls can be prevented and are often due to hazards that are easy to overlook but equally easy to fix.

Falls Awareness Week 2014 is about helping to reduce the risk of falls among older people by identifying some of those fixes.

There are many simple changes you can make around your home to reduce the risk of falls – indoors and out.

Checking for hazards which can cause a slip, trip or fall on floors, steps and stairs in the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and garden can help you to reduce the risk of falling.

It is also important to look at and address the fear of falling that some people may have. This anxiety may stem from having already had a fall and can lead to older people losing confidence and becoming isolated and depressed.

We also need to consider the role that medication can play in falls. Some medications including sedatives or strong painkillers can cause drowsiness, while others may alter your vision, hearing or concentration.

If you are worried about falls, Age Cymru has produced a guide called ‘Avoiding slips, trips and falls’. It gives tips on how to reduce the risk of falling at home and includes a self-assessment form about your general wellbeing.

‘Avoiding slips, trips and falls’ is available for free from Age Cymru’s Healthy Ageing Team by contacting them on 029 2043 1555, or emailing ageingwell@agecymru.org.uk. You can also download it from the Age Cymru website – www.agecymru.org.uk.


Rosalyn Williams
Health Initiatives Officer, Age Cymru

fesTYval... reimagining regeneration!

fesTYval: Reimagining Regeneration, 18 June
Swansea Care & Repair, 13C Valley Way, Alberto Road, Swansea, SA6 8QP
9am – 5pm
#fesTYval

The first of its kind in Wales!

I am very pleased to say that we have had unprecedented interest in our new and exciting housing-led regeneration event, 'fesTYval'. From the local health board to the police, Communities First, social enterprises, local authorities and of course housing association staff and tenants, it really will be a mix of delegates who will all be there to find out more, be inspired by, celebrate and challenge the social housing sector's role in regenerating communities.

On 18th June we will transform this warehouse into a visually stimulating, fun and engaging venue:

The event stems from Community Housing Cymru and CREW Regeneration Wales’ Housing-led Regeneration Network which runs on a quarterly basis and is chaired by Steve Cranston, Head of Community Investment at United Welsh. Housing-led Regeneration is a rather creative element of the work of housing associations, and we felt that a standard corporate event would not fit with the agenda and audience.

As many of you are aware, the social housing sector is increasingly involved in regenerating communities through various initiatives. To give you a snapshot of the regeneration work taking place across Wales, you can take a look at our fesTYval Pinterest page: http://gb.pinterest.com/chcgroup/festyval-reimagining-regeneration/

The sector and tenants rarely have a chance to reflect on the work taking place and to identify new pursuits. fesTYval will provide this opportunity.

In true UnConference format, fesTYval will run a loose ‘line-up’ with delegates given the choice to attend fringe events, master classes, and headline sessions throughout the day.

The 'Big Top' will host the headline speakers throughout the day, keeping us inspired and focused. The three fringe sessions will provide attendees with the opportunity to hear from showcased RSL examples and seek advice and support from colleagues on these areas of work. The measuring and reporting session will highlight the various tools and software available to the sector to capture and monitor what you are doing well. The Masterclass sessions will provide a free learning opportunity for both colleagues and tenants, giving you the tools to put your new ideas into action. Finally, Regen Street will allow you to take stock, grab a cuppa or an ice cream, and mingle with colleagues over the Washing Line or in the Cosy Caravan. The street will be lined with interactive stalls and stands from our partners, RSLs, local businesses and social enterprises for your perusal throughout the day.

Thanks to our partners including Building Enterprise, CREW and Bangor University, fesTYval will run at the low cost of only £20 per delegate. If you would like to book your place, please visit CHC's website. A warning… tickets are running low!

You can join the conversation on Twitter leading up to the event and on the day using the #fesTYval hashtag. We look forward to seeing you there!


Hayley MacNamara
Regeneration Officer

Older People's Commissioner for Wales: An update

Earlier this year, I released a report calling for the preservation of community services which are essential for helping older people to maintain their health, independence and wellbeing.

The report, entitled ‘The Importance and Impact of Community Services within Wales’, outlines the importance of provisions including buses and community transport, public toilets, pavements, public seating, outdoor areas, libraries, leisure facilities, community and day centres.

There is real concern among many older people that these vital services are disappearing, which will have a devastating impact on their lives.

The evidence in the report was drawn from a series of focus groups that took place with older people around Wales, as well as from a range of partners with expertise in specialist areas.

Many of these older people are housing association tenants and I meet them at home, in their residential complexes and schemes, as well as at the various clubs and groups which they are members of, through my ongoing Engagement Roadshow.

The community services that older people consistently talk about are not luxuries, but are lifelines to helping them stay independent, healthy and connected to their local communities, their friends and families.

I understand the current budgetary pressures being placed upon Local Authorities and that difficult decisions on expenditure and savings must be made. It is vital, however, that as spending decisions are made, essential community services are recognised as being as impactful and as important as statutory services and that older people are able to continue to access them.

Building on the report, I will publish a toolkit later this year to help housing association residents and all older people to engage with Local Authorities and influence the decisions that affect them.

I am also planning a number of seminars for key local authority staff, to present the case for the retention of community services, facilities and infrastructure in Wales and to discuss and agree an effective way forward.

For a copy of ‘The Importance and Impact of Community Services within Wales’ or to find out more about my work across the country, visit www.olderpeoplewales.com or call 08442 640670.

Sarah Rochira
Older People's Commissioner for Wales

CREW Regeneration Wales' 'Deep Place' Study

CREW has recently published its ‘Deep Place’ report, the result of 12 months of detailed research into the community of Tredegar by Professor Dave Adamson and Dr Mark Lang. CREW has been pleased with the initial reaction to the report which some have described as a game changer for current approaches to tackling poverty and creating environmentally, socially, economically and culturally sustainable communities in Wales.

The research, which looked at Tredegar holistically, has identified the key disadvantages experienced by people living in the town, and identifies the positive opportunities to create a sustainable community. It offers an alternative to the view that regeneration is only about managing decline in post-industrial communities.

The ‘Foundational Economy’, a concept developed by Prof Karel Williams of Manchester University, is viewed by CREW as the principal means to achieve economic growth in Tredegar. The report argues for a more localised semi-autonomous local economy that could provide a sustainable future for the local community with, for example, localised supply chains and patterns of employment. It identifies four key sectors that are critical to future success: food; energy conservation and generation; the care sector; e-commerce and employment.

There are already spatially orientated policy initiatives in Wales, such as Enterprise Zones, Local Growth Zones and City Regions. There needs, however, to be a ‘Total Place’ strategy for communities, and this is what the Deep Place Study proposes for Tredegar.

The Deep Place approach can be used as a means more generally in other disadvantaged communities in Wales and beyond. For communities to become more resilient, inclusive governance is needed. However, this requires very different perspectives from the normal approach to power at community level and will depend on willingness and openness of public sector organisations at national, regional and local levels to share power, coordinate activities, develop synergies and work for common objectives.

To find out more, you can download the report, Toward A New Settlement: A ‘Deep Place’ Approach to Equitable and Sustainable Places, from the CREW website.

CREW Regeneration Wales will also be hosting a Twitter talk on the study later today from 5 until 7pm, using the #DeepPlace hashtag. 




Dr Mark Lang
CREW Regeneration Wales

#LoveEmptyHomes – a call to action for the housing sector

Empty Homes Wales is a project set up by United Welsh to help owners of Empty Homes to find bespoke solutions to bring their properties back into use. We offer signposting to finance, expert advice, referral to relevant services, full tenancy management, project management and so on. Anything that makes it harder for the owner to leave the property empty and unloved!

We work proactively with Local Authorities to offer services that mean we are able to get involved before enforcement action is taken against the owner.

This week I am busy promoting #LoveEmptyHomes – a timely campaign primarily aimed at reminding those owners of Empty Homes that their houses need love. Working with Local Authorities in Cardiff, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent, I am sending over 300 Valentine’s cards to ask them to work with us for the sake of the community (if not their own bank balance!).

At the same time, over on Twitter we are stimulating discussion about the future of Empty Homes. Why not head over and join in, using the hashtag #LoveEmptyHomes. Please donate a tweet to the campaign via Thunderclap.

For me, this Empty Homes campaign has really highlighted that while there are many partners and supporters, what we really need to see in order to make a difference in the numbers of Empty Homes brought back into use is more housing associations getting their hands dirty along with United Welsh.

I’ve been asked regularly 'What do United Welsh actually get out of this? Is it just for show?' Well, in short: no, it’s not. Working in this sector, and as members of CHC, our bread and butter is 'investing in communities and changing lives'. And when I see a previously abandoned property that has been refurbished and has a family living in it, I genuinely feel that I am achieving that. But strategically this project helps us to meet our business aims and objectives - it’s not loss making, and it’s not a charity. The financial viabilities stack up. They have to, at the Board's continued insistence!

But we can’t do it alone. When United Welsh set up the Empty Homes Wales project it was always with the intention of encouraging more housing associations to get involved to cover more diverse geographical areas. I am in early talks with proactive housing associations in other areas of South Wales, who are tentatively looking to start working in the same way as us in their own zoned areas. We are keen to share any information and give the necessary support to get the Empty Homes Wales message out there.

So, if you have anything to contribute, any ideas or comments, then please get in touch using #LoveEmptyHomes to see what we can achieve together.

Michala Rudman, Empty Homes Project Officer
United Welsh

Digital exclusion - a tackling poverty issue

Having internet access within the home is fast becoming a necessity, not a luxury. The divide between those that are with broadband and those that are without because they cannot afford it is creating a social divide. Digital exclusion is therefore a tackling poverty issue.

Twenty per cent of social housing tenants who are not online cite that it is because they cannot afford home broadband. This equates to over 40,000 tenants across Wales who cannot afford to use the internet and take advantage of:

• Saving money through purchasing products/services online
• Searching and applying for jobs 
• Accessing online education and information services 
• Improved, fast communication with family and friends 
• Accessing online public services, including health services and remote monitoring
  

Having online access also leads to improved wellbeing and mental health, especially for the elderly. A study at the Phoenix Centre found that internet use leads to around a 20% reduction in depression classification and, compared with the digitally excluded, internet users feel less lonely and their personal wellbeing is enhanced.

Having access to the internet can mean the difference between work and unemployment, inclusion and exclusion, and happiness and depression.

Helping tenants to get online involves supporting them with developing online skills, helping them to realise the benefits of using the internet, and enabling them to have access to the internet. Community hubs currently provide a fantastic resource to up-skill the community through online training courses and some also provide free internet access. However, not everyone is able to access these facilities, especially those isolated or housebound. Of those that are online, 84% prefer to access the internet within their own home.

‘Fighting Poverty’ is about tackling the root causes of deprivation and enabling those in poverty to have the same opportunities as others. It is one of our five key aims in our CHC Corporate Plan and we therefore support our members to impact positively on the economic, environmental and social circumstances of tenants, leaseholders and communities. Our Your Benefits are Changing campaign and Moneyline Cymru service have done just that, and we are now looking to further support our members to raise the benchmark and help tenants to get online in the comfort of their own home.

To find out more about the work we are involved with on digital inclusion, contact Hayley MacNamara on hayley-macnamara@chcymru.org.uk .


Hayley MacNamara
Regeneration Officer

Challenging the Benefits Street stereotypes

The Channel 4 documentary Benefits Street focuses on people living in one particular street in Birmingham – a city where we, the Accord Group, work.

It has immediately become the subject of hard hitting headlines, the hot topic on Twitter and Facebook and reignited a topic that polarises Britain – the benefits system.

Having worked in social housing for 25 years, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting hundreds of people in Birmingham and across the Midlands from many different walks of life.

I’ve met pensioners, young single mothers, women who have fled domestic violence, ex-offenders, people with disabilities and people in low paid jobs, just to name a few.

What do all these people have in common? They’ve all, in some way, needed state support to get by in life and a helping hand at a difficult time. Should they all be labelled as 'scroungers' as a consequence? We don’t think so.


Here are some facts you may find interesting:

• In 2012, 18% of working-age households were workless, but only 2% of cases demonstrated that no one had ever worked – dispelling a myth that we are overrun with generations of feckless families who have never had gainful employment.

• It is estimated (for 2011-12) that 0.8% of total benefit expenditure was overpaid as a result of fraud, again challenging a common view that benefit expenditure is high because of fraudsters and cheats.

• Interesting, the proportion of housing benefit claimants who are in work is rising to fast approach the one million mark. These are those people who work but are on low pay. A sign perhaps that wages are not keeping up with the ever increasing cost of living?

• It is estimated that over 55% of the local government workforce are entitled to some form of in-work benefits* and yet help to provide some of the most essential services in the country.

There will also be a significant percentage of health services workers also in receipt of state benefits. Are these people 'scroungers' too?

It’s time to put down the labels and challenge the knee-jerk assumptions and stereotypes about people who claim benefits.

Concentrating on creating sustainable, well-paid jobs, economic growth and affordable housing that really is affordable, would be far more profitable than constantly attacking those individuals and households for whom a benefit claim is the only way they can survive.

Dr Chris Handy OBE
Chief Executive of the Accord Group (www.accordgroup.org.uk - @theaccordgroup)


*New Policy Institute Report - TAX CREDITS: POLICY ISSUES FOR UNISON

Three things we should learn from Benefits Street

Apart from the unfortunate title, Benefits Street is pretty good.

Having seen the first two episodes I genuinely can’t understand what the fuss is about.

It’s a great piece of commercial television (think – My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding) that’s designed to shock.

And , boy , have we fallen for it.

Primetime TV + Benefits = Bang: The Twitter Liberal Left erupt in a perfectly predictable frenzy.

But by dismissing the show out of hand (I reckon less than 10% of people tweeting about it have actually watched it) we miss vital opportunities.

• We don’t learn from people who are superb storytellers and know how to construct a genuinely populist narrative. (Something the social housing sector has failed to do time after time)

• We don’t learn lessons about the way our organisations have failed to connect with some communities, and have contributed to their social exclusion.
• We get distracted and start indulging in petty campaigns (petitions to get it taken off air – for heaven’s sake!) rather than thinking big and innovating.
  

If we did more listening and a little less talking we would pick up three important lessons:


1. You change hearts and minds with stories not statistics

The past couple of weeks have seen a number of infographics and articles that aim to challenge the actual size of the welfare problem or show that tax avoiders are the bigger issue.

All of which are very interesting and probably correct but serve no purpose whatsoever in moving the debate forward.

Does anybody think that someone with an entrenched belief that welfare is a lifestyle choice gets one of these things in their inbox and says “Oh. I see. I was wrong all along. Apologies”.

Of course not. The producers of Benefits Street know that storytelling trumps statistics every time. As Thom Bartley points out in his latest post:

“The public doesn’t respond to blah blah million lost off a balance sheet, they respond to the story about a mother losing benefit because her disabled kid uses an extra room”


2. Real people tell a better story than professionals

This is the master stroke of Benefits Street. They’ve allowed people to speak for themselves. The professionals who help and, sometimes, hinder their lives are mercifully absent.

Here’s how we are referred to:

• Letter from Work Programme provider: “What f*****g work programme? I’ve never worked in my life”

• DWP changing payments: “There’s going to be riots soon unless people start getting paid”

• Housing: “These landlords think they are clever (chasing rent). They’ll have to pay to go court and it’ll take you about a year and a half”
  

So – not a great level of advocacy for the agencies who are paid millions to support them.

The residents come across as likeable, aware of their own shortcomings and display a deep sense of community.

It’s refreshing to hear the impact of reforms – positive and negative- untainted by professional bias. We need more of this.


3. The best ideas come from communities

The greatest thing about the programme are the many innovations that residents employ to get through their day to day lives.

These are not people without talent.

They are people who have existed in a system that has concentrated on what they can’t do rather than what they can.

I see more innovation on display on James Turner Street than I see across many organisations. Some examples:

• Neighbourhood mouthpiece “White Dee” using a community favours scheme to get a guy to save money for clothes and not blow it on drink and drugs.

• The “50p Man” who sells household essentials like washing powder in smaller affordable portions. He came up with the idea in prison and dreams of turning it into a national franchise.

• The Romanians turning trash into cash – literally going through bins.
  

One of the problems across the social sector is there’s too much top down innovation and an over reliance on tech based solutions.

We need to listen to communities, seed fund some grass roots projects and get out of the way.

The only real problem with Benefits Street , as Charlie Brooker has pointed out , is that title.

It’s designed to get your back up.

So let’s stop falling for it.

Now is the time for big transformational innovation.

Now is the time for our very best social innovators to work with the residents of James Turner Street and others like them.

• We could fund the likes of White Dee to become a Community Connector.

• We could try a localised approach to job creation and a resident led Work Programme.

• We could create a new deal for tenants rather than just moving them in and leaving them to it.

• We could have a social accelerator programme to scale up business ideas – like the 50p man.

• We could attempt to pilot a whole new system of benefits and help the Government out rather than sitting around willing Universal Credit to fail (Matt Leach outlines just such an approach in his excellent post here)
  

Or we could just get angry on Twitter, do battle with Daily Mail readers and become ever more polarised in our views.

I know how I want to spend my time.

How about you?


Paul Taylor
Innovation Coach

Read Paul's original blog post here.

Older People's Commissioner for Wales: Listening to HA residents across Wales

For the last two months, I have been travelling across Wales meeting and speaking with people who are tenants of housing associations. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to find out about the work of the Older People’s Commissioner and let me know what matters most to them.

The role of the Older People's Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, is to stand up and speak out for older people across Wales. That is why it is so important that we meet with people and talk with them about what matters most to them.

Older people across Wales have told us that they want their lives to have value, meaning and purpose. The people I have met as part of this series of visits have echoed this.

Public transport, especially buses, has come up time and time again. There is huge concern about the cuts to routes, but also the location of bus stops and the need for benches and bus shelters. Public transport helps people to get out and about and maintain their independence, allowing them to stay in touch with friends and do things they enjoy, as well as getting to doctors and hospitals. People have told me that they are really struggling to get to health appointments and visit loved ones in hospital.

Tenants have also told me how much they value the people who work on site for housing associations, particularly those who support activities and social events. Tenants had also clearly built strong friendships with their neighbours, which has resulted in strong communities. The link to having a good quality of life is clear – people who are not isolated are less likely to be lonely and suffer from depression. Many people were worried that this support may be cut and told me that staff were a lifeline; “I don’t know where I’d be without them” has been a common refrain. It is a testament to the hard work of housing association staff that their services are so valued. It has been inspiring to meet people who show that individuals really can make a difference.

I am looking forward to meeting many more housing association residents and staff over the next few months.

If you would like someone from the Older People's Commissioner for Wales to visit your scheme to let tenants know about our work and listen to their views, please contact Kate Hughes, Engagement Coordinator on kate.hughes@olderpeoplewales.com or 08442 640670.


Kate Hughes
Engagement Coordinator

RSLs as place makers

The Royal Society of Architecture Wales conference I attended recently on 'The place of home' inspired me to write this blog post. For me, the conference raised a key question: How do you define a home? In the sector we often refer to creating 'homes' instead of 'houses', but what is the difference?

In my opinion, the word 'housing' denotes a physical structure or a 'unit' as the development industry would say. Comparably, the word ‘home’ is a word with deeper meaning. The perception of the word ‘home’ depends on the individual and their experiences but will often resonate feelings such as security, happiness, freedom and comfort. It may refer to a residence or a place such as the community or the city you live in.

So how do RSLs create the ‘place of home’?

No longer are RSLs considered as just affordable housing providers. The 2013 Welsh Economic Research Unit report highlights this by showing that in addition to new build development, maintenance and renovations, RSLs spent approximately £509m during 2012/13 on community regeneration initiatives. In this year’s WERU report, we wanted to highlight the types of community regeneration that this includes which cover areas such as financial inclusion, skills and employment, tenant engagement, food poverty, energy efficiency, open space improvements, social enterprise, digital inclusion… the list goes on.

What all these areas of work have in common is the fundamental principle of supporting deprived people to help them to reach their potential and have a place they can call home. Supporting both place and people through these initiatives ultimately contributes towards the thriving of communities, empowering those who live within them. RSLs are place makers in this sense, contributing to both the physical and social regeneration of the most deprived communities across Wales.

The WERU infographic summarises the findings of the report and you can view the full report on CHC's website.

Hayley MacNamara
Regeneration Officer, CHC and CREW Regeneration Wales