According to the Wales Fuel Poverty Projection Tool released in 2013, 31% of social housing tenants in Wales still lived in fuel poverty in 2012. This equates to 70,000 households, which is a rise of 6% from 2008 indicators. Tenants living in housing association properties have been affected significantly by rising fuel bills, benefit changes and the ‘bedroom tax’. High energy prices in Wales are compounded by the energy inefficiency of Welsh housing and lack of access to mains gas in rural areas. Furthermore, many social housing tenants in Wales are using prepayment meters to pay for their gas and electricity bills, which can mean that they end up paying more for their energy needs.
Taking these factors into account, along with the recent changes outlined in the UK Government’s summer budget, any opportunity which offers the potential of increasing household budgets as well as raising income for HAs, needs to be explored. Exploring the potential for local energy production and local energy supply is one of those opportunities.
CHC is holding a ‘Local energy production and local energy supply’ event in Cardiff on September 30th to explore these opportunities. Many organisations feel that we need to address the market failure impacting on low income households and we need to impact fuel poverty directly through price. There is a significant and growing appetite to intervene directly in the energy market, as outlined in a “Non-traditional business models: Supporting transformative change in the energy market” event recently run by Ofgem and Welsh Government. Feedback from this event will be provided at CHC’s event.
Examples of non-traditional business models include community energy projects which share an emphasis on community ownership, leadership or control where the community benefits, as well as ‘Energy Service Companies business models’, which include financing, designing, building, operating and maintaining small-to-medium scale demand management and/or low carbon energy projects, as part of either energy service contracts or energy performance contracts.
Following updates from Ofgem and Welsh Government, ‘Our Power’ will provide an update on their activity at the event. ‘Our Power’ is a new independent energy supply company and the first in the UK to operate on a non-profit distributing basis. It plans to sell heat and power to tenants in 200,000 homes across Scotland by 2020. This agenda item will be the longest session on the day, providing an opportunity to hear about Our Power’s journey so far and any potential for collaboration with the sector in Wales.
Before concluding the event with a ‘next steps’ discussion, a range of organisations will get an opportunity to outline their services and project work in relation to local energy production. Part of this includes local energy production through renewable energy systems. People in Wales have amongst the second highest electricity bills in Great Britain, which is largely due to Wales’ energy infrastructure and higher distribution costs faced by consumers in Wales.
A fair deal on distribution costs is needed for Welsh consumers. Part of this deal is the need to improve the capacity and infrastructure of the national grid with regards to installing renewable energy systems amongst other benefits. There is great potential for renewable energy in Wales and, alongside this, we need to consider the potential for energy storage, smart grids and other technological advances. Such projects can have significant social, environmental and economic benefits for housing associations, tenants and communities.
To book your place on CHC’s event on 30th September, please click here.
Shea Jones
Energy and Sustainability Officer
Showing posts with label housing associations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label housing associations. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Monday, 11 May 2015
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.
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.
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
Wales Co-operative Centre
Monday, 30 March 2015
Faith in Affordable Housing - a growing relationship of trust and partnership
When I was appointed in 2013 to launch the ‘Faith in Affordable Housing’ project in Wales, I couldn’t have been happier. The role brought together the two great passions in my life: my Christian faith and my love for housing. I had visions of me breezing into the offices of senior clergy and them clamouring to hand over surplus church land and redundant buildings to help the poor and house the needy.
One of the first things I did was ask a friend who works as a Director for a large Welsh housing association to tell me his experience of working with churches. To say his response burst my bubble would be somewhat of an understatement. “Churches?” he said. “Pah! They all want top dollar for everything”.
I learned very quickly that although churches and the housing sector are built on very similar foundations e.g. fairness, justice and a desire to help those in need, their relationship was purely commercial with little understanding of each other.
Churches were viewed as not very helpful and the housing sector was viewed as a speculative developer. In fairness to churches, they sought to get the best return for land because they were tied by their interpretation of charity law and were directing the money into other avenues to help those in need.
The challenge for the FIAH project has been to help churches see housing as part of its mission. This has meant showing the difference a good quality home makes to health, education, well being and life chances. As Housing Justice is the national voice in the UK for Christian action on housing and homelessness, this gave us an open door to challenge churches into doing more to be part of the solution to housing need. It also meant acting as an impartial bridge between the church and the housing sector.
Two years later and a number of church sites have been sold to housing associations across Wales through the FIAH project. Work has recently begun near Merthyr Tydfil to build 13 new homes and an old derelict chapel in Bridgend will shortly be demolished to build Move-On accommodation for single young adults. As I write this, discussions are progressing on 25 sites across Wales, many of which involve partnerships between churches and RSLs to jointly deliver community facilities in addition to homes.
Two of the main Christian denominations in Wales have formally adopted policies on land disposal for affordable housing, including below market sale if need be. Hopefully more denominations will follow soon.
So what’s made the difference? I think simply getting the church and the housing sector around the table, then letting them talk to each other. It’s been great to witness the epiphany moment that actually we have really similar aims and values. The result is a growing relationship of trust and partnership between the church and the housing sector in Wales that will benefit generations of people to come.
One of the first things I did was ask a friend who works as a Director for a large Welsh housing association to tell me his experience of working with churches. To say his response burst my bubble would be somewhat of an understatement. “Churches?” he said. “Pah! They all want top dollar for everything”.
I learned very quickly that although churches and the housing sector are built on very similar foundations e.g. fairness, justice and a desire to help those in need, their relationship was purely commercial with little understanding of each other.
Churches were viewed as not very helpful and the housing sector was viewed as a speculative developer. In fairness to churches, they sought to get the best return for land because they were tied by their interpretation of charity law and were directing the money into other avenues to help those in need.
The challenge for the FIAH project has been to help churches see housing as part of its mission. This has meant showing the difference a good quality home makes to health, education, well being and life chances. As Housing Justice is the national voice in the UK for Christian action on housing and homelessness, this gave us an open door to challenge churches into doing more to be part of the solution to housing need. It also meant acting as an impartial bridge between the church and the housing sector.
Two years later and a number of church sites have been sold to housing associations across Wales through the FIAH project. Work has recently begun near Merthyr Tydfil to build 13 new homes and an old derelict chapel in Bridgend will shortly be demolished to build Move-On accommodation for single young adults. As I write this, discussions are progressing on 25 sites across Wales, many of which involve partnerships between churches and RSLs to jointly deliver community facilities in addition to homes.
Two of the main Christian denominations in Wales have formally adopted policies on land disposal for affordable housing, including below market sale if need be. Hopefully more denominations will follow soon.
So what’s made the difference? I think simply getting the church and the housing sector around the table, then letting them talk to each other. It’s been great to witness the epiphany moment that actually we have really similar aims and values. The result is a growing relationship of trust and partnership between the church and the housing sector in Wales that will benefit generations of people to come.
Sharon Lee works for the charity Housing Justice and co-ordinates the Faith in Affordable Housing project in Wales, which aims to see surplus church land and buildings released for housing. She is also a board member of Wales & West Housing.
Thursday, 19 March 2015
Welsh contingent fly the flag in Westminster
1 bus, 50 Welsh housing enthusiasts, 20 Welsh MPs, 1 manifesto and 3 specific asks….
It was a long day for a delegation from Wales led by Community Housing Cymru and the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru including staff, board members and tenants who converged on London to meet Welsh MPs in Westminster at a reception hosted by David TC Davies, the Conservative MP for Monmouthshire, before making the short walk across College Green to attend the biggest housing rally in a generation.
It was a productive meeting with 20 MPs from across Wales who were given the opportunity to hear first hand the housing association success story in Wales and, in particular, the more than bricks and mortar message. It also gave us the opportunity to spell out how they can enable us to deliver even more for their constituencies. MPs were particularly interested to learn that Wales will not have the same flexibility afforded to Scotland and Northern Ireland to enable the housing element of Universal Credit to continue to be paid direct to landlords, and the impact that this potentially has on tenants and housing associations. We will be following this up with all parties ahead of the General Election.
2,300 people, a packed Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, and possibly the most eclectic selection of speakers gathered on the same platform. From Nigel Farage to Ken Loach to Grant Shapps to Owen Jones and Frances O’Grady, leader of the TUC, speakers from across the political spectrum pledged their support to the Homes for Britain campaign and committed to end the housing crisis within a generation.
The event attracted significant media attention and had huge social media impact both in the run-up, during and after the event. As an exercise designed to amplify the message of the housing crisis before the short election campaign, it was undoubtedly a success. Perhaps more significantly, the consensus amongst the housing associations involved is that for the first time in decades, the sector feels and is behaving like a movement again.
Homes for Britain has offered the opportunity to raise the profile of housing issues across the UK. Our main focus now, with housing devolved to Welsh Government is our own Assembly Elections in May 2016. We are already talking with potential partners about how we can translate some of the successes of Homes for Britain into a vehicle to campaign for housing to feature prominently as an election issue in Wales.
Housing has found its voice across the UK and our challenge now is to build on this success, amplify our voice right across Wales and ensure that housing is a key election issue being discussed on the doorstep by our politicians and members of the public in 12 months time.
Are you ready for the challenge?
It was a long day for a delegation from Wales led by Community Housing Cymru and the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru including staff, board members and tenants who converged on London to meet Welsh MPs in Westminster at a reception hosted by David TC Davies, the Conservative MP for Monmouthshire, before making the short walk across College Green to attend the biggest housing rally in a generation.
It was a productive meeting with 20 MPs from across Wales who were given the opportunity to hear first hand the housing association success story in Wales and, in particular, the more than bricks and mortar message. It also gave us the opportunity to spell out how they can enable us to deliver even more for their constituencies. MPs were particularly interested to learn that Wales will not have the same flexibility afforded to Scotland and Northern Ireland to enable the housing element of Universal Credit to continue to be paid direct to landlords, and the impact that this potentially has on tenants and housing associations. We will be following this up with all parties ahead of the General Election.
As for the rally, there was a huge buzz around the venue and Westminster as rally attendees converged from right across the country.
2,300 people, a packed Methodist Central Hall in Westminster, and possibly the most eclectic selection of speakers gathered on the same platform. From Nigel Farage to Ken Loach to Grant Shapps to Owen Jones and Frances O’Grady, leader of the TUC, speakers from across the political spectrum pledged their support to the Homes for Britain campaign and committed to end the housing crisis within a generation.
The event attracted significant media attention and had huge social media impact both in the run-up, during and after the event. As an exercise designed to amplify the message of the housing crisis before the short election campaign, it was undoubtedly a success. Perhaps more significantly, the consensus amongst the housing associations involved is that for the first time in decades, the sector feels and is behaving like a movement again.
Homes for Britain has offered the opportunity to raise the profile of housing issues across the UK. Our main focus now, with housing devolved to Welsh Government is our own Assembly Elections in May 2016. We are already talking with potential partners about how we can translate some of the successes of Homes for Britain into a vehicle to campaign for housing to feature prominently as an election issue in Wales.
Housing has found its voice across the UK and our challenge now is to build on this success, amplify our voice right across Wales and ensure that housing is a key election issue being discussed on the doorstep by our politicians and members of the public in 12 months time.
Are you ready for the challenge?
Stuart Ropke
CHC Group Chief Executive
CHC Group Chief Executive
You can view the rest of the photos from the day in our Facebook album.
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
“Trust me, I’m a housing professional...”
This week at the Welsh NHS Confederation conference, the menu of topics is interesting and timely. How do we set up our workforce in an integrated way? How do we bring about meaningful change for those we serve? How do we move from rhetoric to reality?
As a policy professional working in the housing association sector in Wales, I’m keenly interested in all of the above. I was recently invited, on behalf of Community Housing Cymru, to contribute to Welsh Government’s “Making Prudent Healthcare Happen” online resource, which is a collection of essays exploring the challenges and opportunities of this new way of working.
The services provided by housing associations, in terms of high quality housing, care and support services, community initiatives, employment and skills, and digital inclusion, are but some examples of the broad work taking place to improve health and work to reduce the number of people requiring the services of their GP or local A&E. The housing association sector and people working within it are able to provide legitimate solutions to the mounting challenges faced by the NHS and, more broadly, public services in Wales.
Housing associations work in some of the most deprived communities in Wales. When we think about how we work as public facing services to combat factors such as unemployment, education, and inactivity which we know have a substantial impact on health and wellbeing, housing associations are a key part of the formula for addressing such issues.
But the carpet is being pulled from underneath us as a housing sector. Salami slicing cuts to vital services such as the Supporting People Programme are threatening to further push people into NHS services who may otherwise have received a preventative, person centred service at a far earlier stage.
The Welsh Government budget for 2015/16 confirmed a £10m cut to Supporting People, reducing it to £124m. In real terms, this means that over 4,000 people will now go without the support they could have accessed if the fund were protected. The £10m cut is the equivalent of annual funding to provide all services for men and women at risk of domestic abuse and young people with support needs in the Vale and Cardiff. In addition, supporting people services provide a well-used referral route for hospital move-on teams, freeing up hospital beds and resources.
At a time when we need a strong “prevention sector” in Wales, we cannot afford an environment of disinvestment that undervalues the key work of organisations delivering Supporting People services.
Although the prudent healthcare work demonstrates the value, the opportunities and the enthusiasm for things to change, these words mean nothing without action from all sides.
If through prudent healthcare we’re entrusting people to look after themselves and to make positive health behaviours part of their regular habits, then it’s also vital to trust the ability of the housing association sector to support and work closely with the NHS in meeting the challenges it faces both now and in the future.
In our recent economic impact report you can see some case studies (p16-18) which demonstrate the prudent nature of the housing associations sector. Taff Housing addressing delayed transfer of care, and Melin Homes working with a collaborative to re-invent Continuing Healthcare packages in Gwent. Consistency is key, however, and we will know we are on the right track once we are able to call projects such as these common practice rather than best.
As a policy professional working in the housing association sector in Wales, I’m keenly interested in all of the above. I was recently invited, on behalf of Community Housing Cymru, to contribute to Welsh Government’s “Making Prudent Healthcare Happen” online resource, which is a collection of essays exploring the challenges and opportunities of this new way of working.
The services provided by housing associations, in terms of high quality housing, care and support services, community initiatives, employment and skills, and digital inclusion, are but some examples of the broad work taking place to improve health and work to reduce the number of people requiring the services of their GP or local A&E. The housing association sector and people working within it are able to provide legitimate solutions to the mounting challenges faced by the NHS and, more broadly, public services in Wales.
Housing associations work in some of the most deprived communities in Wales. When we think about how we work as public facing services to combat factors such as unemployment, education, and inactivity which we know have a substantial impact on health and wellbeing, housing associations are a key part of the formula for addressing such issues.
But the carpet is being pulled from underneath us as a housing sector. Salami slicing cuts to vital services such as the Supporting People Programme are threatening to further push people into NHS services who may otherwise have received a preventative, person centred service at a far earlier stage.
The Welsh Government budget for 2015/16 confirmed a £10m cut to Supporting People, reducing it to £124m. In real terms, this means that over 4,000 people will now go without the support they could have accessed if the fund were protected. The £10m cut is the equivalent of annual funding to provide all services for men and women at risk of domestic abuse and young people with support needs in the Vale and Cardiff. In addition, supporting people services provide a well-used referral route for hospital move-on teams, freeing up hospital beds and resources.
At a time when we need a strong “prevention sector” in Wales, we cannot afford an environment of disinvestment that undervalues the key work of organisations delivering Supporting People services.
Although the prudent healthcare work demonstrates the value, the opportunities and the enthusiasm for things to change, these words mean nothing without action from all sides.
If through prudent healthcare we’re entrusting people to look after themselves and to make positive health behaviours part of their regular habits, then it’s also vital to trust the ability of the housing association sector to support and work closely with the NHS in meeting the challenges it faces both now and in the future.
In our recent economic impact report you can see some case studies (p16-18) which demonstrate the prudent nature of the housing associations sector. Taff Housing addressing delayed transfer of care, and Melin Homes working with a collaborative to re-invent Continuing Healthcare packages in Gwent. Consistency is key, however, and we will know we are on the right track once we are able to call projects such as these common practice rather than best.
Matt Kennedy
Policy Officer: Care, Support and Health
Policy Officer: Care, Support and Health
Thursday, 22 January 2015
Out of Stock: The Future of Right to Buy in Wales
Right to Buy, introduced by Margaret Thatcher in 1980, has helped thousands of people in Wales to buy their social homes at a discounted rate. However, this has come at a detriment to Wales’ struggling social housing stock. Over the lifetime of Right to Buy, more than 130,000 homes have been bought at a discount and removed from the social sector altogether, accounting for a 45% decrease in the number of social homes across Wales. This is something Wales simply cannot afford. Affordable and social housing are a vital safety net for the most vulnerable in our society and, with Wales being disproportionately affected by welfare changes, this safety net is now more important than ever. Right to Buy has contributed to a lack of availability and to the backlog of people languishing on housing lists across Wales.
The Community Housing Cymru Group welcomes Labour’s proposal to end Right to Buy, should they win the next Welsh Assembly elections, with the reservation that this measure is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted – we have an affordable housing crisis in Wales and ending Right to Buy will not build more homes. Ending Right to Buy needs to be part of a bigger approach to tackling Wales’ chronic housing problem including more use of public land for affordable housing development, more planning freedoms and a sustained programme of investment. The Legislative Competence Order already provides Welsh Ministers with the power to allow councils to refuse Right to Buy requests in areas where there is high demand for affordable housing, as has been done in Carmarthenshire. CHC has signed a Housing Supply Pact with the Welsh Government and will continue to work with members and Welsh Government to deliver the affordable housing target of 10,000 homes by 2016 to help ease the pressures of low housing stock and a backlog of unmet housing need.
To own a home is a great ambition but to have a home to go to is essential – ending Right to Buy will help meet the needs of many but it is only a small part of what is a big problem.
The Welsh Government has opened a consultation on the future of Right to Buy and Right to Acquire which will close on 16th April 2015.
Liam Townsend
Political and Administration Assistant
The Community Housing Cymru Group welcomes Labour’s proposal to end Right to Buy, should they win the next Welsh Assembly elections, with the reservation that this measure is like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted – we have an affordable housing crisis in Wales and ending Right to Buy will not build more homes. Ending Right to Buy needs to be part of a bigger approach to tackling Wales’ chronic housing problem including more use of public land for affordable housing development, more planning freedoms and a sustained programme of investment. The Legislative Competence Order already provides Welsh Ministers with the power to allow councils to refuse Right to Buy requests in areas where there is high demand for affordable housing, as has been done in Carmarthenshire. CHC has signed a Housing Supply Pact with the Welsh Government and will continue to work with members and Welsh Government to deliver the affordable housing target of 10,000 homes by 2016 to help ease the pressures of low housing stock and a backlog of unmet housing need.
To own a home is a great ambition but to have a home to go to is essential – ending Right to Buy will help meet the needs of many but it is only a small part of what is a big problem.
The Welsh Government has opened a consultation on the future of Right to Buy and Right to Acquire which will close on 16th April 2015.
Political and Administration Assistant
Thursday, 8 January 2015
Prepare for the future with Dŵr Cymru
Providing customers with reliable water and waste services is a priority for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. But expanding our network to support economic development is also an important part of our role.
Welsh Water’s Developer Services team help customers to connect to the network, offering 15 different services which support them through every step of their development.
Connecting with You
In June 2014, we held our first dedicated Housing Association Forum. The prime objective was to receive feedback from customers, which will allow us to improve our services.
Attendees told us that the forum provided an excellent opportunity to engage openly with Welsh Water and said they would like to see further links between Welsh Water and the RSL sector. With support from CHC, we plan to hold additional workshops in the coming months.
Preparing for the Future
We’ve all had challenges to face over the last few years, including the introduction of new legislation, such as mandatory build standards. We need to continue to engage with our customers so that we can meet future challenges together.
Over the next six years, the population of Wales may grow by around 100,000. Preparation is key to being ready to support this growth. Welsh Water plans to increase network capacity to enable us to continue to support development. And we want to engage with you now to ensure that we can continue to support your future projects.
If you have an upcoming project you would like to discuss with us or need advice on your development, call 0800 917 2652 or email developer.services@dwrcymru.com.
Welsh Water’s Developer Services team help customers to connect to the network, offering 15 different services which support them through every step of their development.
Connecting with You
In June 2014, we held our first dedicated Housing Association Forum. The prime objective was to receive feedback from customers, which will allow us to improve our services.
Attendees told us that the forum provided an excellent opportunity to engage openly with Welsh Water and said they would like to see further links between Welsh Water and the RSL sector. With support from CHC, we plan to hold additional workshops in the coming months.
Preparing for the Future
We’ve all had challenges to face over the last few years, including the introduction of new legislation, such as mandatory build standards. We need to continue to engage with our customers so that we can meet future challenges together.
Over the next six years, the population of Wales may grow by around 100,000. Preparation is key to being ready to support this growth. Welsh Water plans to increase network capacity to enable us to continue to support development. And we want to engage with you now to ensure that we can continue to support your future projects.
If you have an upcoming project you would like to discuss with us or need advice on your development, call 0800 917 2652 or email developer.services@dwrcymru.com.
Ian Wyatt, Head of Developer Services
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Measuring the economic impact of Welsh housing associations
Since 2008 the big focus has been on the ‘global economic crisis’, the ‘banking crisis’, the ‘Eurozone crisis’ et al and even the latest G20 forum is concerned about the problems and challenges still facing the global economic community. That’s the big picture - a picture of recession, austerity and contraction. But at a local level here in Wales, there are some successes to consider. One of those is highlighted in the Wales Economy Research Unit’s report, at Cardiff University, commissioned by Community Housing Cymru. In the time since ‘the crisis’, housing associations in Wales have added 63,000 new houses – an increase of 66%. Impressive figures, but the story which underpins these figures is important too. And let’s remember that 63,000 buildings of ‘bricks and mortar’ means 63,000 new homes. Homes where people feel safe and secure and can begin to plan their futures with confidence.
Let’s unpack the figures a little more:
In 2013/14, housing associations in Wales spent 91 pence per day for every person in Wales. While that is less than a pint of beer and not even half a large cappuccino, the sector has made that 91 pence go a long way. The money that has been spent directly by Welsh housing associations has generated another 91p per person per day indirectly, because every penny spent is income for somebody else. Housing associations pay a painter to redecorate a house. The painter buys paint and pays wages. The person receiving the wages buys food. This is the multiplier effect, and this year the housing association sector has had a combined economic impact of £2bn, 81% of which has stayed in Wales.
That underpins 8,400 full time equivalent jobs in Wales and a further 12,950 jobs supported in the economy. Looking at Wales as a whole, this equates to almost 1 in 70 people. Therefore 1 in 70 of those employed in Wales have a job that is, in one way or another, supported by the housing association sector. Investment in housing has clear wider benefits, and the challenge for housing associations is to continue to increase that 91p per person per day to build even more homes and create even more jobs across Wales. They seem to be doing a pretty good job.
Let’s unpack the figures a little more:
In 2013/14, housing associations in Wales spent 91 pence per day for every person in Wales. While that is less than a pint of beer and not even half a large cappuccino, the sector has made that 91 pence go a long way. The money that has been spent directly by Welsh housing associations has generated another 91p per person per day indirectly, because every penny spent is income for somebody else. Housing associations pay a painter to redecorate a house. The painter buys paint and pays wages. The person receiving the wages buys food. This is the multiplier effect, and this year the housing association sector has had a combined economic impact of £2bn, 81% of which has stayed in Wales.
That underpins 8,400 full time equivalent jobs in Wales and a further 12,950 jobs supported in the economy. Looking at Wales as a whole, this equates to almost 1 in 70 people. Therefore 1 in 70 of those employed in Wales have a job that is, in one way or another, supported by the housing association sector. Investment in housing has clear wider benefits, and the challenge for housing associations is to continue to increase that 91p per person per day to build even more homes and create even more jobs across Wales. They seem to be doing a pretty good job.
You can read the WERU report here.
Christopher Parry, Senior Lecturer, Banking & Finance
Cardiff School of Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Christopher Parry, Senior Lecturer, Banking & Finance
Cardiff School of Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Monday, 15 September 2014
Employment and Skills Week - Leading the Learning
The
impact of welfare reform to date and impending Universal Credit means the
impetus for landlords to move workless households closer to the job market has
never been greater. Yes, we need the
unemployed to take up work-related activities to prevent benefit sanctions (figures
from the DWP show the highest number of sanctions against claimants since
jobseeker's allowance was introduced in 1996).
But the breadth of the work the sector is currently undertaking is
nothing new. In fact, a recent straw poll I undertook with our members on
Yammer found that all of the housing associations who responded were core
funding their employment programmes and had been doing so for many years.
Employment
activities provided by the sector do not extend to just providing work
placements but cover the whole spectrum of work-related activity, including tackling
basic literacy issues and encouraging tenant involvement, to funding
qualifications, providing work placements and providing practical support to
tenants who might otherwise have slipped through the net.
It’s
therefore really important that the sector links in with adult learning
organisations, both at a local and strategic level, to make sure we are able to
feed into and influence developments.
In
partnership with CIH Cymru and NIACE Cymru, 22nd – 28th
September will be “Leading the Learning” week.
During this week we will be holding a seminar with NIACE, the national
voice for life-long learning, the details of which are yet to be announced.
Further opportunities to raise the profile
of what the sector is doing in this area are available via Welsh Government’s Lift
programme. The programme aims to provide 5,000 training and employment
opportunities for people living in households where no-one is in work. At the moment, the programme is being
delivered in nine of the Welsh Government's Communities First clusters until
the end of 2017. The sector will shortly
be asked to make a commitment in terms of what it can deliver.
In the meantime, do get on board with our
Leading the Learning Week. It’s an opportunity to showcase what we’re already
doing and, equally, if your organisation is seeking to increase activity in
this area it’s an opportunity for you to participate in some of our suggested
activities, which range from tenant shadowing to holding your own work and
skills showcase event.
For more information on Leading the
Learning, the Work and Skills Information Sharing Group (which meets in
September) or how to get involved on Yammer, please contact
clare-james@chcymru.org.uk.
Clare James
Housing Services Policy Officer
Housing Services Policy Officer
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Prudent healthcare - a new approach
On a sunny afternoon in July 2013 we held our first Health & Housing conference – celebrating the 65th Birthday of the NHS. Housing associations have and continue to be vital partners of the health service. This year we broaden the scope and equally the message - health, housing and social care - doing the right thing at the right time.
It’s fair to say the last year has been a trying time for the NHS with high profile inquiries into standards of care, ambulances queuing outside hospital doors, and difficulties for most local health boards in balancing their books. On the flip side we've also seen an NHS that has taken action to change how services are delivered, engaged with political scrutiny on various areas of work and continued to deliver excellent levels of care to people in Wales.
That's not to paint over the cracks; there are clearly challenges around increasing demand and dwindling resources. Housing associations can and many are already helping to reduce this demand. The good news is that the links are simple, worryingly simple in fact, and as housing associations we need our health board colleagues to sit up and take notice when we say we can help with respite care, reducing delayed transfer of care and providing preventative services - which means people not turning up at their GP surgery, or their hospital A&E service.
At CHC we’ve worked with members to highlight the massive impact housing associations have on the health and wellbeing of the individuals and communities they work with. It really is about more than bricks and mortar. Housing associations have become experts at working closely with tenants, community regeneration and providing innovative care services.
Local health boards in Wales have taken advantage of these links in some areas as we highlight in the briefing launched at today's conference - Partnerships to deliver the NHS required now and in the future.
This publication doesn't pull any punches; it rightly doesn’t water down messages but highlights that there is highly positive work and projects taking place – but we can and must do more. As organisations and sectors, we serve people with multiple needs through a wide range of services and there are clearly opportunities to better coordinate how services are delivered by the right person at the right time.
Prudent Healthcare ushers in a new approach to providing healthcare which places the individual at the heart of service delivery, with responsibility on services to do only what is necessary and for individuals to take responsibility for their own health behaviours. In terms of the future of how health and housing work together, there should be no mistake that we are central to this approach - prudency is after all at the heart of what housing associations do.
It’s fair to say the last year has been a trying time for the NHS with high profile inquiries into standards of care, ambulances queuing outside hospital doors, and difficulties for most local health boards in balancing their books. On the flip side we've also seen an NHS that has taken action to change how services are delivered, engaged with political scrutiny on various areas of work and continued to deliver excellent levels of care to people in Wales.
That's not to paint over the cracks; there are clearly challenges around increasing demand and dwindling resources. Housing associations can and many are already helping to reduce this demand. The good news is that the links are simple, worryingly simple in fact, and as housing associations we need our health board colleagues to sit up and take notice when we say we can help with respite care, reducing delayed transfer of care and providing preventative services - which means people not turning up at their GP surgery, or their hospital A&E service.
At CHC we’ve worked with members to highlight the massive impact housing associations have on the health and wellbeing of the individuals and communities they work with. It really is about more than bricks and mortar. Housing associations have become experts at working closely with tenants, community regeneration and providing innovative care services.
Local health boards in Wales have taken advantage of these links in some areas as we highlight in the briefing launched at today's conference - Partnerships to deliver the NHS required now and in the future.
This publication doesn't pull any punches; it rightly doesn’t water down messages but highlights that there is highly positive work and projects taking place – but we can and must do more. As organisations and sectors, we serve people with multiple needs through a wide range of services and there are clearly opportunities to better coordinate how services are delivered by the right person at the right time.
Prudent Healthcare ushers in a new approach to providing healthcare which places the individual at the heart of service delivery, with responsibility on services to do only what is necessary and for individuals to take responsibility for their own health behaviours. In terms of the future of how health and housing work together, there should be no mistake that we are central to this approach - prudency is after all at the heart of what housing associations do.
Matt Kennedy
Policy Officer: Care, Support and Health
Policy Officer: Care, Support and Health
Thursday, 5 June 2014
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
Monday, 12 May 2014
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
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
Thursday, 1 May 2014
Why Council Homes Chat...?
In recent years there has been a torrent of misleading, sensationalist reporting in both the print media and on television programmes. Recent examples include ‘Benefits Street’ and ‘How to get a Council House’. Each of these programmes had its own special brand of reporting, which failed to depict a balanced and thoughtful picture. Instead they opted for heavily biased journalism aimed at boosting ratings and creating a ‘moral panic’ amongst its viewers.
If the TV programmes and skewed reporting amongst the print media weren’t bad enough, the Twitter hashtags created by such programmes are quite frankly scary! You only have to look at the ‘twitter storm’ created by Wednesday’s ‘How to get a Council house’ to get a glimpse of the hateful bigotry and at best massively ill-informed views created by such media reporting. We’ve had enough….
Growing up within council housing gave me the best possible start I could have in life. It was safe, secure and enabled my family to feel part of a community. It meant I had a happy and healthy childhood and I still hold great memories and fondness of my time there. Likewise, as a housing professional, I get to see how social housing brings out the best in people. Having a home shouldn’t be dependent on someone’s income or ability to pay.
Put simply, a house is someone’s home, where they can grow roots, build a community and have a family. A stable home provides people with a solid foundation for good health, employment and happiness. The tenure of the home shouldn’t matter. It is only right to have a good menu of tenures to suit different needs; however, this does not make one more important or desirable than the others. This is why it’s essential to start challenging the stereotypes created by the mainstream media.
Council Homes Chat was set up to challenge the status quo and to act as a platform for people to tell their stories, especially the ones that the media refuses to report because, dare I say it… they’re positive! The benefits of good, decent and secure housing have been well-documented, both in terms of an individual's health and wellbeing, but also to society as a whole. These are the stories that we need to start telling…
How can you get involved?
If you believe in the right to have a safe, secure and decent home regardless of income and would like to get involved in our campaign, please get in touch. You can find out more about the campaign on the Council Homes Chat blog.
Cheryl Tracy
Community Investment Coordinator, Monmouthshire Housing
If the TV programmes and skewed reporting amongst the print media weren’t bad enough, the Twitter hashtags created by such programmes are quite frankly scary! You only have to look at the ‘twitter storm’ created by Wednesday’s ‘How to get a Council house’ to get a glimpse of the hateful bigotry and at best massively ill-informed views created by such media reporting. We’ve had enough….
Growing up within council housing gave me the best possible start I could have in life. It was safe, secure and enabled my family to feel part of a community. It meant I had a happy and healthy childhood and I still hold great memories and fondness of my time there. Likewise, as a housing professional, I get to see how social housing brings out the best in people. Having a home shouldn’t be dependent on someone’s income or ability to pay.
Put simply, a house is someone’s home, where they can grow roots, build a community and have a family. A stable home provides people with a solid foundation for good health, employment and happiness. The tenure of the home shouldn’t matter. It is only right to have a good menu of tenures to suit different needs; however, this does not make one more important or desirable than the others. This is why it’s essential to start challenging the stereotypes created by the mainstream media.
Council Homes Chat was set up to challenge the status quo and to act as a platform for people to tell their stories, especially the ones that the media refuses to report because, dare I say it… they’re positive! The benefits of good, decent and secure housing have been well-documented, both in terms of an individual's health and wellbeing, but also to society as a whole. These are the stories that we need to start telling…
How can you get involved?
If you believe in the right to have a safe, secure and decent home regardless of income and would like to get involved in our campaign, please get in touch. You can find out more about the campaign on the Council Homes Chat blog.
Cheryl Tracy
Community Investment Coordinator, Monmouthshire Housing
‘Council Homes Chat’ is managed and coordinated by Cheryl Tracy, Elisa Faulkner and Michala Rudman and you can get in touch with them on Twitter: Council Homes Chat.
Monday, 28 April 2014
Instagram that breeze block!
I’ve been having fun with Cadwyn’s newest development, a regeneration project for the local shopping parade in Pentrebane, a close knit residential area in the west of Cardiff. As well as setting up the targeted recruitment and training for the site, I’ve been experimenting with using social media and a blog to bring the development to life for local people.
I had the idea for this after my kids were fortunate enough to have a brand new school built for them last year. They were pretty excited about this, but apart from one site visit and the obligatory Ivor Goodsite poster homework assignment, they ended up not really feeling involved in the project at all. This didn’t stop them bombarding me with questions every time we walked past - questions about what was happening with that machine, and why, and how would they get the roof on, and how many bricks did I think would be needed all together, and did the person driving the digger need a special licence, and on, and on, and on….Some of these questions I could (sort of) answer, but for most of them I did what any self respecting parent does these days and relied on Google, and the site project’s occasional twitter feed.
This got me thinking that while there are obvious limitations to opening up actual building sites – health and safety, time, logistics, to name just a few – the internet and social media offers a big opportunity to do the next best thing by acting as a window onto the development. What I didn’t realise then was that I’d have the chance to put my money where my mouth is a year or so later…so, based on my modus operandi of assuming that anything is allowed unless someone specifically tells me it’s not, I’ve been busy getting Beechley Drive a social media identity!
This is what I’ve done so far…
Beechley Drive Blog - the development brief from Cardiff Council included a requirement to set up a website to keep the local community informed of site developments. I really wanted this to be more than a static website with a one way flow of information that nobody would ever return to a second time, so I’ve worked with Cadwyn’s Web Officer to set up a simple WordPress site, which has the required corporate boxes ticked (logos of funding partners, project timeline) but which also offers a more friendly voice to the development, with blog posts written in a (hopefully) chatty and informative tone. I’ve left comments enabled throughout the site in the hope that folk will interact with the site and suggest/contribute further content, and I’m also talking to the local schools about the children taking over parts of the blog, perhaps posting interviews with longtime residents, or other class projects related to the site.
Beechley Drive Facebook Page - the Pentrebane community already makes good use of Facebook with various groups set up for local residents, school parents, Communities First projects and so forth, so I am hoping that a FB page will offer a quick and easy window onto the development, but also of course be a forum for local residents to ask questions, raise concerns, and make suggestions. It’s also an easy way of sharing blog posts and project photos, and driving engagement to the website itself.
Beechley Drive Twitter Feed - I’m envisaging that most of the interaction with local residents will be via Facebook, because of the strong groups that already exist there. However, using Twitter gives us an opportunity to talk with people who don’t use Facebook – and also I think a more effective way of sharing what we’re doing with stakeholders and organisations who are not necessarily local.
Beechley Drive Instagram Feed - the Instagram feed itself does not have much traction; however, I’m using it primarily in conjunction with Facebook and Twitter to share photos and comments as the site progresses. The Instagram feed is also linked to the website, which means that even if there is a quiet week as far as the blog goes, there’ll be new content on the site to draw people back.
It’s early days for all of the above, and now the big challenge becomes keeping the website and social media channels feeling fresh and worth following; and of course to promote and encourage interaction so that this does not just become a one way stream of information blasted meaninglessly into the ether. This will be very much a learning process, and I’m sure there’ll be stuff that goes wrong. I would welcome advice and pointers from anyone who’s done anything similar!
I’ll be blogging progress and lessons learnt (and more than likely the occasional mistake) along the way, so please feel free to join me on the journey!
Michelle Davis
Targeted Recruitment and Training, Cadwyn HA
I had the idea for this after my kids were fortunate enough to have a brand new school built for them last year. They were pretty excited about this, but apart from one site visit and the obligatory Ivor Goodsite poster homework assignment, they ended up not really feeling involved in the project at all. This didn’t stop them bombarding me with questions every time we walked past - questions about what was happening with that machine, and why, and how would they get the roof on, and how many bricks did I think would be needed all together, and did the person driving the digger need a special licence, and on, and on, and on….Some of these questions I could (sort of) answer, but for most of them I did what any self respecting parent does these days and relied on Google, and the site project’s occasional twitter feed.
This got me thinking that while there are obvious limitations to opening up actual building sites – health and safety, time, logistics, to name just a few – the internet and social media offers a big opportunity to do the next best thing by acting as a window onto the development. What I didn’t realise then was that I’d have the chance to put my money where my mouth is a year or so later…so, based on my modus operandi of assuming that anything is allowed unless someone specifically tells me it’s not, I’ve been busy getting Beechley Drive a social media identity!
This is what I’ve done so far…
Beechley Drive Blog - the development brief from Cardiff Council included a requirement to set up a website to keep the local community informed of site developments. I really wanted this to be more than a static website with a one way flow of information that nobody would ever return to a second time, so I’ve worked with Cadwyn’s Web Officer to set up a simple WordPress site, which has the required corporate boxes ticked (logos of funding partners, project timeline) but which also offers a more friendly voice to the development, with blog posts written in a (hopefully) chatty and informative tone. I’ve left comments enabled throughout the site in the hope that folk will interact with the site and suggest/contribute further content, and I’m also talking to the local schools about the children taking over parts of the blog, perhaps posting interviews with longtime residents, or other class projects related to the site.
Beechley Drive Facebook Page - the Pentrebane community already makes good use of Facebook with various groups set up for local residents, school parents, Communities First projects and so forth, so I am hoping that a FB page will offer a quick and easy window onto the development, but also of course be a forum for local residents to ask questions, raise concerns, and make suggestions. It’s also an easy way of sharing blog posts and project photos, and driving engagement to the website itself.
Beechley Drive Twitter Feed - I’m envisaging that most of the interaction with local residents will be via Facebook, because of the strong groups that already exist there. However, using Twitter gives us an opportunity to talk with people who don’t use Facebook – and also I think a more effective way of sharing what we’re doing with stakeholders and organisations who are not necessarily local.
Beechley Drive Instagram Feed - the Instagram feed itself does not have much traction; however, I’m using it primarily in conjunction with Facebook and Twitter to share photos and comments as the site progresses. The Instagram feed is also linked to the website, which means that even if there is a quiet week as far as the blog goes, there’ll be new content on the site to draw people back.
It’s early days for all of the above, and now the big challenge becomes keeping the website and social media channels feeling fresh and worth following; and of course to promote and encourage interaction so that this does not just become a one way stream of information blasted meaninglessly into the ether. This will be very much a learning process, and I’m sure there’ll be stuff that goes wrong. I would welcome advice and pointers from anyone who’s done anything similar!
I’ll be blogging progress and lessons learnt (and more than likely the occasional mistake) along the way, so please feel free to join me on the journey!
Michelle Davis
Targeted Recruitment and Training, Cadwyn HA
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Homeless prevention - at the heart of what we do
In the summer of 2013, Community Housing Cymru commissioned research in partnership with the WLGA, funded by Welsh Government, to explore the opportunity for greater collaboration between housing associations and local authorities.
Reflecting on this, it's fair to say that the research challenges the sector and local authorities by, to some extent, putting the writing on the wall over what works and what doesn't. It highlights some issues around consistency, roles and responsibility and some contrasting priorities. But it also demonstrates the high volume of innovative projects that local authorities and housing associations have worked on together in using housing stock and the generally positive relationships that exist between housing associations and local authorities in Wales.
The workshop sessions conducted for the research revealed that some local authorities are concerned that with increasing pressure on housing association rental income, this will increasingly become the focus of business. It's important that we put such concerns to rest.
We've always said we're more about bricks and mortar and we've consistently shown this to be the case - you just need to look at the regeneration, innovative care provision, financial and digital inclusion initiatives, employment and skills projects provided by the sector to understand what housing associations are about. It's more than tackling homelessness - for our members it's about supporting individuals to build fulfilling, rewarding lives.
We know that Supporting People funding will also continue to be an important part of how we provide accommodation and support and the new collaborative arrangements which drive how this funding is used should be an opportunity to build and spread the highly positive practice that exists, much of which is highlighted in the report.
Welfare reform continues to be a shadow over the sector which, in the context of homelessness, undermines the ability of local authorities to house individuals quickly and reduce demand on temporary accommodation due to the 'bedroom tax'.
CHC will continue to challenge and support our members to deliver more, and explore new ways of delivering projects to meet increasing demand on both our own and other sectors. It's clear that the homelessness challenge facing Wales will continue to require dynamic thinking from housing, health, the third sector and Welsh Government to drive improvement in how we do things. It’s true that public services in many instances have no option but to change, so if we can’t control that then we should seek to control how we change in an informed way. This research is a stepping stone to doing that in the context of homelessness.
You can read the full report here.
Matt Kennedy
Policy Officer: Care, Support and Health
Reflecting on this, it's fair to say that the research challenges the sector and local authorities by, to some extent, putting the writing on the wall over what works and what doesn't. It highlights some issues around consistency, roles and responsibility and some contrasting priorities. But it also demonstrates the high volume of innovative projects that local authorities and housing associations have worked on together in using housing stock and the generally positive relationships that exist between housing associations and local authorities in Wales.
The workshop sessions conducted for the research revealed that some local authorities are concerned that with increasing pressure on housing association rental income, this will increasingly become the focus of business. It's important that we put such concerns to rest.
We've always said we're more about bricks and mortar and we've consistently shown this to be the case - you just need to look at the regeneration, innovative care provision, financial and digital inclusion initiatives, employment and skills projects provided by the sector to understand what housing associations are about. It's more than tackling homelessness - for our members it's about supporting individuals to build fulfilling, rewarding lives.
We know that Supporting People funding will also continue to be an important part of how we provide accommodation and support and the new collaborative arrangements which drive how this funding is used should be an opportunity to build and spread the highly positive practice that exists, much of which is highlighted in the report.
Welfare reform continues to be a shadow over the sector which, in the context of homelessness, undermines the ability of local authorities to house individuals quickly and reduce demand on temporary accommodation due to the 'bedroom tax'.
CHC will continue to challenge and support our members to deliver more, and explore new ways of delivering projects to meet increasing demand on both our own and other sectors. It's clear that the homelessness challenge facing Wales will continue to require dynamic thinking from housing, health, the third sector and Welsh Government to drive improvement in how we do things. It’s true that public services in many instances have no option but to change, so if we can’t control that then we should seek to control how we change in an informed way. This research is a stepping stone to doing that in the context of homelessness.
You can read the full report here.
Matt Kennedy
Policy Officer: Care, Support and Health
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Cycle4Nik... it's almost time!
On 10 October 2013, I received an email from Gareth Cole, Head of Continuous Improvement at the Seren Group. He had an idea to raise funds for one of Seren’s former employees who has a very rare form of cancer. She is an amazing person with two young sons. Tragically, because of where she lives, she can’t access funding for treatment.
'Let’s cycle from North to South Wales and raise funds for her,' he suggested. And so Cycle4Nik was started! Little did we know then how much this ride would captivate, inspire, unite and bring together so many people from across the whole of Wales. We roped in Sean Davey from UES Energy as we knew he was an excellent cyclist who liked a drink and a laugh... all great qualities for a race planner.
We had our first planning meeting in November where we hoped that maybe we could attract 12 cyclists from within the housing sector to cycle the 200 or so miles from North to South Wales during St David’s Day weekend. We took a stab at wanting to raise £5k for Nik, her treatment and her family. However, this week we have planned the last minute arrangements and we amazingly have 16 full cyclists and 23 cyclists taking part in individual stages. We are already well over the £5k total and hope that money still continues to pour in after the ride.
The hotels have been booked, transport and logistics sorted, Tshirts all printed, and the team has put in a tremendous amount of time and effort training every weekend since the end of December through rain, sleet, snow, gales and yes... sometimes, some sun.
We have been so touched and moved by the response and support of the housing sector. Led by Community Housing Cymru, Seren Group and UES Energy, the team has also been helped on its way by:
North Wales Housing, CT Clwyd, Mid Wales HA, CT Eryri, RCT Homes, Taff HA, Newydd HA, Wales & West HA, Tai Calon and Melin Homes.
The journey to get here has been hard. It’s taken lots of man hours in planning the ride and the fantastic race night to generate more money for the fund, promoting and ensuring that everything is covered.
We’ve had falls, bikes falling apart, loads of punctures, tears, hangovers, tantrums and were all devastated when Tony Clark had to pull out after fracturing his ball joint in his hip with a very bad fall on black ice two weeks before we left. And only on Tuesday, Sean Davey had to pull out due to a serious medical condition. We are all devastated for him and wish him well over the next few months.
However, there have also been massive highs too...
Highlights for me so far include:
1. Receiving all the cyclist’s profiles and finding out what they were most (and least) looking forward to on the ride and why they were cycling for Nik... Truly moving.
2. Writing a personal intro to every one of the cyclists... what an honour.
3. Seeing the race night packed out and feeling the love and support in the room.
4. Training, bonding and being inspired by the other team members.
5. Seeing the money that has been donated online on our go fund me page which has been growing on a daily basis... http://www.gofundme.com/Hope4NikkiCycle
6. And just the feeling of knowing that very soon we are going to be a part of something very special and life changing.
So, as we set off on our journey today, I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of Cycle4Nik of thanking everyone who has made this possible. And to our fellow cyclists, whether you are doing the full route or just the one, you are doing an amazing thing and you are amazing people. Have fun, enjoy every mile, stay safe and whoever gets in first... gets the first round.
Phillipa Knowles
Director of Central Services, CHC Group
'Let’s cycle from North to South Wales and raise funds for her,' he suggested. And so Cycle4Nik was started! Little did we know then how much this ride would captivate, inspire, unite and bring together so many people from across the whole of Wales. We roped in Sean Davey from UES Energy as we knew he was an excellent cyclist who liked a drink and a laugh... all great qualities for a race planner.
We had our first planning meeting in November where we hoped that maybe we could attract 12 cyclists from within the housing sector to cycle the 200 or so miles from North to South Wales during St David’s Day weekend. We took a stab at wanting to raise £5k for Nik, her treatment and her family. However, this week we have planned the last minute arrangements and we amazingly have 16 full cyclists and 23 cyclists taking part in individual stages. We are already well over the £5k total and hope that money still continues to pour in after the ride.
The hotels have been booked, transport and logistics sorted, Tshirts all printed, and the team has put in a tremendous amount of time and effort training every weekend since the end of December through rain, sleet, snow, gales and yes... sometimes, some sun.
We have been so touched and moved by the response and support of the housing sector. Led by Community Housing Cymru, Seren Group and UES Energy, the team has also been helped on its way by:
North Wales Housing, CT Clwyd, Mid Wales HA, CT Eryri, RCT Homes, Taff HA, Newydd HA, Wales & West HA, Tai Calon and Melin Homes.
The journey to get here has been hard. It’s taken lots of man hours in planning the ride and the fantastic race night to generate more money for the fund, promoting and ensuring that everything is covered.
We’ve had falls, bikes falling apart, loads of punctures, tears, hangovers, tantrums and were all devastated when Tony Clark had to pull out after fracturing his ball joint in his hip with a very bad fall on black ice two weeks before we left. And only on Tuesday, Sean Davey had to pull out due to a serious medical condition. We are all devastated for him and wish him well over the next few months.
However, there have also been massive highs too...
Highlights for me so far include:
1. Receiving all the cyclist’s profiles and finding out what they were most (and least) looking forward to on the ride and why they were cycling for Nik... Truly moving.
2. Writing a personal intro to every one of the cyclists... what an honour.
3. Seeing the race night packed out and feeling the love and support in the room.
4. Training, bonding and being inspired by the other team members.
5. Seeing the money that has been donated online on our go fund me page which has been growing on a daily basis... http://www.gofundme.com/Hope4NikkiCycle
6. And just the feeling of knowing that very soon we are going to be a part of something very special and life changing.
So, as we set off on our journey today, I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of Cycle4Nik of thanking everyone who has made this possible. And to our fellow cyclists, whether you are doing the full route or just the one, you are doing an amazing thing and you are amazing people. Have fun, enjoy every mile, stay safe and whoever gets in first... gets the first round.
Phillipa Knowles
Director of Central Services, CHC Group
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
#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
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
Friday, 7 February 2014
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
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