the bulletin - may 2013

Issue 179 May 13 www.housing.org.uk/bulletin

the

ApprentIceshIps MeAn busInessthe drive to bring 10,000 apprentices to the sector by 2015

how do you MeAsure up?evaluating social impact

delIverIng socIAl vAluethe Minister for civil society’s vision for community partnerships

coMMunIty InvestMent

2 the Bulletin May 13

XxxxxFrom the chief executive

building stronger communities is what

sets us apart from other housing providers

Welcome to the May issue of the Bulletin. This issue is devoted to the topic of community investment – the fantastic work that housing

associations do above and beyond providing roofs over the heads of thousands of families.

Why community investment? Because the commitment to building stronger communities is what sets us apart from other housing providers - the commercial developers and private landlords. As Sinead Butters from The Aspire Group and Iain Sim from Coast & Country explain over the page, this type of work is not just an added extra, but an integral part of what housing associations do.

I’m fortunate that in my role as Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation I see on a daily basis the truly astounding impact housing associations have within their communities. But if anyone had any remaining doubts about the value of this investment, they only need to look to the Community Impact Awards, not just the winning project from Curo (more about that on page 10-11), but at the breadth and scope of all of the entries. The many success stories of tenants who have been supported into work, often through apprenticeships, are clear examples of our sector’s achievements. This is why we are confident we can deliver on our ambition to create 10,000 apprentices by 2015 (see page 6-7).

And this hasn’t gone unnoticed by Government. Nick Hurd, Minister for the Civil Society is particularly keen to harness the power of housing associations. On page 4, he sets out his vision for working more closely with us in the future, explaining what opportunities the Public Services and Social Value Act and other Cabinet Office initiatives offer.

But with increasing pressure on housing association resources – we could hardly avoid the thorny issue of welfare reform altogether – members are faced with making difficult choices. As Stephen Russell from Midland Heart explains (pages 8-9), the key to making those tough decisions is in evaluating social impact. To support and guide members through this journey, we’ve recently launched the Investing in Communities knowledge hub on our website www.housing.org.uk/investingincommunities.

I couldn’t sign off without mentioning the launch of our new Yes to Homes video. I wrote to all chief executives recently to ask for their support in spreading the word about this vital campaign. If you haven’t seen it yet, it only takes a few minutes and we’d really love you to get on board – www.yestohomes.co.uk.

David Orr, Chief Executive

the Bulletin May 13 3

It’s one thing to take on apprentices because you think it’s the ‘right thing to do’, but to truly invest in the next

generation of employees you need to make apprenticeships one of your core organisational priorities.

If you’re looking to provide a real solution to unemployment and deprivation in your community, think about how you can provide young people with opportunities that offer excellent prospects.

At Coast & Country we take pride in the apprenticeship opportunities that we create. Faced with the challenge of an ageing workforce we needed to invest in a robust succession plan. We realised that it makes sound business sense to encourage the diverse talents and fresh vibrant perspective that a new generation can bring to the organisation.

So we’ve made apprenticeships a key priority for us – one of the organisational values that has the support of all our employees. We know that by getting this right we’ll ensure a return on our investment both financially and in terms of the social benefits we will reap.

It’s our aim to offer hope, optimism and opportunity; to connect with young people and to support our communities by giving something back. In the current economy we believe this is most definitely ‘the right thing to do’.

nurturing a diverse talentIain Sim, Chief Executive, Coast & CountrySinéad Butters,

Chief Executive, The Aspire Group

what do you want to be known for?

What do you want to be known for? Your repairs service? For supporting older people? For regeneration?

Many housing associations produce a long list of priorities when defining their mission and strategy – too long perhaps.

Five years ago we asked some fundamental questions; what are we here to do and what are our customers’ overriding priorities? We decided that helping our communities into work was what mattered above all – because work facilitates opportunity.

So Aspire bought a training company and set up a charity that is part-funded by the profit the company makes. We wanted the company to have maximum impact, so we directly employ between 10 and 15% of our staff from it.

Aspire Housing also contracts young apprentices and learners to carry out grounds maintenance and environmental improvements. And we have formed partnerships with councils and larger local companies to take on apprentices, creating hundreds of new jobs.

This has only happened because we have woven our commitment to work opportunities into everything we do. Every contract that is let, every decision to recruit or structure a team, is used to find new ways of creating opportunities.

As a result we have trebled the size of the training company, taken on more social enterprises and invested £1m through our charity, the Realise Foundation.

We think that’s a good thing to be known for.

Xxxxxcommunity investment

Government and housing associations share a common desire for people to feel a strong sense of community

in the areas in which they live. And at a time when fewer resources are available, it is even more important that Government and housing associations work together. The Government is delivering a number of programmes that aim to support the resilience of some of the most challenged communities in the country and we would like to see these programmes directly benefit the tenants of housing associations.

For example, we have a neighbourhood grants programme called Community First which empowers residents in the most deprived wards in the country to form panels and identify their strengths and local priorities, award small grants for local projects and plan for their future. We would like to see housing association tenants have every opportunity to be part of this process of local dialogue and for associations themselves to support their local panels. Details of the panels in your region can be found at www.cdf.org.uk.

In parallel, we are training 500 Community Organisers to in turn recruit 4,500 Voluntary Community Organisers to listen to local residents and help them

take positive action on what matters to them in their community. The organisers are hosted by local organisations and

housing associations are well placed to act either as hosts themselves, as some already do, or to provide support to the organisers in their local area. Look up www.cocollaborative.org.uk to find out more.

Equally, we all know the importance of young people to any community. National Citizen Service (NCS) is a new programme that brings 16 and 17-year-olds from all

The Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd, on his vision for building stronger communities and the key role of housing associations can play.


“ housing associations know, better than most, the needs of their communities”

delivering social value

community investment

backgrounds together to help them to become better citizens. Through NCS, they participate in outdoor activities, mix with new people in new environments and design and run a social action project in their local communities. It is proving fantastically popular with well over 40,000 already through the programme and we are seeing great results – with young people emerging more confident and open minded with a greater sense of responsibility and opportunity. We would like to encourage housing associations to signpost this unique opportunity to young people you have contact with: www.ncsyes.co.uk

Last but not least, we want to make sure that every pound spent by local commissioners works as hard as possible for the local community. That is why we have supported the Public Services (Social Value) Act and want to work with housing associations to develop strong partnerships with local social enterprises and local authorities. The Act is designed to ensure all public bodies consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the social and environmental well-being of their area, as well as make sense economically. There is a big opportunity here for housing associations to play a key role and I know many of you are already leading the way in the management of your supply chains. But there is still a way to go and I look forward to working together to realise the full potential of this Act.

I recognise that housing associations don’t only build homes; they put a lot of their own resources into valuable community projects that improve people’s lives. They know better than most, the needs of their communities and they work hard for local people across the country, stepping in to help where other services no longer can. I recently awarded trophies


delivering social value

to the winners of the Community Impact Awards which celebrated the vast array of inspiring community investment activities that housing associations carry out, and I was truly impressed by both their diversity and by the way the work you do has changed lives. Keep it up and keep in touch.

More information on the Government’s communities agenda, the Public Service (Social Value) Act and other initiatives can be found in the recently launched Investing in Communities knowledge hub at www.housing.org.uk/investingincommunities.

FInd out More


Apprenticeships

The Federation is working with the National Apprenticeship Service to encourage more housing associations

to take on apprentices. Together we’ve set a target of an extra 10,000 by the end of 2015. It’s ambitious, but the potential rewards are huge as reaching the target could mean an additional £45m in investment.

This is because apprenticeship training is funded by the Government for 16 to18-year-olds and part funded for older age groups. Until December 2013, employers with fewer than 1,000 staff may also qualify for a £1,500 grant, if recruiting up to 10 apprentices aged 16 to 24.

But grants and investment are only part of the story, as apprenticeships also make good business sense in their own right.

Apprenticeships mean business

Training apprentices to take on permanent roles is extremely cost effective compared to hiring experienced staff. Their training can also be designed around your business, providing the skilled workers you need for the future.

Moreover, the apprentice workforce has been shown to be highly productive and diverse with a real capacity for innovation

– a view endorsed by 92% of apprentice employers, who believe these schemes increase worker motivation and satisfaction.

Keira Burns is Employment and Training Manager at Great Places Housing Group, who have been running a successful apprentice scheme for several years now. “It brings a lot of value to the business and an extra dimension to our workforce” she says. We’ve found young people who are enthusiastic and keen to learn, and have been able to rise through

our ranks. There are so many varied opportunities in housing, so we can provide a really diverse and engaging training programme for our recruits.”

Marc Molloy is the Skills and Development Manager at Family Mosaic who invest in apprenticeships through the Pathways2Work scheme. He said: “The energy that apprentices have has added a new dynamic to the team which is refreshing. We have also seen the benefits of apprenticeships, not just for the apprentices, but for managers. It is hard work, but it’s rewarding to see an apprentice’s confidence grow and

They’re motivated and productive. Hiring them makes real commercial sense – which is why the Federation is supporting housing associations to boost apprentice numbers.

l-r Christian Gonzalez with fellow Family Mosaic apprentices, Rhys Hillaire and Musa Sengendo


Apprenticeships

to be part of that positive journey. We now have more managers coming forward who want to take on apprentices.”

Federation members across the country have similar stories to tell, as more organisations realise the impact apprentices can have on their operations, which is why we are keen to increase apprentice numbers.

Working closely with the National Apprenticeship Service, we will be offering advice on training and grants, updating this information as new funding opportunities arise. We can provide examples of good practice, to get you thinking about how an apprenticeship might work for you. And we can put you in touch with other associations in your area who may be interested in a shared appointment. The National Apprenticeship Service also provides free recruitment support to help you place adverts and interview candidates.

Whether your organisation already employs or supports apprentices or if you are just thinking about taking on your first apprentice, we can provide you with enhanced support. For more information and updates, visit the apprentices section of our website at www.housing.org.uk/apprenticeships. Equally, if you have an inspiring apprenticeship story to share, let us know – and we’ll make sure it is counted towards the 10,000 target.

get In touch

Freya Smith working as an apprentice gas service engineer for Shoreline Housing Partnership

Apprenticeships aren’t just great for business – they are a way for housing association to fulfil their commitment to communities and help the apprentices to build a positive future. here three housing association apprentices share their enthusiasm:

christian gonzalez, Family Mosaic

For 18-year-old business administration apprentice Christian Gonzalez the chance of an apprenticeship with Family Mosaic was the opportunity he had been hoping for. “Before, I was sitting at home applying for jobs but with little outcome. I was persuaded by my mum to read about Family Mosaic helping people into work and this was my golden opportunity.

“I believe apprenticeships are the best opportunity to gain experience and get qualifications for the future”, says Christian. “Hopefully in a couple of years’ time when I am in a stable, full time job I can look back and say ‘thank goodness I took that opportunity’.”

Ashleigh hudson, gentoo

After a difficult few years, including a period of homelessness, Ashleigh Hudson from Sunderland secured a business administration apprenticeship with Gentoo. Ashleigh has thrown herself into the role with a passion, helping organise a major regional event and a visit by north east apprentices to the House of Commons. She said: “I was over the moon that finally someone and give me a chance to make my own money. I started on 18 June 2012 and have not stopped moving forward since I got here, and of course, I now know that no matter how far you fall, you can always get back up and start again.”

Freya smith, shoreline housing partnership

18-year-old Freya Smith from Grimsby was recruited as an apprentice gas service engineer by Shoreline Housing Partnership in 2011. “It’s the start of my working life,” says Freya. “I am really keen to build on it when I finish my apprenticeship too and am thinking about other specialist gas and plumbing skills when I qualify.”


evaluating social impact

There is a huge amount of interest in how organisations can evaluate the social impact of their activities. The idea that

we can objectively measure the value of work by organisations, whose primary purpose is making a difference in society rather than generating profits for shareholders, is intriguing.

There is already a mountain of information available, although much of this seems to emphasise the challenges without necessarily providing a practical way forward for organisations. Consequently there is still a great deal of confusion about how to measure social impact and which method we should use.

We have been looking at this area for a while now and have explored a number of different approaches. Some have worked better than others but the learning we have gained has been vital in enabling us to put theory into practice and be clear on what will work best for Midland Heart.

Last year we produced an evaluation of our innovative Back on Track apprenticeship scheme. We used a range of techniques to measure impact and deliberately did not follow one approach. For example, we found that developing a theory of change model was particularly useful at the beginning, but we also built our own bespoke social cost benefit model, drawing on best practice in this area.

Research Manager at Midland Heart, Stephen Russell’s six top tips for evaluating social impact.

how do you measure up?

The social cost benefit model was peer reviewed by a leading expert in the field of impact measurement but the evaluation was undertaken in-house. This has been an important step in enabling us to refine our thinking and retain greater ownership of the process and the results.

Although you may be required to outsource some of this activity to consultants, it is important that this is undertaken on an informed basis, so that you know that what you are getting is right for your organisation and you are not left disappointed with the result.


evaluating social impact

Having spent the past few years reading widely on the topic, before undertaking my own impact assessment study, I am optimistic that we can develop a meaningful approach to measuring social impact. Although there is not the space here to go into detail about the techniques themselves, if I was to consider the key lessons I have learned along the way, from a practitioner’s perspective, they would be:

Social impact needs to cover interventions across the whole organisation and should not be restricted to community investment activity.

Consider social impact along a continuum, where doing something is better than nothing even if you do not have all the answers yet. It is only through testing new approaches and sharing findings that progress along that continuum will be made.

Make sure you constantly ask yourself who is the audience and what is the purpose of your study? This will guide your approach to measuring social impact.

Social impact measurement should concern itself with evaluating what works and why. It is not just an exercise in PR and creating impressive cost benefit ratios.

Social impact measurement should involve everyone – it shouldn’t be an obscure activity for a small number of specialist staff. Think about providing a wider group of staff with the relevant skills.

There are many approaches available, but the differences between them are fewer than people think. It is important to look more widely than some of the traditional literature that is branded as social impact.

The field of social impact measurement is moving into mainstream thinking and this is a positive step. This does not mean that answering the question is easy, but it is definitely important, and for some of us even a little bit exciting.

123456

Stephen Russell is co-publishing a paper on social impact with Housemark which explores the lessons learned and the techniques available to organisations in more detail. Further information can be found at www.housemark.co.uk or www.midlandheart.org.uk.

stephen russell

10 the Bulletin February 13

community Impact Awards

Curo’s Independent Living Service takes a radical approach to helping people live in their own homes,

regardless of age, income or housing situation. Currently it helps 542 people, aged from 23 to 103 with everything from shopping deliveries to household repairs and support to manage finances.

According to Harriet Bosnell, Head of Care and Support at Curo, its strength comes from the personalised nature of the care on offer. “Services are truly designed and overseen by the people they support. You can respond to things that work or don’t work early on and you end up with a service that is popular.”

But it’s Curo’s customers, such as 82-year-old Norma Jenkins who lives near Bath, whose personal testimonies really highlight the impact the scheme is making. For Norma, the service was “just like an answer to a prayer” by allowing her to continue living in the house that’s been her home since the 1950s.

After a number of operations, including a hip replacement, she was looking at a move to supported accommodation. But Norma, who describes herself as a ‘very private person’, was reluctant to lose the independence she’d enjoyed for so long.

Shortly after the launch of the service Norma received a visit from Curo’s

Award-winning scheme was the ‘answer to a prayer’

Independent Living Coordinator, Mandy Barrett. “She started to tell me about the service and straightaway, I said ‘yes, I’ll have it!’ I was in the throes of thinking I can’t stay here any longer, so it couldn’t have come at a better time, it was wonderful.

“Now I get a daily wellbeing phone call and Mandy comes in to see me at least three times a week. Two weeks after I started with the service I had a terrible fall and broke my arm close to the shoulder. I couldn’t wash or dress but Mandy arranged for carers to come in to get me showered, and for people to prepare my dinner.” “If I have any worries I only have to phone

and it will get done. But the main thing is being able to stay in my own home and that’s fantastic, the most important thing there is.”

As Curo is named winner of the Community Impact Awards, we take a closer look at its ground-breaking care and support scheme, the Independent Living Service.

For our organisation it’s about showing how much housing associations do beyond bricks and mortar


community Impact Awards

Norma is a Curo tenant but the service is available to homeowners too. Charges apply to those with saving over £23,250, but the aim has been to make them affordable and to offer value for money. The most popular service band (Gold) costs £12.95 each week. Higher service levels are available for people with particular needs such as dementia or terminal illness.

The Independent Living Service was originally conceived in 2010 following comments by some of the 1,600 people living in Curo’s sheltered housing. “They asked us frequently why their friends, who wanted to remain living in their own homes, couldn’t benefit from the kind of support they received” says Harriet.

A representative group of customers came together to consider what such a service might look like and how it would work. This was followed by a wider survey, then a pilot scheme which helped Curo learn to run the personalised and responsive model that residents were asking for.

Early in the process the Curo team made contact with health professionals and commissioners, gaining connections that would help them navigate these complex services. Rigorous levels of research and testing helped secure a contract to

provide a personalised support service for the wider community in Bath and north east Somerset, which in turn allowed the scheme to expand quickly.

Asked to sum up the secret of their success, Harriet stresses the breadth and impact of the scheme. “For our organisation it’s about showing how much housing associations do beyond bricks and mortar and the range of people they serve. Through the Independent Living Service we have been able to impact positively on people facing really tough challenges. Whether they are 30 or 90, with a bit of support, they can get to where they want to be with a better quality of life on the way.”

The Federation is preparing for the 2013 Community Impact Awards and would like our members to help us shape the upcoming programme.

We have launched a short online survey to enable you to provide feedback and ideas on how we can build on their success, and we’d like to hear from you, whether or not you’ve entered the awards before.

You can access the survey, which is open until 14 June, via www.housing.org.uk/awards.

coMMunIty IMpAct AwArds MeMber survey

l-r Harriet Bosnell, Norma Jenkins and Nick Hurd MP at the Community Impact Awards

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the Federation supports and promotes the work that housing associations do and campaigns for better housing and neighbourhoods.

All our publications are written and edited by experts in their field and reflect the diversity of work undertaken by housing associations. Funds generated from the sales of our books are used to help us promote the work that housing associations do and campaign for better housing and neighbourhoods.

resources

Check out a new online resource which is helping housing associations invest in local communities. Visit the knowledge hub to find out more about community investment, and get advice about making it work for you. There’s information on the localism agenda, funding, creating partnerships and measuring the impact of your work. Find the hub at www.housing.org.uk/investingincommunities.

Copies of the Federation’s 2013 directory have now been sent out to all members, so if you haven’t received yours yet please email us at [email protected]. All members can also access the online directory at www.nhfdirectory.co.uk. Log in using your email address and member number passcode. You can use the online directory to browse housing associations by region, size, activity and stock units or search by local authority area and Google map. You can also view suppliers who offer products and services to the housing sector.

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new community knowledge hub

directory of members dispatched

To browse our full range of titles and purchase publications, visit the Federation’s online bookshop at www.housing.org.uk/publications. Here you will also find our publications catalogue with details of all our books. If you need further information, please contact [email protected] or call 020 7067 1066.

buy onlIne

©national housing Federation 2013

yes to homes – the filmYou will have seen that we launched an animated film on 22 May which aims to inspire people to sign up to our Yes to Homes campaign. The film explains why saying ‘Yes to Homes’ is so important and asks people to take the vital action of emailing their councillor to do the same. If you haven’t yet seen it, check it out at www.yestohomes.co.uk. We’re asking all housing associations to help support the campaign and share and promote the film via your own channels. If you would like to get involved in this please contact Campaigns Officer John Pierce on 020 7067 1027 or [email protected]. We’d love to have your support.

social hearts, business headsThis publication, produced jointly with the performance management service Housemark, outlines a new approach to value for money that will help boards and senior managers run effective, efficient and tightly-focused social businesses. Chief executives from across the sector contributed their experience to the report, which provides plenty of food for thought and some challenging ideas. It’s available now on our website www.housing.org.uk/publications.

residents, employment and skills conferenceWith welfare reform and a government focus on making work pay, initiatives around employment and skills are increasingly essential to housing associations. This conference, taking place in Birmingham on 18 June, will look at practical solutions to the skills gap with inspirational models of employment schemes in action. Find out more at www.housing.org.uk/events.

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