Tackling Worklessness in Social Housing What works in helping tenants into employment? 30 April 2009

1. Tackling Worklessness in Social Housing What works in helping tenants into employment?30 April 2009 Victoria Whittle Head of Community Investment Broomleigh Housing Association Erica Watts Community Investment Manager Broomleigh Housing Association

2. About Us • BHA formed 1992 • LBB full voluntary stock transfer • 15,000 managed properties across 8 boroughs; Bromley Croydon, Lewisham, Southwark, Lambeth, Medway, Merton and Sutton • 13,550 properties in Bromley • Part of Affinity Sutton Group • Over 50,000 properties in group

3. Our Vision • Broomleigh’s mission is to: ‘help to build better lives’ through secure and affordable homes, stronger communities, improved education opportunities, involvement in decision making, access to good services and an enhanced quality of life.

4. Our Objectives • To achieve this vision there are four key corporate objectives: • · Improving efficiency and effectiveness • · Growing the business • · Providing excellent services • · Increasing our influence • As part of Broomleighs commitment to ‘excellent services’ we have a dedicated Community Investment programme. • 5 Key areas of delivery: • (i) Financial Inclusion • (ii) Youth • (iii) Environment • (iv) Healthy Living • (v) Employment and Training

5. Financial Inclusion • Credit Union • Basic Bank Accounts • Financial literacy • Money management workshops • Debt counselling

6. Environment • Natural Estates • Pilot Project • Creating natural gardens on 2 BHA estates • Allotments • Encouraging local residents to grow and maintain planting and vegetables – also linked to a Country Markets project

7. Youth • Summer University • In collaboration with LA, Jack Petchey and London Challenge • 46 FREE summer activities and courses for 8 – 25 years • ArtsTrain • Creative and Media arts programme offering accredited training, volunteering and paid work opportunities for 11–16 years

8. Healthy Living • Bromley Active Living Centre – BALC • Over 200 local residents enrolled • Diverse groups and bespoke sessions • Reduced ASB on the estate • Development opportunities for locals – Volunteers and Olympic hopefuls! • Activate London • Pan-London Health and Well-being project • Led by Peabody trust, funded by Big Lottery • 7 Projects delivered by BHA covering • Physical health • Mental health • Healthy eating

9. Employment and Training • Stepping Up • 2 year project • 85 homeless families within Bromley, Croydon and Southwark • Focus on progressions to accredited training and part-time employment • Outreach IAG and employment support with high level of wrap-around support • Soft-skill employability workshops • Key Partners – St Giles Trust, Oasis Trust, Lifeline

10. Employment and Training cont • Stepping Up so far…… • 68 Participants signed up • 42 non-eligible participants also receiving low-level IAG support • Various additional support needs including DV, Lone Parents, Substance misuse and Ex-offenders • 33 participants attended employment skills workshops • 14 progressed onto further accredited training • 5 entered paid employment (1 self-employed) • 1 sustained paid employment for 6 months

11. Employment and Training cont • Pathways 4 Cray • 2 year project • 105 individuals within wards of Cray Valley East, Cray Valley West and Orpington • Focus on sustained employment progressions • Outreach IAG and programme of short, accredited vocational courses • Ties into to LAA and LSP to reduce unemployment locally. Works to complement authorities –People into Employment’ project • Key partners – LBB, Bromley Field Studies Centre, Bromley Gypsy Traveller Project

12. Employment and Training cont • Personal Best • New 2 years contract • Targeting 200 unemployed residents in Bromley • Providing outreach and IAG to support participants to access volunteering, training and employment opportunities supporting the capacity building of the workforce for 2012 • Supported to complete Level 1 qualification in ‘Preparation for Event Volunteering’ (Pre Volunteer Programme for the Olympic and Paralympic Games) with affiliated partner (Bromley College)

13. Partnerships - formal • Contracted delivery partners • Develop and negotiate SLA’s • Deliver to agreed targets and timescales (usually with paid outcomes) • Offer specialist and/or specific support and services e.g. Job Brokers, training providers, employers, peer mentors, advice agencies etc

14. Partnerships - Informal • Informal partners • Non-contracted but still forming a critical ‘partnership’ • Often acts as source of referral from other agencies and therefore compliments outreach provision e.g. Children and Family centres, In-house tenancy teams • Can provide a source of referral to other agencies • Win-win situation and equally important in terms of delivery • Real collaborative working can help offer holistic support for residents – e.g. CAB, Advocacy services

15. Pros of Partnership Collaboration • Collaborative working enabling partners to specialise in core areas of expertise • Enables a wider range of services and support to be offered to participants • Able to explore new and wider project opportunities • Enhanced cross referrals and sign-posting opportunities • For formal partners – Enables VfM and excellent service delivery • For informal partners - Maximisation of resources at no extra cost

16. Questions & Answers