The end of one year and the beginning of another is naturally a time of reflection on what has been done and the challenges ahead
A YEAR AGO the CHC group launched our corporate plan – having consulted widely with members about how we would put them FIRST (Fighting Poverty, Innovation, Regeneration, Social Enterprise and Team Collaboration).
A year on, despite the challenges of welfare reform and increasing public sector austerity, CHC is proud to report on the progress being made.
Fighting poverty was our first priority. We wanted to increase activities and services which enabled our members to impact positively on the economic, environmental and social circumstances of tenants, leaseholders and communities. The Your Benefits Are Changing campaign was launched to support members to raise awareness of the welfare reforms.
In addition to a Wales-wide media campaign, we developed a website and made campaign material available to all supporting organisations to promote the campaign and communicate the changes locally. To date over 70 organisations have signed up to support the campaign including housing associations, local authorities and charities such as Disability Wales. The next phase will be rolled out in the coming months.
To complement the campaign we set up the YBAC advice line to provide advice and support to tenants and organisations and to give those affected practical steps and advice. YBAC money advisers provide free independent advice and are members of the Institute of Money Advisers. They have advised over 6,500 people about the impact of welfare reform over the last 12 months with some great outcomes.
CHC recently secured funding from the Oak Foundation to continue awareness raising and conduct a study that will assess the impact of welfare reform on the sector, local authorities and tenants. A proportion of this funding will also be used for a television campaign which we’ll run as part of a wider communication campaign during 2014.
In 2013, three new Moneyline Cymru outlets opened in Merthyr Tydfil, Swansea and Wrexham, bringing the total to eight. Other outlets include Cardiff, Pontypridd, Newport, Bridgend and Cwmbran. Since Moneyline Cymru launched in November 2009, it has loaned out over £7.8 million, approved over 17,000 customer loans and helped over 80 per cent of new customers to open a savings account.
As welfare reform continues to impact on tenants, CHC and its members have done so much to assist those most vulnerable to financial exclusion – something that is likely to grow as the cost of living crisis continues.
To review further progress towards the corporate plan – visit http://annualreport2013.chcymru.org.uk/