Delivering improvements
Ian Jones explains how partnership working underpins improvements in Vale of Glamorgan’s homelessness service
The last two years have seen the benefits of the team’s previous hard work developing the private rented sector, building on partner relationships and paying particular attention to the needs and demands of our service users.
Our work with the private sector has increasingly enabled us to manage our temporary and permanent accommodation demands, radically improving our
single household accommodation and allowing appropriate cost neutral housing solutions to be identified. The council is no longer reliant on bed and breakfast accommodation.
In August 2012 the Vale of Glamorgan Council assisted its last family in B&B accommodation into alternative suitable housing and since has continued to establish an alternative temporary accommodation resource for all household types. This has completely eradicated the use of B&B with a substantial saving of £400,000 in one year.
Our single household private rented shared temporary accommodation resource presently consists of 26 units managed directly by private landlords and 10 units managed through Catrefi Hafod Housing Association leasing scheme.
Accommodation project
In March we will hand over an accommodation project consisting of 13 self-contained units of temporary accommodation to Catrefi Hafod for management. Without the support of
Catrefi Hafod, the council’s housing benefit, environmental health, planning and legal departments, South Wales Police and the landlord, this would not have been achieved. This project also allows for the management of very vulnerable single clients and discussions have commenced with Atal y Fro (Women’s Aid) to provide 24/7 live-in support.
Softer approaches
With our service users’ financial and social pressures ever increasing we have recognised the need to evolve. We also recognise the importance of softer approaches to advice, support and information, and the sometimes over looked or disregarded benefits around social inclusion. Many of our service users have not had opportunities to engage in positive social interaction and good people skills lead to confidence and self esteem.
As a result, our newly renovated 21-room council-owned hostel now provides the perfect environment and staffing resource. We feel that these new initiatives will not only have a significantly positive influence on our tenants and residents but the wider community, including Supporting People pressures, local policing provision, probation services and other agencies and just as importantly our business as a whole.
Quotes like these from former hostel residents and show that the work that we currently do is making a difference:
‘The staff are very helpful and go out of their way to assist people. The amenities are fantastic – the presence of CAB and various speakers is an advantage to all. The aftercare is there if you need it and we’re still getting invited back to hostel events.’
‘Before I came into the hostel I was put on anti-depressants – but since coming in here I’ve stopped taking them because there’s so much support and always someone to talk to.’
Other initiatives include:
• Vale Citizens Advice Bureau – drop-in service one morning a week
• Flying Start – drop in-service with a worker in attendance varying between a health visitor, social worker specialising in domestic abuse and a social worker specialising in housing
• Shine – stay and play sessions run one morning a week
• Food co-op – we are currently looking to develop this initiative promoting healthy eating habits and cost effective fruit & veg opportunities.
• Nutrition advice – hostel staff now qualified as a Level 1 nutritionist through a training opportunity funded by Communities First.
• Cooking lessons – Vale Volunteer Bureau providing volunteering opportunities based at the hostel providing cookery classes as well as advice on how to shop and cook on a budget.
• Community gardening opportunities – within the hostel grounds for Vale People First (a charity supporting people with disabilities).
• Day Trips – arrangements in place with the Partnership for Young Parents to use their minibus for free out of term time to take tenants and residents out into the community on day trips to promote communication, social skills and local community engagement. The hostel will also team up with MIND to mutually arrange day trips and activities for our tenants and residents with mental health issues.
• A timebanking project in its infancy with a hostel ex-resident identified to help contact local businesses and develop opportunities.
• Life skills courses – Communities First to continue to run a six- week course covering drugs, safe sex, stopping smoking and healthy eating etc.
• Resident and ex-residents group who arrange weekly coffee mornings and guest speakers.
• Activities and parties all intended to improve and promote social skills and build relationships between residents and tenants that can be sustained when living independently. These parties have proved very successful. Vale Library Service staff have read stories, organised additional arts and crafts projects for the children, Flying Start staff have helped entertain children and provided support and advice for families and Saint Vincent DePaul church have made connections via these parties and been able to arrange financial support to tenants and residents when moving.
• A DIY and home safety pilot that is to be further developed and introduced to help build confidence for our future tenants promoting tenancy sustainability allowing minor home improvements and repairs to be tackled safely. This pilot also showcased opportunities for employment possibilities given attendees food for thought within the building trade.
• Digital inclusion – computer literacy based training opportunities to be offered that would aid job hunting, employability success and preparing service users for the universal credit. A number of ICT courses currently being discussed with the council’s in-house IT training department.
These opportunities will be increasingly important to provide support for non-working households to find work or other ways to maximise their incomes. This has implications for delivery of housing services and service re-design may be crucial to provide the necessary protection for residents and social housing landlords across the Vale.
As a result the Vale of Glamorgan Council has received Welsh Assembly S180 funding to carryout a feasibility study for an enhanced housing options service: a one stop shop to promote joint working opportunities with our partners providing advice on affordability, budgeting, welfare benefit, employment and opportunities to access housing across all tenures.
Ian Jones is homelessness and housing advice manager at Vale of Glamorgan Council