The neighbourhood investment role of English housing associations and measurement issues Terry Jones Information and Policy Officer National Housing Federation
The sector: the neighbourhood audit Neighbourhood audit First national measurement of the additional services provided by housing associations In 2006/07 housing associations: Delivered 6,800 additional services and provided or maintained hundreds of facilities Employed 4,560 staff, directly, to deliver these additional services Benefited around 5.5 million people To do this housing associations: Invested almost 435 million, from: Contributions of 272 million from own money, and An additional 163 million from external sources
The neighbourhood audit: services Additional police patrols, crime support - offender & witness support, domestic violence initiatives / sanctuary schemes, fire safety projects, street initiatives - CCTV / street lighting etc, wardens, youth diversionary measures / youth clubs, community audits / research, equality and diversity officers. abandoned vehicles removal, art / street decorations in public places, energy efficiency measures, environmental improvements, environmental enforcement, handyperson schemes, litter / graffiti teams / tidy up days, waste and bulky items collection assistance with opening bank accounts, credit union, financial literacy training, loans scheme, money/debt advice, rent deposit initiatives, savings schemes, welfare/benefits advice, white good / furniture scheme, fuel advice and home insurance schemes adult education (both formal/informal), after school & breakfast clubs/activities, arts & theatre initiatives, capacity building training for residents, foyers, IT learning initiatives, parenting support /activities/skills, voluntary work placements and walk-to-school initiatives. community health workers, family intervention initiatives, food co-ops, harm reduction initiatives, health clinics, health needs surveys / health checks, healthy living initiatives, partnerships with local health providers and sports / fitness provision. business start-up initiatives, full employment pilots, intermediate labour market projects, job search - advice / help, life skills for employment, local recruitment incentives, qualifications for employment, resident service organizations, youth build and youth enterprise projects alcohol treatment centre, allotments, art studio facility, arts and drama facilities, business start-up units, café with social/community activities, children's centre, city farm, community centre, community garden, community kitchen, community resource/ information centre, community space, computer room, cricket ground, cycle and footpath initiatives, day centre, drop in centre, football field and facilities, foyer, furniture recycling workshop, greenhouse, health and well-being centres, holiday home, IT facility, landscaping, library, lighting, meeting room, mobile unit, night centre, nursery, park, parking facilities, place of worship, play area, play equipment, police base, school, sensory garden, shop, shop/rental enterprises, sports facilities, swimming pool, training centre, transport, village green / green space, village hall, walls / fencing gating, women s refuge, youth centre, youth shelter
The neighbourhood audit: funders FUSION 21
The neighbourhood audit: other observations Sector has its own unique issues: Non core activity Tension with regulation Sector is diverse Levels of service Accountability / VFM / evidence BUT.. proportionality / cost / ease of use Geography
What is impact: affordable home provision?
Concluding thoughts: how can this be measured? The apprenticeship has taken me from a dead-end job into proper work and a real future. You only get one chance in life Adam Jones-Hendon Gained an apprenticeship through Home Group s Home 2 Work