HOUSING PLUS
Housing Plus concentrates on the wide range of activities that social landlords are involved in that are in addition to their statutory landlord responsibilities.
Axiom Joins Force with Crossroads Care Cambridgeshire
Habinteg and CIH Award Housing Trainee the Nicky Chapman Award
Young People to be Educated About Housing Services
Young People to be Educated About Housing Services
April 2012
A DVD has been launched to educate young people about housing services in Doncaster as part of Doncaster Council's new smarter ways of working.
The DVD, called Housing Options, has been produced for Doncaster Council's Housing Options service and aims to educate 14- to 17-year-olds about the help on offer, should they find themselves struggling to find somewhere to live in the future.
As a result of developing new partnerships with local schools and the voluntary and community sector, the DVD will be used in schools and with other agencies such as the M25, YMCA and Doncaster Foyer - all third sector agencies that contribute to the Council's strategic housing investment priorities by helping young people who find themselves without a home.
In 2010/2011 over 1200 young people aged under 25 approached the Council's Housing Options service for advice and assistance on their housing issues.
Shot over three days, the 10 minute DVD explains the various services on offer. It covers how the Council's Housing Options service works.
Besides offering help on housing, the Council's new enhanced housing options service also offers support to get people back into work, back into education and get the health care they need, as well as support tackling debt and applying for benefits.
Axiom Joins Force with Crossroads Care Cambridgeshire
February 2012
Two well established Cambridgeshire-based companies are joining forces to create a new care and support service for the county.
Axiom Crossroads Care is being set up by Peterborough-based Axiom Housing Association and Crossroads Care Cambridgeshire based in St Ives, which provides support for carers and the people they care for as part of a leading national network.
Providers and residents will be able to access care and support services across a whole range of everyday tasks, from help with shopping and gardening through to personal care needs such as feeding and dressing.
Like its parent companies, Axiom Crossroads Care will be a charitable not-for-profit organisation with an estimated turnover of £1.1 million and employing up to 100 staff within its first three years of trading.
Alan Lewin, Chief Executive of Axiom, said:
"Axiom Crossroads Care will be a locally based provider of consistently high-quality care and support that people can trust. We will do this by combining both companies' experience and excellence."
Dr Helen Brown, Chief Executive of Crossroads Care Cambridgeshire, added:
"We are really excited about this new joint venture which will provide a holistic service for doctors and commissioning bodies to access, as well as a much needed additional care provider for our county."
Axiom Crossroads Care will officially launch in the spring.
Habinteg and CIH Award Housing Trainee the Nicky Chapman Award
February 2012
Habinteg Housing Association and Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) have named Debbie Smith as the first housing trainee to win the Nicky Chapman Award under the Positive Action for Disability (PAfD) scheme.
The Nicky Chapman Award, recognising disabled people who are doing excellent work in housing, was set up and sponsored by Habinteg in memory of Nicky Chapman, a Habinteg tenant who was Chair of the Board from 2006 until her death in 2009.
Nicky Chapman fought for equality throughout her life, championing disabled people in her many areas of interest. She became a peer, Baroness Chapman of Leeds, in 2004, making her the first disabled person to enter the House of Lords.
Debbie Smith, who secured a permanent job at New Charter Housing Trust on completion of her training, is the first PAfD trainee to win the award. She has also won 'Employee of the Year' at New Charter and is delighted at how the training scheme has supported her in finding a job she loves. She said:
"The award is a great honour, both because of the person it represents and the things she stood for. Also for the difference the scheme can have on people's long term future.
"I do feel the award is more the achievement of all the trainees, CIH and the employers involved, rather than an individual one for myself. Although I still feel extremely honoured to receive it."
The PAfD scheme reports that four of their first intake of seven trainees (who graduated from the scheme in August last year) have secured jobs in the housing sector at professional grade levels. Two of these trainees have won 'Employee of the Year' awards with their host organisations and a further two trainees received distinctions in their housing qualifications.
InFocus
InFocus Feature
- HOUSING PLUS
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