Section: Registered Social Landlords

HAs and LAs Provide Learning Programme

Tenants in the midlands are being given the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills thanks to a partnership of social housing providers.

Dealing with Anti-social Behaviour, Managing Diversity and Building Confidence are just three of the eleven workshops featured in the 2007/08 Learning Equals programme.

The Learning Equals Partnership is a group of housing associations and local authorities that have pooled their resources to co-fund a joint programme of learning. It is made up of East Midlands Housing, LHA-ASRA, Orbit Housing Group, Riverside Housing Group, Enable Housing Association, South Warwickshire Housing Association, Whitefriars Housing Group, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council and Warwick District Council.

The aim of the Partnership is to develop the skills, confidence and abilities of residents, staff and service users, so that they can play a full part in developing better services within each organisation. It is also designed to encourage positive joint working between staff and residents.

There is a wide variety of subjects covered in the forthcoming programme, which this year has been expanded to include subjects that are relevant to residents and staff alike - such as 'Involving residents in service improvements,' 'How allocations and housing management work' and 'Dealing with anti-social behaviour.' The programme also includes events aimed at confidence and capacity-building and negotiation skills training.

RSL Update

Genesis Housing Group was reported to be drawing up plans for all of its tenants to encourage them to become homeowners.

The Group will consider offering incentives, such as deposits in tenants' savings accounts if they maintain a clean rental account and stick to the terms in their tenancy agreement. Other considerations include employment training for tenants.

The proposals respond to the Hills report, which suggested tenants could be given vouchers towards a deposit to buy a house. A working party was set up by the Group last year to explore options for altering its relationship with tenants, with an emphasis on rights and responsibilities.

More detailed proposals will emerge from a social audit, which Genesis is conducting with 3,500 of its tenants. The audit seeks views on the form of support tenants would like from the Group to help them progress in life, about their aspirations for homeownership and the barriers standing in their way.
Places for People, the largest housing association in England, is to pilot a controversial system that tracks people using satellite technology.

The scheme will see electronic tagging of about five residents with learning difficulties such as Down's syndrome. The objective is to give those residents the freedom to go out by themselves while having the security of being able to alert someone if they encounter difficulties.

If the pilot is successful, Places for People aims to offer the service to other residents who might benefit. It will also offer the facility to any of its 2,500 staff who might need it.
Amicushorizon Housing Group was placed under supervision by the Housing Corporation because of the poor performance of one of its subsidiaries.

The Corporation made three statutory appointments to the Group's board:
- Peter Cruttenden, Board Member: Radian Housing Group
- Rod Cahill, Group Chief Executive: Catalyst Housing Group
- Peter Robinson, Consultant
A Corporation statement said Amicushorizon had been placed under supervision because of "concerns about its governance and management, arising from ongoing poor operational performance within the group's subsidiary, SLFHA."

During the period of supervision, the Corporation will not give any further funding to the Association, which manages 27,000 homes. It was formed in April last year, following a merger of Amicus and Horizon Housing Groups.

Section: Registered Social Landlords

HAs and LAs Provide Learning Programme

RSL Update

Housing Monthly Diary

Reporting on April 2007

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