Northamptonshire Community Housing Network

Helping people with Disability find a place to live

The Network Aims to help people….

1. Have choice about where they live & find a home

2. Settle in and live happily as part of our communities

3. Find work and gain confidence by helping to run the Housing Network

How it works

• We are community led

• We cover the County

• Anyone can join people and organisations

• Every one is equal – ‘Total Coproduction’ approach

How it works

• We have ‘Members’ not staff or customers

• We use Timebanking and mixture of funding to sustain ourselves

• Works on the belief that, we all have needs and skills, so lets share

Helping people on their Housing Journey

Timebanking

• For every hour given to help others you receive 1 time credit

• And for every hour of help received you pay 1 time credit

How we run the Network

• The Shadow Board manages day to day work• The Steering Group directs the Shadow Board• The Coordinator and Members do the work

Who makes up Shadow Board

8 members of the Network6 have disabilities

We must have at least 50% disabled people on the Board

Our Objectives in 2011- 2012

Our objectives in our pilot year

1. Set up the organisation2. Work with people to explore their housing options 3. Produce accessible housing guides and tools4. Help set up housing try out opportunities5. Help councils improve their services for people with

disabilities6. Work with Housing Providers to start creating more

housing options7. Help to build a better picture of housing need8. Promote the Housing Networks approach

Setting Up the Network

• The Network is close to being a new company

• Most of our board have a disability (75%)

• We made an Easier read set of Articles that all board members understand

• We have over 60 members

Helping People with Housing

• We have had 55 requests for help and advice

• We have provided long term help to 10 people, of which:-

• 3 people we supported through the whole process to move

• 2 people, we are helping keep and manage their home

• 3 people, we are helping with planning a move

• 1 person, we are helping with neighbour problems

Progress Creating Services

• Made the Housing Training Programme, and Teaching Programme, to help young people and adults

• 17 people were on the first Housing Training Programme and more want to join further courses

• We are producing the Living and Work skills Programme

Creating Accessible Information

• Have produced a Housing Guide from the Housing Training Programme information

• Produced Teaching Programme with key learning outcomes for young people

• Produced an Easy read Choice based lettings guide with Housing Options

• Produced a Guide to Keyways for LD customers and families

Believing its Possible• 7 people visited Camphill Community

in Milton Keynes to see what its like living there

• 8 Members have shared their housing stories with each other about different ways of living

• Nobody has yet been able to try out other accommodation to see what they think

Improving Service Access

• 6 of us worked with Kettering Borough Council in Spring 2011 and

• 9 people with disabilities are working on a review at Northampton Council

• 2 people from Black and Minority Ethnic communities (BME) are helping, we are looking for more people

Building a Picture of Need

• We started collecting information about people’s housing needs and desires through the Housing Training Programme.

• However, more help is needed by local Council’s and other Housing Partners to make a clearer picture of the housing people need

Our Resources this year..• Members will have given over 1200

hrs in time to run the Network (equal to about £14,400)

• We received over £40,000 in income, (inc £15,000 for particular projects)

• Will receive about £2,000 in Kind help

Total value of all about - £56,400

% of Time credits and in kind = 29%

We have learnt so much… such as

• How capable people are • Big gaps in the help people need• The skills we need to grow a work force• How to work with others• The things that work in the Training

Programme• What services to offer in future

The Magic in what’s happening

• Members are enjoying helping and sharing

• They are growing in confidence

• People with disabilities are getting help with housing and work

The Magic in what’s happening

• People who have not worked for a long time are helping to run the Network

• Some are about to become Directors of our Company

To see some of the work of the Community Housing Network (CHN) this

year in pictures, please go to….

www.vimeo.com/31730861 and

www.vimeo.com/35952618

Our Plans for the Future

• Recruit 2 – 3 Trainer / Facilitators to set up the main services areas in year 1

• They will develop Network members to learn to run each service area (5 -10)

• All members (people and Orgs) will give some time to help run it

Our Main Future Services

The Services CHN are Planning to offer…

• The Housing Training Programme for young people, adults and organisations

The Services CHN are Planning to offer…

• A Living and Working Skills Programme – for young people, adults and organisations to use

Help to Make It Happen

Planning a move and making it happen• 1 to 1 support or group support for people and

organisations

Expert by Experience Service

• Provide services to Local Councils, Housing and Care providers to make their services to people with disabilities better

Possible Sources of Income in year 1

• Membership Income• Sales Income• Time Income• Grant Income• Donations

Any Questions

If you want to join in

Speak to

Marion Turner

TODAY

Or look at our website

www.myhomemysay.co.uk

01933 381467