Exciting times at BHT

We have an exciting few months ahead of us with various BHT developments coming to fruition in Hastings, Eastbourne and Brighton.

In Hastings, Renaissance House, a new advice and community hub, will open from the beginning of April. It will provide a home for the advice partnership in Hastings and St Leonards, made up of HARC, CA1066, and BHT.
Also located there will be Finding Futures, BHT’s personal development and motivational programme designed for unemployed adults (16+) with multiple barriers to learning and employment and who may, as one of those barriers, be homeless or insecurely housed. Finding Futures also works with students at Key Stage 4 level (14 years plus).

From the beginning of April, the Tenancy Centre, to be based in Eastbourne, takes over the management of BHT’s general needs properties and leased properties in the private rented sector, and responsibility for maintenance for all properties.

Working in the way we do with the private rented sector is designed to increase housing opportunities for our clients. Staff working in PRS Solutions have been working to a target of 222 bedsits and flats in management by 31 March. Not only have they achieved this target, it looks as though they will be 301 properties in management by this date. Many of these bedsits and flats would not have been available to our clients were it not for this initiative.

Staff are currently being recruited and will move into their new office in Susan’s Road, Eastbourne, from the beginning of March.

Based in Brighton, but working also in Hastings and Eastbourne, is the new BHT Intern Programme. Funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and BHT itself, the Intern Programme will boost the chances of those people embarking on a work career after, in many cases, years on the margins of society.

It is our aim that at any one time 40 Interns will be working across the organisation (on six-month placements for a minimum of two days a week) gaining valuable workplace experience and undertaking a tailored training programme.

These are not easy times but it feels good that there are a number of positive developments at BHT.

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Theresa is an inspiration and shows what can be achieved through courage and determination

Today, as the country reflects on the amazing achievements of A Level students, I met another truly inspirational learner who has achieved her own A* result.

Theresa has been part of our Finding Futures Project in Hastings where, just three weeks ago, she started on her NCFE Level 1 course in Numeracy.  When she arrived, she was, understandably, extremely nervous.  Today I met a woman brimming with confidence – she had just achieved 84% in the first exam she has done at this level.

She and her tutor, Richard, and all the staff at Finding Futures shared her joy at this achievement.  I was honoured to meet her.  Richard tells me that, not only did she work hard when at Finding Futures, she took homework away and has been doing tons of private study at home.  She is an inspiration and shows what can be achieved if you have courage and determination.

How are we getting on about employing former clients of BHT services

We have recently undertaken a survey about the personal experience of homelessness amongst BHT’s staff.  We have a target that, by the end of 2012/13, 15% of our staff should be former users of our services.

So how have we done?  9% of our staff have used BHT services in the past, and 33% have received a homelessness service (although not necessarily from BHT).  We are not there yet, but it is a start.

Being a former client doesn’t necessarily make one a good worker, or a better one than those who are not.  We don’t employ someone because they were once a client.  No, we employ people because they are the best person for the job.  We employ them because they are professionals, that they understand the ethical framework within which we work – competence, confidentiality, non-judgemental attitudes, and integrity.

One reason we have this target is to ensure that we continue to facilitate learning and work experience opportunities for current and former clients.  We recognise that there can be prejudice against men and women who have a history of homelessness, unemployment, mental ill health, substance misuse problems, and so on.  Part of the role of BHT is to challenge prejudices.

Another reason for the target is to demonstrate that our Mission (tackling homelessness, creating opportunities, promoting change) is more than six words.  It shows that change is possible.

There is no tokenism at work here.  I want the best possible workers within BHT, and I want all our projects to be of the highest quality.  Who knows, the person who knocks on our door today needing help and support may one day be the person answering the door when you and I are in need.

It is poverty of ambition if we forget to ask “What next?” for service users

Today at BHT’s office in London Road, Brighton, we are holding a Work and Learning Fair for service users. BHT does a lot of work in combating homelessness and helping to facilitate change, but creating opportunities is an equally important part of our Mission.

At BHT we work with people who have enormous strengths and capabilities, as well as aspirations to move forward in their lives. Very often, in addition to housing and support, employment is a cornerstone for a successful living.

Some of the people we work with have a very inconsistent employment histories, and employers are, understandably, reluctant to take a chance with them. It is one reason why at BHT we offer volunteering and work placements for former service users, to give them work experience and to create a track record of being reliable in the work place.

We are often approached by people wishing to volunteer. It is unfortunate that we usually have to decline such offers given that we tend to prioritise former service users for volunteering opportunities. If we don’t take them on, few other organisations will. One exception to this is locally based charity Crime Reduction Initiatives who have an excellent peer mentoring and training programme that many former residents of our Addiction Services benefit from.

If we are to make a real difference in the communities within which we work, we must always ask “What next?” for our service users. Getting someone in doors and off the street is fantastic, but what next? Stabilising a chaotic life style is good, but what next? Becoming alcohol and drug free is a huge achievement, but what next? Training, education and work experience is a major milestone in a person’s life, but what next? Employment and housing, and what next?  A failure to ask “what next” may reflect a poverty of aspiration by workers on behalf of our service users.

Today’s Work and Learning Fair might provide that spring board for someone to realise what is next for them.

Reflecting on successes and the need to keep moving forward

Last night was the regular meeting of the BHT Board of Management.  A regular item that I report on is developments.  Last night it was particularly easy to report given that in the three months since I last reported, various initiatives that my colleagues and I have been working on for up to three years have come to fruition. We have:

• developed new services, for example, in the private rented sector, in work and learning, and in profitable social enterprise, thereby attracting income from new sources;
• secured new contracts and expanded our service base;
• strengthened user involvement at all levels of the organisation;
• established a strong base in Hastings having set up a training project, Finding Futures, delivered housing advice outreach, and acquired Hastings Community Housing Association; and
• established BHT Enterprises Ltd., and acquired PR company Blue Rocket and its sister company Green Rocket.

Very often we can’t see the wood for the trees because we are so involved in the day to day management of the organisation.  We may put out a press release or post something on our website, but before you know it, we have moved on to the next thing.

But having to report on a quarterly basis to the Board allows us to take stock of what has been achieved knowing that every service development will help us to tackle homelessness, create opportunities and promote change.

But we are not complacent.  We need to look, as always, at what is next.  What next for the organisation, for projects, for service users? Any achievement is a milestone, not a destination.

Teaching an old dog new tricks – blogging and tweeting!

My colleague, Lucy Enever, has just begun blogging.  She is one of several members of staff who I have been encouraging to start blogging.  As my PA, I spend time with her most mornings, discussing the day ahead and reflecting on issues in the news and issues that impact on BHT. 

Often she has really a interesting perspective on issues, and it triggers my thinking.  Since I started blogging more consistently at the beginning of the year, our conversations have led to a number of posts.  (I have another blog, separate from work, on cricket, but I have spectacularly failed to blog consistently – it isn’t easy for someone at my age to learn new tricks!).

Because of her original thinking it was only natural that Lucy was one of the first members of staff I encouraged to start blogging, so I am delighted she has taken the plunge.  Her first post was about how she has been encouraging people in BHT to embrace new media, and how her pleadings had fallen on deaf ears.  What she didn’t say was the dinosaur was me!

I had played with my cricket blog, and was persuaded by Lucy to try Twitter. I originally found Twitter the most shallow networking forum in the world.  I was useless on Facebook, and appalled at the jargon (closing a Facebook account is called “Facebook Suicide” – disgusting).

Then over the Christmas holidays I read a couple of books that opened my eyes to the new reality of “new rules” for communication, PR and marketing.  While BHT has been quite successful in its PR output, the approach we were taking was PR of the 1980’s and 90’s.  We had to change, and new media is at the heart of it.

So, staff at BHT are being encouraged to blog, Tweet (I don’t think I will ever be comfortable with the jargon), and other things that I am yet to grasp.  By embracing a Thought Leadership approach, we don’t have to censor, restrict or police what is being said.  There are the normal expectations on personal conduct that apply to letters, emails and conversations. Of course racism, sexism, and other abusive behaviour is not ok, nor is commenting negatively about other organisations and individuals, directly or implied.

So, in 2010 I have entered a brave new world.  I am not sure if I am doing it right, but I guess this old dog is learning new tricks.  Thanks, Lucy.

Doing ‘Thought Leadership’ may be risky but it is worth it

I saw a cartoon that made me laugh.  A woman was saying to a man: “Why should I follow you online?  I find you boring enough in person!”.

I am becoming a real bore at work, talking at every opportunity about “Thought Leadership”.  This a concept that I am hoping will become a key theme within BHT during 2010.  Thought leadership is fundamentally about sharing ideas, concepts, innovation with others, on a peer basis, within an organisation and beyond.

In the competitive world in which many organisations operate, we can be too concerned about ‘competitive advantage’ and ‘commercial confidentiality’. Thought Leadership is more concerned about getting things right, as part of a process rather than publishing or announcing infallible truths.

Well that is what I think it is.  You may know better or have something to add to my understanding.

There must have been a pioneer who once drew a line on a rock face with a piece of chalk. Someone else will have added a line across the first line and maybe a circle on top, thereby producing the first stick drawing of a person. Hands and feet will have followed, noses, ears, hair.  And in due course someone painted the Mona Lisa, all because someone once had the vision to draw a single line on the wall of their cave.  It is called learning.  It is called civilisation.

So too with Thought Leadership.  I have a whole range of questions, issues and problems that need attention, not least how BHT will have to respond to the the squeeze in public funds and likely changes in public policy following the general election – no matter who wins. 

Those in formal leadership positions in organisations may get it right some of the time when they state the clear policies of their organisation.  But we might get it more right more often if we say, “This is my current thinking on this issue.  What do you think?”. 

BHT had a bruising year in 2009, with contenious issues being discussed and decisions being made about salaries and terms and conditions of employment.  We did our best, but we could have done it better. 

That is why we are starting to discuss Thought Leadership within BHT.  It has received a mixed response, not least the suggestion that ideas can be debated in open, when ideas and concepts are unrefined, and in public through blogs such as this.  It’s fine to have concens.  By exploring opportunities and risk, and benefiting from the experiences and insights of others, we are doing Thought Leadership.

I am interested in your views and experiences about open debate, the development of ideas, the evolution of policies, the testing of ethics. Please comment on this blog or email me your views andy.winter@bht.org.uk.

Brandon is an inspiring example for others, and for the BEST project in Hastings

I spent the better part of last Friday at the launch of a new training scheme in Hastings, BEST at Finding Futures.  Finding Futures is a BHT project that is aimed at helping those not engaged in education, employment or training.  BHT’s manager at Finding Futures, Philippa White, describes very clearly who this service is aimed at.  “We work with people who lack the confidence to engage in education and training.  We work with people who have ‘fallen off the ladder’, with those who don’t have the confidence to climb on the ladder, and with those who don’t even know a ladder exists”.

I heard the amazing account of a young man who had not been in formal education for three years since he was 14.  He had suffered bullying in his primary school.

Despite being very able, Brandon had not got any GCSEs and desparately wanted some so he could go to college, “like everyone else”.

Since becoming part of Finding Futures, has improved his self confidence as well as his maths.  He completed his CV and got used to being in a small ‘classroom’ enviroment.

A mark of his achievements came on the day when, having been shown how to prove Pythagoras’ Theorem, he stood at the white board and, with maturity, confidence and humour, demonstrated to a member of Finding Future’s training staff how the theory worked!

He started his GCSE Maths before Christmas and in January began GCSE courses in English and Science.

He has made himself, his mother and the staff at Finding Futures very proud.  He is an inspiring example for others, and for the BEST project in Hastings.