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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