Providing highly-rated support to men and women in Eastbourne

I have been sent quotes from clients of BHT’s Home Works project in Eastbourne which we run in a partnership with Southdown Housing Association. The service is funded by East Sussex County Council through the Supporting People programme.

“…the workers have given me more confidence and I can do things I couldn’t believe (possible)”

“…the support and guidance was amazing.  She has helped build my confidence and made me a stronger, happier person”

“…from start to finish my needs were met beyond my expectation……there is always room for improvement although since I have received such good support I fail to see where improvements could be made”

“I am in awe of the support that I have been given”

“…without doubt I would not still be here if not for you and your team…”

“…I have accessed Housing Benefit myself to get my rent paid directly to me after having meetings with my worker, I have more capability to do things on my own…”

“…..I was treated with respect and as an individual despite my disability, and my personal choice adhered to…”

What is great about Home Works is that men and women from across East Sussex don’t have to worry about approaching different organisations. It is just Home Works whether you live in Eastbourne, Hastings, Wealden, Rother or Lewes. You can be assured of a first class service whether it is provided by BHT or Southdown staff

If you live in Eastbourne, Lewes or Wealden, contact Home Works West on 01273 898700

If you live in Hastings or Rother, contact Home Works East on 01424 858341

The BHT Intern Programme is up and running, and doing great things

BHT has, after many months planning, launched our Intern Programme.  It is funded by the Esmee Fairburn Foundation and BHT itself, and provides opportunities for up to 40 people per year to take up an internship in BHT.  The programme has been designed to enable participants to gain the skills and experience needed to increase their employability.

Internship opportunities are on offer in BHT projects in Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings. Interns will complete a six month work placement and are supported by a trained mentor.  Each participant has a tailored training programme that focuses on the skills employers look for.

The programme is open to BHT clients and those who have experienced long term unemployment or those who lack the skills and experience to break into the job market.

We are lucky to have appointed an experienced manager from within BHT, Rob Robinson, as the Intern Programme Co-ordinator.  He has said: “The programme will give participants the edge when entering what is an incredibly competitive job market. Our interns will graduate with CV boosting skills and experience and will have evidenced their commitment. The structured training programme incorporates key employment skills such as team working, communication and problem solving”.

The idea was mine, and I originally proposed the initiative following successful internships undertaken by my own daughter, locally and in London, in her year out before going to university.  Having seen the benefits and confidence that Clare gained from her experience as an intern, I questioned who was creating such opportunities for BHT clients. I concluded that unless we did something, our clients would continue to be excluded and marginalised.

We are immensely grateful to the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation for their confidence and generosity in part funding this programme.  The challenge for BHT now is to ensure that, having gained experience as interns, our clients can progress to paid employment.

For more information please contact Rob Robinson on 07827 803102.

I am delighted to agree 100% with Grant Shapps on the value of the Supporting People programme

For every pound spent through the Supporting People programme saves £3 through reduced costs in homelessness, tenancy failure, crime, health and residential care packages. You would expect me as Chief Executive of BHT, a housing association and charity with several million Pounds of contracts providing support to vulnerable people in Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne and Hastings, to say the above, and to say what follows:.

The £1.6billion invested annually in Supporting People could save as much as £3.41billion in the costs of alternative help for vulnerable people.  Local taxpayers will rightly expect their councils to do their utmost to protect the services that help the most vulnerable residents in their communities – and so do I.

£6.5billion Supporting People funding each year helps approximately a million people to live independent lives.

As councils look to set their budgets, I would urge them to consider the evidence that with each pound spent through Supporting People saving £3 by avoiding more costly alternatives, and invest to save to ensure help continues for those most in need.

As I have said, you would expect someone like me to say the above. But these are not my words. They are the words of the Housing Minister in the Coalition Government, Grant Shapps, in a plea to local authorities to protect the Supporting People budgets in their areas.  I am delighted to agree with him 100% on the value of the Supporting People programme.

Get advice as early as possible

An issue of concern at BHT is the fact that some people who are facing losing their homes are not going to Court when possession orders are being considered. We know, for example, that in Hastings there are an estimated 2,000 households struggling to meet their mortgage costs with around 200 of these in serious arrears.

When there is a court date it is so important that people do attend. There is often a chance that something can be negotiated and agreed to prevent the household losing their homes. Of course it is better if they get advice at an earlier date because the sooner they get advice the better chance there is of protecting their home.

To get advice you should call our advice centres as follows:

• Hastings and Rother 01424 721458
• Eastbourne and Wealden 01323 642615
• Brighton and Hove 01273 234737

I am worried that BHT could be seen as predatory at the very time small charities should be talking to us about survival

Last week the Brighton Argus had a very sobering article about the crises that charities in Brighton and Hove are currently facing. Amongst others, the article focused on the difficulties being faced by the Martlets which had to close its Day Hospice last October. When an organisation as highly respected and valued as the Martlets is facing difficulties, then it means it is really tough out there.

Each week I hear of charities in Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings that are facing unprecedented challenges. I was quoted in the Argus article as saying: “There are a lot of very worried people out there. I would expect one or two dozen groups to close over the next year and many of those that employ any staff will have to let them go. There will be a huge change over the next decade in the way these groups work and what is expected of them.”

The challenge for organisations such as BHT is how we engage with those smaller organisations whose future is so uncertain without being seen as predatory. So much good work is being done by so many organisations and individuals, and it must be almost unthinkable to consider losing ones independence. I know because that is the situation BHT faced a number of years ago.

I regret having to say this but I think that many smaller charities will be forced to merge with larger ones in order to ensure that the services to their beneficiaries survive. After all, ultimately that is the most important consideration.

An example of this is when the women’s counselling service, Threshold, became part of BHT. We were able to respect their ethos, and protect the women only services provided by women with famale management. The service is still known as Threshold although you will find on the back of its leaflets, in quite small print, the words “A BHT Project”.

I am aware that there are people who regard organisation such as BHT as predatory. We really don’t want to be seen like that and we do everything we can to avoid acting like that. However, we have to look at the interests of the vulnerable men, women and children who depend on services and ensure that the organisations providing these services do not disappear overnight.

I would urge groups that are struggling to look to organisations like BHT and others to see how we can best face the future in very challenging times. Trustees and managers in these organisations must not leave it too late. The earlier we can talk the better the outcome should be for clients and staff.

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.

If you would like to receive a regular copy of the BHT eZine, a monthly electronic newsletter, please email me..

Charities must live three years in the future, not hark back to better times three years in the past

At the weekend I spoke at the National Housing Federation’s annual Board Members’ Conference in Birmingham. The Argus picked up on what I said including the following warning to charities:

“Charities must live three years in the future, not hark back to better times three years in the past.

“Many smaller charities may not survive in the short term, and trustees and chief executives should act now to come to avoid the loss of services.  Tough decisions are required to ensure that services do not disappear, decisions such as the planned merger of organisations, the sharing of back office facilities, and the co-location of  services and organisations. We must not be precious about things that might be important to us but are completely irrelevant to our clients.

“Many charities are running out of cash, and potentially that will lead to chaos if organisations become insolvent, with services for vulnerable people disappearing overnight

“There is an ethical duty for trustees and executives to act now.”

Here are some examples of where action has been successful, helping to safeguard services and jobs, such as the merger in 2010 between BHT and Hastings Community Housing Association, Threshold Women’s counselling service becoming part of BHT, and shared IT between BHT and Sussex Central YMCA.

In spite of the cut in income, BHT is in a relatively secure position because of controversial action taken in 2009 to control costs. It was not comfortable to have a quarter of BHT staff go out on strike, but the actions taken then has meant that we have not had to cut services to vulnerable men and women, or make any redundancies.

BHT’s reputation did take a knock, but it has recovered as people, including some of those who went out on strike, can now acknowledge that action taken then has protected services and jobs today. BHT is a well governed, well managed organisation

I can’t rule out any job losses in the future. Massive cuts in legal aid funding in 2013 will be impossible to absorb, and there will be very negative impacts on people who will not be able to access basic legal advice and representation. We are putting together creative ways of minimising the impact including new alliances and funding sources. But in spite of this, legal aid cuts will have a profound impact.

What’s in a name?

Today BHT changed its name. Well, sort of. We changed how we are known on Twitter, from @BrightonHT to @BHT_Sussex. Now I doubt this will make the front page of the Argus. Nor will it even get a brief reference in the Hastings Observer or the Eastbourne Gazette. But it should.

The reason for this change is to reflect more acurately who we are and where we work. @BrightonHT gives the impression that we are a Brighton-centric organisation. I guess that comes from our actual name being Brighton Housing Trust!

But on Twitter we have changed our name. BHT started in Brighton and it remains the area where we do most. But other areas are increasingly important, not least Eastbourne (where we have been delivering services for 20 years or more) and Hastings where, in spite of being the new kid on the block, we now have services turning over almost £2.5 million each year. There is an excitingly development in Hastings, we are now setting up, in partnership with the Hastings Advice and Representation Centre (HARC) and Citizen’s Advice (CA1066) an advice and community hub.

So the change in name isn’t something earth shattering, but it is important that we are not seen in the wrong light outside Brighton.

Learners who are moving forward in their lives and who motivate me

One of the great delights of my job is meeting the men and women who use our different services, and to hear how they are moving forward in their lives. It is a particular honour to join them when celebrating a success.

Andy Winter, Richard Wilkinson and Rosalyn Demott

This week in Hastings I met Rosalyn Demott and Richard Wilkinson who are part of our Finding Futures. Finding Futures is best known for its work with young people who are not in employment, education or training. When they leave us they are usually in education and training and hopefully will progress further into employment.

But Finding Futures’ work is also focused on work with older men and women, like Rosalyn and Richard. Today I was able to present them with certificates having passed Health and Safety exams.

Rosalyn told me Finding Futures and gaining this latest certificate has given her more confidence. “I can do exams and pass them”, she said. She has passed literacy and numeracy exams and has a First Aid certificate. She said: “I want to do more exams and get more qualifications. I never knew I could do this at 56!”

Richard said it is many years since he has sat an exam. “I’m very please”, he said. “It’s given me more confidence. I’ve an interest in health and safety so I am pleased that I have done this course, passed the exam, and have now got my certificate.”

It is people like Rosalyn and Richard who inspire me and who motivate me in my work. I wish them well as they move forward in their education and training.

There has been the tiniest bit of good news about legal aid cuts, but the uncertainty continues

Whenever I have a chance, on radio or television, or in articles in local papers, I refer to The creation of a ‘perfect storm’ that will lead to a massive rise in homelessness next year. Amongst the factors that will have a negative impact in areas such as Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne, Hastings, Worthing and Littlehampton, to mention just a few areas on the coastal south east, are:
Cuts to housing benefit
Reduction in access to advice and representation as a result of cuts to the legal aid budget
Spiralling costs of private sector rents
Greater competition for whatever social housing is available
Displacement from London of homeless people as the streets are ‘cleaned up’ in preparation for the Olympic Games.

This week there has been a little, just a little, bit of good news. It has been announced that the changes in legal aid funding have been put off for six months, from an original implementation date of October 2012 to April 2013. The 10% cut in the value of funding from October 1st 2011 remains, and we continue to feel the impact of that.

At BHT we subsidise our advice services by over £100,000 each year, funding which gets harder and harder to raise.

The downsize of this delay is that uncertainty about the future continues for BHT as an organisation and for our dedicated and highly skilled staff team.

I am frequently asked what the legal aid measures are. This week’s edition of Inside Housing has a very helpful ‘low down’ which I repeat here:

“The government plans to cut the £2.1 billion annual legal aid budget by £350 million annually

“Fees solicitors can claim for legal aid in civil cases were cut by 10% in October
Advice will only be available in cases in which households could be, or have been, made homeless or where serious disrepair is threatening health

“Legal aid for debt advice will only be available when a tenant’s home is at ‘immediate threat’

” Struggling tenants may also be hit by cuts to legal aid and in other cases, such as … appeals against welfare benefit cuts …”

I recently had the privilege of listening to a 61 year old client of our Brighton Advice Centre talk about the misery she had experienced because of the actions of seven different debt collection agencies. Our debt advisor’s knowledge of the law (gained after many years of practice including a period working for a debt collection agency itself!) was able to demonstrate that the original debt of £1,000 – now inflated to over £6,000 because of ‘fees, charges and penalties’ – was not, in fact, owed.

Our client is now able to sleep at night, answer her phone and door, and is beginning to enjoy life again after several years of suffering. How can you put a price on that?