Investing is local services means that ‘sticky money’ stays in town

I am sure that I was not alone in being shocked by the news that Derby City Council is cutting its Supporting People budget by 83%. Gillian Sewell, Chief Executive of YMCA Derbyshire, which will lose 84% of its funding from the council in April, said: “The effects of the proposed cuts will be measured in a potentially disastrous rise in homelessness, rough sleeping, crime, anti-social behaviour, ruined lives and human suffering in Derby. Furthermore, many of those facing housing crisis will have to be housed in unsafe, inappropriate B&B or similar accommodation at an increased cost to the Council.”

In Brighton and Hove we have been most fortunate in having successive administrations, of all political colours, who have recognised the importance of protecting services for the most vulnerable members of our society.  This has to be commended, particularly in such challenging economic times.

Some councils have gone down the road of combining all contracts into one and inviting national providers to bid in the misguided belief that the council will get better value for money.  There may be some savings but the long-term cost to the community, and very often other parts of the same council, can be huge.

There is great value in services being provided by a number of agencies including client choice, different approaches that might be more effective with different clients, diverse skills, and the sustainability of organisations who are local employers.

Local providers often bring additional charitable funding to services and service development, and they often have local infrastructure that adds value that outside organisations will not have.  An example is the Support for Housing service that we run in partnership with Southdown Housing Association.  Because we own our head office in Brighton, we were able to convert the ground floor to a drop in at a modest cost that we were able to bear.  An outside agency would not have the same commitment nor the local infrastructure to do something similar.

There is also value in investing in local providers given the local multiplier which sees money spent by local commissioner staying within the local economy.  Some refer to this as “sticky money”.  By investing in local services provided by local agencies, money is recycled within the local economy.

The future looks bleak for our colleagues in Derby.  My thoughts are with them at this incredibly difficult time.

Would you like to help BHT’s work by becoming a Board member?

BHT is recruiting four new members for our Board.  We are looking for members who are enthusiastic about our work in preventing homelessness and supporting vulnerable men and women.  We need at least one member who has a thorough knowledge of all aspects of finance, another with experience of business planning, and someone with a good understanding of legal advice services.

We are particularly keen to get applications from women, members of the BME and LGBT communities, and from those living outside Brighton and Hove.

We are also recruiting two representatives of current and former users of our services.

If you are interested in finding out more about the work of the BHT Board, we are holding an open evening for potential Board members.  It will take place at 5.30pm on Thursday, 27^th September.  For further information regarding the open evening, and for an application pack and further information, please email me.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 5th October and interviews will take place during the day and in the evening of Monday 22^nd Ocober.

Gains from engaging volunteers in service delivery

For over thirty years BHT has engaged volunteers in service delivery. Initially volunteers were essential for basic service delivery (for example, a now defunct soup run, and cooking meals in our day centre). This has given way to volunteers adding value to service delivery, providing additional support and services to clients.

When taking on volunteers, we prioritise men and women who have used our services and who are in particular need for experience to prepare them for paid work.  It is unfortunate but this usually means we don’t normally have capacity to take on other volunteers, no matter how skilled and motivated they may be.

Examples of volunteering successes in BHT in recent times include:

• Detox Support Project: 12 volunteers at any one time who provide additional out of hours support to clients undergoing an ambulatory detox (The volunteering programme at the Detox project was recognised through the Nationwide Award for Voluntary Endeavour, Regional Winner, 2007);
• Peer2Peer: an innovative peer support project (run in partnership with Southdown Housing Association) which trains and supports existing and ex-users of services as Peer Support Volunteers, to provide support to vulnerable people, based on their own unique experience as clients themselves (Peer2Peer one of the top 5 projects in the South of England in the Mentoring & Befriending Awards 2010);
• Private Rented Sector Initiatives: 10 volunteers at any one time who are trained to provide reception and support to clients in housing need and who are seeking accommodation in the private rented sector;
• Accommodation for Work Project: a volunteer with a history of homelessness was given responsibility for a redecorating programme for a residential project; provided with health and safety supervision; the volunteer secured paid employment in registered care home;
• The Consultancy: where volunteers made up of current and former clients assist in a range of activities including health and safety, staff recruitment, and training, as well as the production of BHT’s magazine, ‘Express’;
• Dine!: external catering social enterprise staffed primarily by volunteers who are trained and who receive formal qualifications in food handling, hygiene, etc. (Dine! Was one of four national winners of the Spark! Challenge 2008);

Other volunteering roles exist in BHT’s care homes and support projects. BHT has been particularly successful in engaging former clients in volunteering as a means of preparing them for paid employment. Feedback from current clients is extremely positive who see the use of former clients as providing them with aspirational examples of what is possible for them.

Volunteers in BHT are police checked, where appropriate, and receive a full induction and ongoing training. Our volunteering philosophy is based on the premise that volunteering should produce a win-win-win outcome: for current clients who receive an enhanced service; for volunteers who engage in meaningful activity and progression to employment, if appropriate; and BHT itself whose services and reputation are enhanced through volunteering outcomes.