Housing Association Blog provided by Chevin Housing

UNEMPLOYED IN ROTHERHAM BUILD BETTER FUTURES WITH WATES

Unemployed young people in Rotherham have been given a career kick-start in construction with the delivery of a national training scheme by Wates Living Space.

Over 19's from across the borough that have been struggling to get into work completed the national Building Futures scheme, which gives jobseekers an opportunity to take part in construction skills training to improve their employment prospects.

The two-week programme saw them learn a variety of practical skills such as carpentry, tiling and plumbing and visit a number of building sites across the district to see the inner workings of constructon in action. They also had the chance to work on their interview technique with members of Wates' supply chain.

The training programme drew to a close with the candidates putting their newly learnt skills to the test by building communal raised planters for residents at Elliot Court, a housing scheme owned by Chevin Housing Association Ltd (a member of the Together Housing Group) and managed by Action Housing and Support.

Wates delivered the programme in partnership with its national delivery partners Ixion Holdings and Skill Centre alongside Chevin Housing and Action Housing.

All participants were rewarded for their efforts with a QCF Level 1 Award in Building Crafts and were guided through their Construction Skills Certification Scheme CSCS test, which will enable them to access to future training and experience on building sites.

Joanne Jamieson, Regional Managing Director for Wates Living Space, commented: "I am pleased to have been able to deliver our Building Futures initiative in Rotherham for the second time in as many years. We take our commitment to the communities in which we work very seriously and the provision of tangible training and employment opportunities for local people underpins our vision. I have been very impressed with the achievements of all the candidates and wish them the very best in their future careers."

Daniel Lilley, one of the candidates who took part in the programme said: "I want to say a big thanks to Wates for this opportunity. I am so grateful for the chance to learn new skills. I really enjoyed the training and didn't want it to end."

Sheena Grice,Reinvestment Site Co-ordinator at Chevin Housing said: "The working partnership which Chevin and Wates Living Space has evolved and we are proud with the work which the young people have carried out on the Building Futures project.  The team of young people have worked hard and have made the project work and on behalf of Chevin Housing would like to thank them for a fantastic job well done to everyone".

Established by Wates in 2005, the Building Futures programme, accredited by the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, was developed to help the long term unemployed and ex-offenders return to the workforce and learn about different trades within the construction industry.

Wates is working with Chevin Housing on the delivery of major refurbishment works to some of the Housing Association's property portfolio.

Photographed above – some of the apprentices with Wates and Chevin staff showing off the fantastic planters they constructed for Chevin's Elliot Court scheme.

We are in the middle of a housing shortage that shows little sign of abating. House prices have risen to the point where an entire generation is struggling to afford a home.

In our cities, many people can't afford to rent a home in the neighbourhoods where they grew up. In the countryside, homes are more expensive than in cities and towns, and often beyond the means of local people.

There is a simple solution. We need to build more of the right homes, in the right place, at the right price. And you won't believe it, but all you have to do is say Yes to Homes.

We don't hear about it at lot, but the decisions about housing are being made locally, by local people and local councillors. While councillors are the ones that hold the keys to unlocking this problem, they need YOU to tell them it matters.

It only takes a handful of people to hold their local councillors to account on building new homes. What you can do right now is email your local councillors and add your voice to the campaign that's saying Yes to Homes in your community.

It's time your voice is heard. Say Yes to Homes by going to http://www.yestohomes.co.uk/  

Residents of The Beverleys in Beeston celebrated the official opening of the new development at a special 'Home is where the heart is' event.

People from the community were also invited, along with special guests including Chevin's Managing Director Amanda Garrard and Unity's Chief Executive Ali Akbor.

The Beverleys features 55 two, three and four bedroom properties, managed by Chevin and Unity, built by Keepmoat in partnership with Leeds CC.

As well as bringing some fantastic new homes to the area, the scheme has also helped to provide much-needed work opportunities, including four apprentice joiners and bricklayers who were recruited by Keepmoat.

The project also safeguarded the jobs of a further 12 apprentices and created progression into employment opportunities for six unemployed local residents.

Amanda Garrard, Managing Director (East), for Together Housing Group said: "This development has not only been able to regenerate this part of Beeston, but has also been a real boost to the people of the area.

"We hope the new residents are very happy in their new homes and the area continues to thrive with the new investment."

Councillor Richard Lewis, Executive Member for Development and the Economy, who also attended the event, said: "It is great that a new set of family homes are helping to regenerate the area by bringing in employment opportunities and that local people are benefiting from this."

Grant funding of £2.2m was awarded by the Homes and Communities Agency towards the project, following a successful joint bid by Chevin and Unity, with 28 of the homes for social rent and the remaining 27 available for shared ownership.

A new video CV scheme to help the jobless back into work has been launched in South Kirkby.

The Together CeeVee Project has been set up by South Kirkby Community Assocation (SKCA) and Chevin Housing Association Ltd.

Peter Buttree, SKCA Chairman, said: "We thought everybody would be making video CVs, but when we researched it we found out nobody was.

"It's a simple idea and simple ideas are often the best.

"Job seekers are asked five questions they need to answer on a video, which can be filmed on their mobile phone.

"They'll send the recorded CV to us to edit and we'll upload to private sections of social media sites where employers will be able to view them and contact the job seekers."

Amanda Garrard, Managing Director of Chevin Housing Association Ltd, said: "Employment and training opportunities are at a premium in this financial climate.  This is an excellent opportunity for people who could be excluded from certain opportunities to get the chance to sell themselves to a potential employer at the click of a button". 

Photographed left to right: Shabana Yousaf – WDH, Glenn Burton – Chevin HA, Josh Faulkner – South Kirkby Community Association, Tim Copsey – MPTYE, Peter Buttree – South Kirkby Community Association.  

The National Housing Federation have just released their Home Truths report focussed on Bedroom Tax.

This report addresses the economic arguments the Government has for implementing the bedroom tax. They have based the report on the Government's own data, casting serious doubts on the Government's claims that the bedroom tax will solve overcrowding or necessarily save the taxpayer money.

Click here to view the report.

Chevin Housing Association marked record-breaking tenant Ralph Tarrant's rise to becoming Britain's oldest man with a special presentation.

The 109-year-old Sheffield man was presented with a specially engraved silver fob watch by Tom Miskell, Chief Executive of the Together Housing Group, David Green, chair of the Chevin Board and Housing Officer Carol Laksevics.

During his long and colourful life, Mr Tarrant has served in the RAF, worked in the steel industry and spent 30 years in insurance.

Now Ralph, two children, seven grand-children, 11 great-grand children and three great, great grand-children, has become something of a celebrity.

All the major news networks have featured him, as have the local and national papers. And even the University of Boston has taken DNA samples to try and discover the secrets of his longevity.

But Ralph, who met his wife Phyllis in 1922 and married her 11 years later, the day after his 30th birthday, is also a record-breaker in another sense.

He and Phyllis were Britain's longest married couple at 78 years before Phyllis passed away in 2011 aged 102.

And his secret to a long life? Simple – enjoy yourself!

Ralph said: "I smoked until I was 70 years old and I still enjoy a drink. I still do my shopping and I still get about. I'm a bit deaf but I'm certainly not daft.

"Phyllis and I gave each other hell whenever we get the chance. I think that's why we were married for such a long time. We were great friends.

"I enjoy cooking and I'm still in good health. I had a bit of a rough time over Christmas but that's all behind me now and I'm looking forward to my 110th birthday."

Photographed: Ralph with his celebratory fob watch.

Up to 600 new extra care apartments for older people will be built across the county following the official signing of a contract between Derbyshire County Council and Chevin Housing Association.

The contract was signed at the county council's headquarters, County Hall in Matlock, and marks the start of the official partnership between the county council and Chevin Housing Association, a not-for-profit housing association which is a member of the Together Housing Group.

Under the terms of the contract, Chevin Housing Association could build up to 600 extra care apartments in various locations in the county over the next five to seven years, with the first three schemes being finished in early 2015.

Extra care schemes are designed specifically to suit the needs of older people with modern, purpose-built apartments and shared communal facilities, usually including community rooms and a café or restaurant.

There will also be care and support services within the schemes which will enable older people to remain living independently in their own home, even as their care needs change.

Some of the schemes will also offer day care facilities.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Charles Jones attended the official signing along with representatives from Chevin Housing Association and the Together Housing Group.

The housing association has already successfully applied for planning permission for the first three extra care developments included under the contract.

These developments are:

Foolow Court in Foolow Avenue, Chesterfield – plans for 55 extra care apartments and communal facilities – planning permission granted and work due to start on site in January 2013Clay Cross on the former school site in Market Street – plans for 90 extra care apartments and day care facilities – planning permission granted and work scheduled to start in Feb 2013Cressy Fields site, Cressy Road, Alfreton – plans for 52 extra care apartments and communal facilities – planning permission granted and work scheduled to start in April 2013.

The county council and Chevin Housing Association are already exploring possible sites for the next phase of development, which could see a further 400 extra care apartments being built under the partnership.

The 600 extra care apartments covered by the contract signing are a key part of the county council's wider plans to develop at least 1,600 extra care apartments with on-site care in 27 locations across Derbyshire, mostly available within five miles of where people live.

The council's plans also include two new community care centres offering specialist dementia care, in Heanor on the Florence Shipley Home for Older People site and Darley Dale, near Matlock, adjacent to the Whitworth Hospital.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Charles Jones said: "We have been working closely with Chevin Housing Association for months on the first three developments and it is excellent news that we have now officially signed this legal contract with them.

"We look forward to working with Chevin Housing Association on the three current developments and subsequent extra care schemes in the future."

Together Housing Group's New Initiatives Director Paul Hayes said: "We are delighted that we have now signed the contract with Derbyshire County Council to build three more extra care housing schemes, since working closely together following our appointment as the preferred bidder earlier this year.

"The expansion of extra care housing in Derbyshire means that older people will have more choice locally to remain living independently in their homes, with care and support close to hand, and a chance to enjoy life with the extra care facilities that extra care housing offers."

In more detail extra care schemes give people:

the opportunity to continue living independently in their own home, with their own front door, even as needs change

the opportunity to stay together as a couplethe security of 24/7 services on site to meet care and support needs, tailored to suit each person or couple the chance to `personalise' support for day-to-day living, including help with things like laundry, shopping and cleaningcommunal areas like activity rooms, residents lounges and patios or gardens to meet and socialise with other residentssocial and leisure events and community facilities which could include a restaurant, a hairdressing salon and social roomsthe confidence, peace of mind, control, dignity and choice to have a good quality of life as part of the local community.

Photographed above – Sealing the Future: Together Housing Group's New Initiatives Director Paul Hayes and Derbyshire County Council Strategic Director for Adult Care Bill Robertson look on as Chair of the board for Chevin Housing Association David Green signs the contract with Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Care Councillor Charles Jones.

CHEVIN Housing Association has helped three apprentices lay the foundation for their future careers.

Anthony Fletcher and Brett Barlow have been given carpentry and joinery apprenticeships, while Rebecca Parry has secured a business administration apprenticeship thanks to a unique house improvement project developed by the association and £7,000 of funding supplied by the Coalfield Regeneration Trust. 

The project involves working on properties that are due to be sold on the open market but need some repairs and improvements before sale. 

The construction apprentices work with a site supervisor to carry out all the improvements including fitting kitchens, tiling, plastering, painting and decorating, and landscaping works. 

Once the construction side of the project is complete, Rebecca who is undertaking her apprenticeship for Chevin's Rosa Homes sales and marketing team will help to co-ordinate the marketing and selling of the properties.

Christine Eccles, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, from Rosa Homes said: "This exciting project means that our apprentices see the transformation of an empty home through from start to finish.

"We have been impressed by the commitment and dedication that has been demonstrated and the high level of results that have been achieved so far. It is a real pleasure to work with these young people and to help them develop their skills."

Picture caption: Laying the foundations: Apprentices Brett Barlow, Rebecca Parry and Anthony Fletcher, Mentor/Site Supervisor Mick Whittaker

The Together Housing Group has raised £250 million through the issue of a 30-year own-name public issue bond at a tightly priced coupon rate of 4.5% as it looks to deliver its ambitious social housing regeneration and property development plans in the North of England.

The 35,000-home Group, consisting of six partners from across Lancashire and Yorkshire, issued the bond in the capital markets on Thursday.

The issue was received with great enthusiasm by potential investors, and within one hour of opening, the order book stood at over £1billion.

Based on a first day issue of £200 million, this meant the bond was five times oversubscribed. The coupon rate of 4.5% is significantly better than other recent bond issues in the social housing sector, and is testament to the financial strength of the Group.

The Group issued the bond on the back of a highly prized AA3 rating by the ratings agency Moody's, a proof that the business has laid down some very secure foundations in its short existence.

Victor Flynn, Group Director of Corporate Funding, said: "The bond issue will provide us with funding to build new homes, to take advantage of new opportunities, and to grow and develop our business in many new and exciting ways.

"Within an hour of the launch, we had over £1billion on the order book, and that helped us tighten the margins, and showed the confidence our investors have in an organisation that is still less than two years old.

"It shows we're making a huge mark in the social housing sector, and the Together Bond will stand us in good stead for the future."

We can help get you started!

You can get together with neighbours and start your own community growing project OR maybe you'd rather go it alone, with a raised bed or single planter.

The choice is yours, and there is no charge!

We'll also give you a selection of seeds & plants to get you growing next year…

Click here to find out more and how to get started