This element of the IMPACT programme involves a range of commissioned work, conferences, seminars, workshops and research that relates to issues of current concern or opportunity.
Current and recent initiatives
The impact of Supporting People on smaller agencies
What has been the impact of Supporting People on small providers of homelessness services? Concerned for the prospects of small providers under the new funding environment, the London Housing Foundation asked Alan Cripps of Neadon Consulting to investigate what has happened so far and expectations for the future.
Alan found that although the impact up to now has been relatively small, there are significant concerns for the future as small providers are likely to face a competitive disadvantage in bidding for new SP contracts. Although subcontracting and consortia bids provide opportunities, the additional costs involved will act against this. Small providers, therefore, will need to demonstrate advantages arising from localisation and/or specialisation in order to thrive.
Download the executive summary (4 pages)
Read the full report (25 pages) - includes the executive summary
Mergers - an essential guide
Through our grants programme we have assisted a number of different organisations to explore the possibility and face the reality of merger. Most often this has been to help smaller agencies that face a real threat to their viability: they need to find shelter within a larger and stronger organisation. For the heads of the agencies that we have worked with, facing up to the possibility of merging has been a challenging task. Beyond the emotional attachment to the organisation they have helped sustain through thick and thin (latterly, rather too thin) the process of merger raises real concerns. What does it involve? What are my responsibilities? What is 'due diligence'? How on earth do I proceed from here?
To help those in this dilemma, we commissioned Alan Cripps (of Neadon Consulting) and Mary Carter to produce an accessible guide for those considering merger - or for those who have a more academic interest.
The guide draws on over 60 different pieces of published work, although some are now out of print. Wherever possible, active web-links are provided to the original material, making it easy to go to the source. There is also a very useful commentary, indicating, in the author's views, what is most helpful in which areas.
We hope you will find the guide to be of use - please let us know either way.
Go to: A guide to the literature on mergers.
Feedback your comments to Don Wood at the London Housing Foundation.
'Beyond a Helpine' - effective HR support for smaller agencies
In response to issues raised within one of our Action Learning sets, we have established a pilot scheme to provide high-quality HR support to small agencies tackling homelessness in London. The initiative started operating on 1st April 2006. Broadway, which has an award winning HR department, was selected to deliver the programme on behalf of the Foundation following a competitive process. Eleven agencies are receiving support under the scheme, which is being evaluated by Triangle Consulting.
Download a synopsis of the programme
Visit the Beyond a Helpline website
Financial exclusion and homeless people
Financial exclusion, as a key aspect of social exclusion, has attracted significant policy attention in recent years. However, few studies have investigated the financial exclusion of homeless people, and how this can be best addressed through the development of appropriate interventions. In 2005, the Friends Provident Foundation and the London Housing Foundation commissioned the Centre for Housing Policy, University of York and Research as Evidence to conduct a literature review and user-consultation exercise on homeless people’s experiences of financial exclusion and effective models to address this.
These key findings formed the basis of discussion at a Stakeholder Event in November 2005, involving financial inclusion and homelessness agencies, from which the final recommendations of this project have arisen.
You can download the following reports from this project:
Client surveys - Best Practice and Benchmarking Group
Client surveys play an increasing role in monitoring performance and establishing service development priorities. A recent pilot project, led by Broadway and funded by the London Housing Foundation, attempted to bring together agencies to support each other to improve the quality and efficiency of client surveys and related activities in the homelessness sector.
An evaluation report has been produced following two sessions of a Best Practice and Benchmarking Group, coordinated by Broadway and comprising members from various agencies. The report can be downloaded below.
The sessions covered the broad themes:
Best practice: There is little ‘official’ guidance on how to design, deliver and commission surveys to hostel and supported housing clients. By sharing experiences and ideas and asking people from outside the sector to come and speak to the group this session aimed to improve the quality, and crucially, impact of surveys in the sector.
Benchmarking: By comparing key results with other service providers in the sector in a confidential and constructive environment, the pilot aimed to increase understanding of what each organisation's survey results were really telling them.
It is hoped the group will be maintained in the future.
Please visit Broadway's website for more information or contact Kirsty Telford or Joanne Fearn.
Download the pilot project's evaluation report from Broadway's website (PDF).
Study of refugees and asylum seekers
In July/August 2004, the London Housing Foundation commissioned Broadway to undertake a survey of the extent to which generic homelessness services were being asked to meet the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. This included day centres, outreach services and direct access hostel accommodation. The findings were subsequently discussed in a meeting including representatives of London hostels, day centres, outreach teams, the refugee council and UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness). Both the full report and a summary can be downloaded here:
One of the more surprising findings in the survey was that nearly one in five of the hostel bedspaces included in the survey were occupied by a refugee or asylum seeker and that the majority of these had obtained refugee status some time before and were originally from Africa.
To investigate this further, we commissioned a supplementary study in October 2005 to look in more detail at the pathways and circumstances for 18 refugees who were at that time resident in hostels for single homeless people. Whilst the numbers in this supplementary study were small, the quality of information from each case study allowed useful conclusions to be drawn.
Past events
Past events under the strategy and best practice element of the IMPACT programme have included:
- In conjunction with Broadway and UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness) we undertook a Survey of Winter Shelters, to establish who uses them and what role they play in the wider network of homelessness services. Broadway led this research and the results were presented to a seminar in June 2005. The resulting discussions were built into a report. Download a summary of key findings or the full report.
- A seminar entitled Homelessness and Local Authorities – a Whole New Ballgame. This was held in March 2003 and explored how statutory and funding changes would influence homelessness agency relationships with the local authorities, as well as the emerging role of central government. Click here to see a report of the seminar.
- A Masterclass in Strategic Planning was held in January 2004 and focussed on the process of strategic planning and key strategic issues for homelessness agencies. David Saint of Action Planning led the seminar and explained best practice in strategic planning. Two case study examples from homelessness agencies helped make it real and sessions allowed participants to explore both how they can improve strategic planning within their own organisations and what is happening in the wider environment that could influence them. Click here to find out more about the seminar.
- An evening seminar for trustees and committee members of homelessness agencies in June 2003 received a distilled presentation of the seminar on "Homelessness and Local Authorities – a Whole New Ballgame", outlined above. Trustees had the opportunity to discuss with their peers the new environment and how it might affect them. To see the briefing provided to trustees at the seminar click here.
- OSW (Off the Streets and into Work) ran a series of four 'Employability Masterclasses' during 2003/04 for agencies providing training and employment support to homeless people. These took a very practical look at existing programmes to identify what works well - and what doesn't. Experience from outside of London - and from Europe - was included. A report into the findings of these masterclasses will be published on this site.
- Preventing youth homelessness - Local agencies from across the country were invited to a conference in June 2003 to discuss the importance of developing local strategies to help prevent youth homelessness. Organised by the Foyer Federation the conference was attended by 300+ delegates from local authorities and voluntary organisations. To see a copy of the conference report click on the title.
- Keyworking in 'wet' hostels - The London Housing Foundation supported Providence Row to research the needs of residents in their hostel for people with problems of alcohol abuse. This has led to the development of draft guidelines for keyworking in a residential setting with people who drink. A one-day working conference for practitioners was held in May 2003 to explore these draft guidelines, with a view to agreeing and then publishing a final version. To find out more click 'Finding the Key'.
- During 2003 a programme of smaller workshops was held, each of these addressing a current strategic issue and allowing participants ample time for discussion and exploration.
Future events will be announced on this website.
Further information about any aspect of the programme can be obtained from don.wood@lhf.org.uk
