Housing MP Ian Austin applauds Peabody's community services

Junior Housing Minister Ian Austin gave Peabody a glowing report after visiting its Gateway Centre earlier this week to see how it is tackling worklessness.

The Gateway is one of Peabody's five Neighbourhood Learning Centres across the capital, providing skills and employment training for residents and people in the local community. At each centre Peabody offers local employment and training initiatives covering basic IT, literacy and numeracy skills, employment support, and sector-specific skills.

During his visit Ian Austin met Peabody residents and staff and saw a range of Peabody’s community services in action, including the Care to Work and Gateway to Work programmes.

Funded by LDA and delivered in partnership with homelessness charity St Mungo’s, Care to Work offers free training and qualifications, work placements and employment support to those who want to start a career in the health and social care sector. Gateway to Work is funded by LB Southwark and aimed at developing the skills necessary to access and sustain employment. It provides the opportunity to gain an accredited qualification, training in areas such as team building, communication and CV writing, and support in finding and applying for jobs.

Ian also presented certificates to students who had completed the 'Personal Best' programme, gaining basic IT, literacy and numeracy skills.

Junior Housing Minister Ian Austin said:

"Peabody is a great example of the key role housing associations can play, not just in helping social tenants find a home but also in providing training and support to help them get the skills and knowledge they need to realise their potential.

"We want to see as many housing associations as possible offer the kind of support that Peabody offers to improve life chances and tackle disadvantage. That's why we've announced an extra £1.2 million for councils and housing associations to run test schemes to improve the job prospects and financial situation of hardworking tenants affected by the recession."

Peabody Chief Executive Stephen Howlett said:

“We were delighted to host Ian Austin at the Gateway. We believe that a core part of our role is to help people gain the skills to take up employment, as this is an effective route for achieving their aspirations and potential and living a fulfilled life. This is part of our wider commitment to creating thriving and sustainable communities across London.”

As well as employment and training, Peabody’s portfolio of projects and programmes covers specialist housing activities for older people, support for young people, volunteering, digital and financial inclusion, family support, and health and well-being.

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For more information contact Peabody Media Relations Officer Neil Young on 0207 021 4210 or neil.young@peabody.org.uk.

• Peabody was established by the philanthropic American banker George Peabody in 1862 to alleviate poverty in London. With 99 percent of our residents living within six miles of Smithfield Market, our mission for the 21st century is to make London a city of opportunity for all by providing as many people as possible with a good home, a real sense of purpose and a strong feeling of belonging. Peabody has more than 17,500 homes in London, from historic Victorian estates in the heart of the city to pioneering developments such as BedZED and Darwin Court.
  
  As well as being one of London’s oldest and largest social landlords, we are also a major regeneration agency, providing a wide range of projects to create and support thriving, sustainable communities. These projects cover employment and training, specialist housing and activities for older people, support for young people, volunteering, digital and financial inclusion, family support, and health and well-being.
   
• Over 10,000 Londoners have benefited from our community services activities since 1997. They are central to our mission and aim to foster both a sense of purpose and a feeling of belonging. In 2009, Peabody helped 340 people into jobs; 1,588 people accessed training opportunities; 548 young people benefitted from youth programmes; and over 8,500 Londoners participated in our health and well-being activities.
   
• Peabody has recently launched 21st Century Peabody, a vision for our communities into the future. At the heart of this is our aim to support our residents in enhancing their life chances and achieving their aspirations. Read 21st Century Peabody (PDF).
   
• Peabody is leading the Big Lottery-funded Activate London programme, in partnership with Broomleigh Housing, CBHA, Circle Anglia, Family Mosaic, Metropolitan Housing and Southern Housing. Activate London aims to enhance physical and mental well-being, recognising they have a significant impact upon self-confidence and quality of life – and in turn, people’s ability to access the opportunities available to them. Our aim is for 43,000 people across London to benefit from the programme. We currently have a total of 83 projects in 23 London boroughs across the partnership.