Moat and A4e hold roundtable on homes and jobs

Published by DeanW for Moat Homes Ltd in Housing and also in Communities

On Friday 10 June 2011, Moat and A4e held a roundtable discussing the vital relationship between employment and housing provision. Attendees included representatives from prominent think tanks Policy Exchange, the Fabian Society and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), as well as spokespeople from both the housing and employment sectors.

The event provided an excellent forum for lively discussion, exploring the common ground between the housing and employment sectors. Both are going through a period of intense change but more than that, the two sectors are undeniably intertwined in terms of aspiring to a good quality of life.

Speaking on the day that the Work Programme was launched, Brian Johnson, Moat’s Chief Executive, says; “There is no reason why a social landlord should not look at extra ways of helping their residents into employment. Likewise, there is no reason why an employment provider shouldn’t look at ways of ensuring that their customers live in stable homes close to job opportunities. This roundtable represents a great example of two organisations from the housing and employment sectors working in partnership.

Where Moat, and fellow social housing providers set themselves apart is in the provision of support to ensure that these homes are sustainable. This means adopting a more integrated approach to the support we offer our residents. We need to branch out, offering advice on the search for employment and providing opportunities for residents to upskill. This approach is one that we are already beginning to take up through our Resident Independence Model but one that can only be improved through strong relationships with employment and training providers.

Today’s roundtable has provided an opportunity to sit down with those providers and with advisors working in both sectors, and consider a partnership-focussed way forward. We think this should happen a lot more if the challenges of providing homes and jobs to people are to be met in future.”

Jonty Olliff-Cooper, Director of Policy and Strategy at A4e, says; “At A4e, every customer journey from welfare into work starts with a discussion about the breadth of problems they may face, not simply the status of their employment. We know, from the work we do every day, that housing is a concern for a significant number of people out of a job; given the changes in the sector for provisions in both employment and housing, it’s our responsibility to help make both of these things as accessible – and stable – as possible. Discussions with our partners and colleagues, like today’s roundtable, are an invaluable step towards achieving this, and helping improve people’s lives.”