London Well-being Conference 2012
BETTER TOGETHER Post Conference Report
London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
CONTENTS
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Introduction................................................................................................ 2 Background................................................................................................. 3 Activate London Programme....................................................................
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Plenary 1..................................................................................................... 4 Promoting Well-Being in London’s Communities Plenary 2..................................................................................................... 8 Improving Well-Being in London’s Communities – are we getting it right? Workshops.................................................................................................. 10 Empowering Communities...................................................................... 10 Connecting Communities........................................................................ 11 Strengthening Communities.................................................................... 13 Plenary 3..................................................................................................... 15 Well-being in Social Housing – Where Next? Conclusions................................................................................................. 18
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
INTRODUCTION The third annual London Well-being Conference: ‘Better Together’, hosted by Peabody, took place on 9th February 2012 at Glaziers’ Hall, London. The event brought together guests from London’s social housing, health and well-being sectors with representatives from Government and social enterprise to explore how best to inspire and empower social housing residents and their wider communities to make positive choices that improve their well-being. With financial austerity forcing difficult spending choices, the conference reviewed how London’s social housing communities can overcome key challenges impacting the well-being of residents, including unemployment; crime and youth unrest; and reduced funding for community programmes. Chaired by Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the RSA, the day explored opportunities for responding to these challenges through inspiring and collaborating with residents to improve their own well-being, embedding many years of good practice, and through efficient use of resources.
“In an age when many of us are leading longer, happier and more productive lives, why has the health and well-being of a small but significant number of UK citizens remained so low? Amongst this disadvantaged group, those living in social housing and older people feature highly, with high levels of poverty and significant health inequalities. This year’s conference considered how together, through locally developed initiatives, we can inspire and support social housing residents to make positive choices that improve their wellbeing.” Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, RSA
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
BACKGROUND Well-being “requires that basic needs are met, that individuals have a sense of purpose and feel able to achieve important personal goals and participate in society.” -The Government’s Cross-Departmental working group on well-being, 2010. Well-being is now considered a key measure of individual and national progress, underpinning a wide range of policy agendas affecting individuals and communities, with Prime Minister David Cameron tasking the Office of National Statistics with measuring national well-being from November 2010.Following a year of consultation, on 31st October 2011 the Office of National Statistics published a list of factors determining well-being and a “positive physical, social and mental state”: Individual factors:
• • • • • •
Health Our relationships What we do Where we live Personal finance Education and skills
Contextual factors: • Governance • The economy • The natural environment
The London Well-being Conference 2012 examined how these factors present challenges for London’s social housing residents in particular, showcased initiatives for addressing them, and explored ways in which residents can be empowered to help themselves find solutions for achieving a more “positive physical, social and mental state”.
THE ACTIVATE LONDON PROGRAMME
Well-being Wagon
Fisher Foods
Wild Street Gardening
The London Well-being Conference reflected on the Activate London programme, delivered by the conference host, Peabody, in partnership with six registered social landlords. Activate London has sought to improve the well-being of people across London through initiatives for supporting and sustaining active communities where all residents are able to achieve their potential, become more engaged citizens, and are able to make a real impact on their communities. Since 2007, the Activate London Partnership has delivered a huge range of well-being projects across London, engaging more than 50,000 residents of all ages in innovative community projects focused around physical activity, healthy eating and mental well-being. Activate London is led by Peabody, funded by £4.7 million from the Big Lottery and delivered in partnership with Affinity Sutton, CBHA, Circle Anglia, Family Mosaic, Metropolitan Housing and Southern Housing. The London Well-Being Conference 2012 provided an opportunity to consider future challenges and strategies for connecting and continuing existing projects in new ways so that the real impact the project has had on individuals and communities is sustained into the future. 3
London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
PLENARY SESSION 1 Promoting well-being in London’s communities – The here and now The opening session considered how well-being is currently being managed in London’s social housing communities, setting out at a big-picture level the key challenges, priorities and opportunities for supporting residents to improve their well-being.
Stephen Howlett
Baroness Newlove
Peter Wanless
Stephen Howlett, Chief Executive, Peabody Stephen began by setting out the key challenge facing Peabody and all social housing providers and residents: “an ever growing gap between need and the resources available”. He also set out Peabody’s mission statement of “making London a city of opportunity through providing a good home, a strong sense of purpose, and a strong feeling of belonging”, but noted that looking ahead; the organisation faced increasing challenges in realising this goal for its residents. He explained that the austere financial climate has forced Peabody to make difficult spending choices, while at the same time there is increasing demand for its services, as unemployment increases and health promotion decreases. Stephen also drew attention to the riots as highlighting social issues in social housing, but unfairly representing the majority of residents. Stephen explained to the audience that social housing residents are faced with the threefold challenges: “poor social, financial, and mental well-being - and more vulnerable to the effects of austerity than most.” In the face of these challenges Peabody has to find new and more cost-effective means of supporting the ever growing needs of its residents, and explained, that however innovative new initiatives are, the overall level of support is likely to decrease. Stephen emphasised the importance of working to improve well-being, as it can help overcome a number of the challenges faced by residents and housing providers alike by positively influencing factors from health and crime levels, to rent arrears. He noted the importance of demonstrating this social return on investment in well-being, particularly to alternative sources of funding such as corporate business, and to identify and continue the most sustainable well-being initiatives in order to support residents in the long term. Stephen used as an example of this the Activate London project, which has helped over 50,000 residents become more active, eat more healthily, and learn new skills through locally organised and delivered initiatives.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report Stephen concluded by emphasising that: “Together we need to build on projects like Activate, and to take its example of empowering residents to lead their own well-being initiatives, to ensure that limited resources are made to go further and as many social housing residents as possible have the opportunity to improve their well-being in particularly difficult times”
Peter Wanless, Chief Executive, Big Lottery Fund Peter started by outlining the Big Lottery’s work as a funder which supports health, education, environmental and charitable purposes through distribution of approximately £600 million per year to communities and organisations most in need, and through fostering cross-sector partnerships to address community need. Peter then went on to set out three key challenges which the Big Lottery is attempting to address with £160 million of funding to well-being programmes, including the £4.6 million Activate programme. Firstly, he set out what he described as “the ongoing challenge of the adverse financial climate”, including cuts to preventative services and centralised services designed to disperse expertise outwards, which now require more localised alternatives. All the while, numbers of unemployed and elderly are rising, placing increasing strain on those services which remain. Secondly, Peter identified the challenge of understanding what well-being initiatives work, and gathering evidence to make their case. The year 2 evaluation report of the Big Lottery’s well-being funding programme has found that beneficiaries reported fewer depressive symptoms, increased life satisfaction and healthier food choices. He highlighted in particular the improvements in well-being which can be observed in those who volunteer as part of programmes to help others, and emphasised that: “it is vital to engage local people directly in the design and delivery process of these programmes as a way of instilling community resilience.” Peter’s final challenge highlighted the issue of attracting future investment, and identifying opportunities for making the case for well-being to key individuals at times when it will gain most traction. He noted the small scale of the Big Lottery’s work in a national context, and the importance of creating replicable cost-effective solutions for well-being which can be taken up across the country and funded from a variety of sources. In addition to these challenges, Peter also offered three opportunities for sustaining well-being programmes. He began by highlighting “the capacity of the social housing sector for improving well-being through its reach and connectivity to local people”. He also identified their potential for providing back office support to money making social enterprises, in partnership with local people, to help support local innovators and entrepreneurs. Peter also identified as an opportunity the Big Local Trust, an organisation which will help communities identify and meet challenges to well-being, which are important to them in their local area, through a £200 million England-wide endowment which will support 100-150 neighbourhoods over 10 years. Peter’s final opportunity comprised a recommendation for developing, in partnership with local community groups, new imaginative and engaging activities which build upon people’s skills and aspirations to help the least motivated and engaged feel good about themselves. In conclusion, Peter noted the importance of helping people into work as a means of enabling them to lift themselves out of poverty and improve their well-being in this respect. He stated that the Big Lottery’s focus had been on enabling people to get to the starting point in the employment process by getting them to Job Centres, but stressed the importance of funders and all those working with 5
London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report the unemployed stretching themselves to helping people obtain key skills, rather than simply helping them produce a CV.
Baroness Newlove, Government Champion for Active and Safer Communities Baroness Newlove’s presentation highlighted the importance of keeping focus on positive aspects of society in face of its numerous challenges. In particular, she celebrated the importance of community, and of energy and enthusiasm for helping others. She pointed out that: “those working to improve well-being can achieve this simply by inspiring and affirming individuals in the community who want to initiate their own projects, but who may lack confidence due to lack of experience”. She urged community workers to consider residents’ perspectives, and recognise that all they may need is the support and encouragement of someone with expertise in leading well-being initiatives. Baroness Newlove also drew attention to the issue of language in the context of finding opportunities to fund social and community programmes, stating that complex terminology can put off those unfamiliar with it, who are often those who require the assistance most. As an example of how this can be overcome, she identified the example of the ‘Maternity Action’ project, which comprises a group of civil servants who produce document templates to help asylum seekers apply for maternity assistance. Continuing her theme of supporting and encouraging individuals and communities to help themselves, Baroness Newlove also identified the Cabinet Office website, fundingcentral.org, which offers a range of funding opportunities for developing initiatives to support well-being. In addition to funded schemes, she concluded to say that: “neighbourly behaviour and working with police and other community organisations, such as housing associations, to build communities where residents look out for one another and address challenges together is vital”.
Leigh Smyth, Managing Director, Race Online 2012 Leigh Smyth began by setting out the connection between technology and well-being, noting that encouraging people to see this connection was a challenge in itself. Citing research by UK online centres, Leigh stated: “internet users report higher levels of happiness, self-confidence, and overall quality of life than non users.” Leigh gave examples of the ways in which technology can improve the well-being and quality of life of its users, including the way in which the internet can reduce isolation through more regular contact with others, and make life easier for the elderly or disabled by allowing shopping and bill paying to be carried out online. Additionally, she explained that 90% of jobs now require ICT skills, and the e-Learning Foundation has found that children in homes with internet access can achieve 2 grades higher than if they were without. However, 40% of the UK’s social housing population of 9.5 million are not online. Furthermore, the demographics of this group, which include 21% of 65+ year olds in England, 44% of residents on an income of less that £10,000 per year, and 60% economically inactive, for example, demonstrate that social housing tenants have much to gain through access to the technology which can help them improve their well-being.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report Leigh went on to identify five opportunities for social housing providers to helping tenants access the technology and skills which can improve their well-being: 1) Joining www.digitalhousinghub.ning.com a new online meeting place for RSLs interested in digital connectivity and action 2) Preparing an organisation-wide digital strategy 3) Promoting low cost equipment and connectivity deals, including refurbished computers 4) Promoting the free local internet taster session freephone hotline - 0800 77 1234 5) Supporting GO ON Get Local and recruiting Digital Champions www.go-on.co.uk/champions Leigh concluded by noting that through schemes such as Digital Unite’s Digital Champion ITQ, a new IT qualification which recognises voluntary activity as a Digital Champion, social housing residents can not only gain the skills to be able to access resources for improving their own well-being, but can be encouraged to help others with a qualification that can help improve their own employment prospects. Leigh’s full presentation, with additional statistics and links, is available at http://www.londonwellbeingconference.co.uk/presentations.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
Plenary Session 2 Improving Well-Being in London’s Communities – Are we getting it right? This session heard from an interactive and diverse panel of experts who debated how to inspire and motivate residents to improve their well-being, looking at existing good practice, new ideas and key challenges.
Jo Swinson MP
Mark Easton
Nicola Bacon
The conference chair Matthew Taylor asked the panel consider a range of questions that addressed the effectiveness of how well-being is currently measured in London He also asked the panel to consider whether the term of wellbeing was still relevant or whether it was just a fluffy term that was a distraction from the real issues. The panel was also challenged to suggest key measures which currently receive less attention, as well as propose strategies for promoting well-being in challenging economic times, particularly in social housing. Panel members included: • • • • •
Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, RSA (Chair) Mark Easton, Home Editor, BBC Jo Swinson MP, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Wellbeing Economics, House of Commons Juliet Michaelson, Senior Researcher, New Economics Foundation Nicola Bacon, Director of Local and Advisory Projects, Young Foundation
Key messages emerging from the panel debate included: •
Considering and measuring well-being alongside other national statistics is a welcome development. Jo Swinson MP stated that “well-being issues are what really matter in peoples’ day-to-day lives, rather than fluctuations in GDP, for example” (despite the fact that GDP can impact well-being through employment and spending factors). Matthew Taylor observed that: “the media can often deride well-being as a ‘soft’ issue, particularly in hard economic times.”
•
Mark Easton explained that: “the definition of well-being is a subject which is often appropriated for political reasons”, and associated with particular political agenda. However, it was pointed out that the Office for National Statistics is currently devising a rigorous and scientific analysis of factors which affect well-being which, it is hoped, will help define the subject more clearly, although it may not incorporate important factors such as cultural variations.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report •
The panel agreed that often many policies deploy the concept of well-being in an ill-defined way, and a more scientific approach will help connect it to real functions and make the case for well-being initiatives. Juliet Michaelson presented the five ‘Ways to Well-being’, which have been defined by the NEF as scientific factors which positively influence well-being: • • • • •
Connect with one another Be active Take notice of the environment and one’s own feelings Keep learning Give to others
Juliet went on to state that: “these factors highlight the importance of relationships and doing things with other people to individual well-being”. She explained that these indicators can also be used to help make well-being come alive, and offer punchy messages with which to promote the agenda. •
Resilience was put forward as a key factor to consider in relation to well-being. Nicola Bacon noted that: “some people have high levels of well-being but low levels of resilience, and so would be particularly hard hit if their level of well-being were to decline. Conversely, some people have low levels of well-being but high resilience.” There was a consensus that it is therefore important to consider this factor in well-being measures and ensure resilience is instilled as part of any well-being initiatives.
•
The panel discussed the danger that some well-being initiatives only engage those who are most willing to engage, and leave behind those who are the most vulnerable and need help the most. It is therefore important when planning and evaluating well-being programmes that a cross section of communities is considered, from the most active and engaged to the least.
•
Mark Easton emphasised the importance of: “using public space more effectively to contribute to communities’ well-being; as a forum for initiating and building social cohesion”. Encouraging neighbours to meet one another through organising events or the design of new housing developments has the potential to draw out things people have in common through conversation, and thus bind them closer together.
•
In discussion with the panel, Gareth Morgan, People and Wildlife Projects Manager at London Wildlife Trust, stated that “green spaces are also important assets for well-being, and can help social housing residents feel more connected to their environment.” In response to this, Juliet Michaelson added that “superfluous security features at these locations, such as cameras and fencing have the potential to make people feel less safe”.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
WORKSHOPS Delegates had the opportunity to divide into groups and choose from three breakout workshops focusing on key solutions for promoting well-being and embedding good practice. The workshops focused on three key topics, each with three to four tables focusing on issues within these areas.
Workshop 1 Empowering Communities | Resident led action and new models of working Facilitated by Tricia Hackett, Senior Associate at the Young Foundation, this workshop looked at new ways of working with social housing residents to empower them to improve their own wellbeing; exploring solutions for working more closely with residents to deliver key services, and strategies both for consolidating existing resident-led initiatives and for encouraging volunteering. Key messages and themes from each of the table discussions are summarised below: Table 1: Co-Production Martin O’Donnell, Community Development Manager, Peabody • • •
•
Co-production involves designing and delivering services in collaboration with the beneficiaries of the service, in order to most effectively meet their needs. Co-production enables a personal relationship between service providers and individuals, and breaks down the barriers between professionals and users. The example of Skallywags was discussed: This co-production nursery works on the basis that parents work 1 day at the centre for every 5 that their child is at the nursery, and receive discounted childcare in return. Because volunteers have a vested interest in co-produced services, the risk of people not contributing is reduced because it is to their benefit that the service runs effectively.
Table 2: Volunteering Duncan Clelland, Community Development Manager, Peabody • The motivations of volunteers were discussed, and it was noted that contributing to and creating something has an impact on individuals’ well-being. The enthusiasm of volunteers has the cumulative effect of attracting others. • The important roles that volunteers perform should be recognised by the organisations that they work for, and they should be regarded as integral members of staff. Small incentives could be offered, which are inexpensive to the organisation but significant to the volunteer. This could include training opportunities or interview skills. • In a social housing context, volunteers who are residents themselves may be more approachable to other residents than an employee of the landlord, and thus be more effective in resolving issues with the resident. • Volunteering can give an important focus and purpose, particularly to groups such as the elderly and the young. However, there is a risk that health and safety considerations my exclude some of those willing to give their time. Table 3: Resident Led Models Riaz Syed, Special Projects Manager, Metropolitan Housing Trust • It is easier for residents to engage with other residents, as they have experienced and lived with the same issues and “speak the same language”. • It is important to allow community groups to get involved on their own terms, rather than social landlords dictating them. 10
London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report • In social housing, there are opportunities for the more able or articulate residents to have their views. Typically, leaseholders form resident associations to discuss issues around service charges or a single issue that affects the group, such as communal gardens or faulty front doors. However, it is also important to try and reach more hard to reach and underrepresented groups. • The example of Chalkhill Wanderers Football Club was discussed. In this case, a group of young Somalian men were keen to start a football club of their own but lacked confidence. Metropolitan Housing Trust Sports Officers offered day to day outreach on the estate and met the group, talked to them about their idea, and put in place an action plan with phases through which progress could be tracked. With this assistance, the group managed to secure sponsorship and form a team, and also inspired friends and relatives to form a women’s team.
Workshop 2 Connecting Communities | Digital inclusion and hyperlocal solutions This workshop was facilitated by William Perrin, Director of Talk About Local, and focussed on encouraging community participation and improving cohesion through new technological platforms and gaining digital skills. Discussion centred around new and existing solutions for empowering communities through local online networks, and uses of social media for reporting and tackling local issues. The workshop also explored effective strategies for increasing digital skills and literacy so that residents are able to get online and make the most of what the internet has to offer for benefiting their well-being. Key messages and themes from each of the table discussions are summarised below: Table 1: Digital Skills Emma Solomon, Managing Director, Digital Unite - Academy • •
• •
•
Extending the capacity of social landlords and volunteers will be vital to deliver skills and digital literacy in the most deprived communities. In the context of social housing, different skills models need to be considered, along with the pros and cons of different approaches, including cascading, super users, ‘skills-tag’ structures. Giving social tenants an opportunity to gain an accredited qualification in digital skills will incentivise learning. The Digital Unite Academy and the first qualification offered by it, which is the Digital Champions ITQ, an accredited level 2 qualification, recognises digital skills gained over the course of voluntary work and study. Case studies and testimonials were shared from the pilot scheme, which involved 50 learners, and the table debated how the qualification and its model could be improved upon.
Table 2: Hyperlocal Solutions Iain Shaw, Fundraising Manager, Peabody • •
Social landlords are in a great position to encourage volunteers and those with digital skills be encouraged to get online to shape local policy and action. Community websites can have different purposes and objectives – one size does not necessarily fit all. Some might be ‘home grown’, whereas as some may be funded and have a greater degree of structure and management.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report •
• •
Communities that get online can have a powerful voice that can be the cause of change – and seeing the results of actions in local communities can often spur greater and more frequent online activity. Local websites and platforms including facebook groups can promote jobs, opportunities, local help and information that is not always easily available in one place. Online platforms are not expensive to build and with the right help can be simple to implement by volunteers.
Table 3: Digital Volunteering Ben Brown, Fundraising and Partnerships, UK online centres (OCF) • The table reviewed a desk research piece published last year by UK online centres called 'The Digital Divide and Happiness - a presentation of the evidence'. • The survey showed that there is a huge difference between internet and non-internet users concerning confidence about skills to find a job. The survey found that more than threequarters of internet users felt confident that they had the right skills to find a new job compared to only half of non-users. • The sense of purpose, self-worth and income associated with employment demonstrate the importance of IT in relation to promoting wellbeing. The problem lies in the fact that many of those offline have not made the connection that going online will improve their access to services, resources and care and do not have regular internet access. • Empowering volunteers to help their neighbour, family and friends get online need not be difficult, as many of them already have online platforms without realising it (mobile, web tv etc) • There are many tools and resources available, as well as partners, to help volunteers get the resources they need to help others e.g becoming a Digital Champion http://champions.goon.co.uk/ • In a social housing context, Digital Housing Hub was put forward as a useful source of support and advice for social housing providers looking to embed ‘digital’ into their business strategies. Table 4: Partnering Libraries Diana Edmonds, Head of Libraries Division, Greenwich Leisure Ltd • Libraries are often untapped community resources as many forget that they are a statutory provision in each local authority providing information and advice. 79% of libraries provide free internet access and a national network of over 3,000 service points. • There are increasing opportunities for partnership with local libraries who can offer skills and training programmes, where social housing tenants can get help and training to use online government services as well as internet access. • 9 out of 10 libraries provide one to one support, group training sessions delivered by third party staff or library workers to help people get online, often targeting particularly disadvantaged groups. • Libraries have developed successful ICT delivery partnerships with third party organisations, including national organisations such as the Workers Education Association (WEA) and Age Concern. By inviting these partners into the library setting, libraries are able to deliver support that is tailored to the individual user group’s needs in their local areas and maximise their outreach to the community. This is an opportunity for the social housing sector.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
Workshop 3 Strengthening Communities | Local solutions for local issues Facilitated by Veronica Kirwan, Head of Community Services at Peabody, this workshop addressed some of the most pressing issues and priority groups within social housing communities, looking at how to develop local solutions to tackle problems. Key messages and themes from each of the table discussions are summarised below: Table 1: Strengthening families Bernadette Rhoden, Parent Programme and Training Officer, Race Equality Foundation •
•
• •
The case study of the Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities programme, operated by the Race Equality Foundation was presented as an effective evidence-based parenting programme designed to promote protective factors associated with good parenting and better outcomes for children, and is could be implemented more universally. The programme benefits were highlighted and reviewed – to help and empower parents to determine the changes they want within their communities, and what help they want to receive. Key factors looking ahead included the importance of measuring impact in terms of: number of evictions, amount of money saved. Importance on focussing the outcomes for parents as well as children when considering well-being initiatives.
Table 2: Child Poverty Lucy Taylor, Children's Centre Development Manager, Westminster City Council • All political parties see employment as a way out of poverty, but more families that are in work are close to the poverty line than those subsisting on benefits. It is therefore important to thoroughly investigate the causes of child poverty. • Reducing child poverty should not just be a target for child services units; an integrated approach is needed across local authorities. It is crucial to engrain the importance of tackling child poverty within organisational cultures. • Child poverty needs assessment, and this can then drive outcomes supported by baseline data. Evidence collection is also key to leveraging funding. Table 3: Employment and Worklessness Yasmin Hussain, Employment and Training Manager, Peabody • There is a real opportunity to work in partnership with residents to achieve results and address their wider needs. • It is essential to remove barriers and equip people with confidence as well as training, including communication skills and self-discipline. It is also important to focus on work related and vocational training options. • It is important to encourage flexibility from employers, and to accommodate people’s transition back to work, such as covering short term travel costs and child care costs up front until employees receive their first pay packet. • Early intervention is needed to successfully bridge the gap from school to work. • We need to focus on enterprise, entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities. • An important component of helping people find work is measuring the impact of support, maintaining common indicators, and exchanging information and best practice.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report Table 4: Older People and Well-Being Greg Lewis, Programme Manager, Communities and Society, Age UK •
• • • •
•
A number of projects were discussed, including “Open Age” in Kensington, elderly discount days at local pubs, the work of the fire service in Liverpool in installing smoke alarms for elderly residents, and the outreach work of the Police in Manchester. It was observed that these projects can offer replicable solutions and good practice for implementation elsewhere. There is a need for central funding but local provision. The private sector can also play a role in supporting the elderly; for example, Sainsbury’s runs Alzheimer’s cafes. Transport – a free bus pass is a good start, but that still needs a good and extensive transport network to be useful to the elderly. There are issues of accountability: the government has abolished the Audit Commission and the Competence Area Assessment, which effectively diminishes policy accountability mechanisms. We need to demystify the online world and clarify the benefits it has to offer older people, including finding the most effective way of “reconnecting them with their networks”.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
Plenary session 3 Well-Being in Social Housing – Where next? The final session of the day looked to the future at how to sustain and consolidate existing programmes to support well-being, and considered the solutions needed to meet the changing needs of communities.
Lord Adebowale
William Perrin
Stephen Burns
Lord Adebowale, Chief Executive Officer, Turning Point Lord Adebowale spoke about the good ideas for well-being initiatives that exist in communities throughout the country, but are often inhibited by delivery structures which are built against them. He stated that: “In an austere financial climate, one positive step which the Government can take while it is making cuts to service provision and funding is to create conditions conducive to community engagement, and allow cost-effective community led-initiatives to develop”. One way that this can be achieved is through clearly defined plans for commissioning. Lord Adebowale made suggestions for improving how services are designed and delivered in partnership with communities, including paying individuals to complete surveys which ask what services are really needed in their area in language that they can understand. In this way, community members can be shown that their opinions are valued and validated by supporting organisations. He also noted the important of considering a slice of communities, so that not only the loudest community voices are heard, and ensuring that those who are harder to reach are influential in designing services which meet needs at all levels. Once proposals have been received from community members, organisations should perform a costbenefit analysis of these, and assess whether they would change the status quo. Lord Adebowale noted that, from his experience: “resident led proposals almost always result in more effective solutions; however, they can often run into the obstacle of existing providers, including registered social landlords, who are not always willing to offer cheaper projects which would require fewer staff and redistribution of resources.” Lord Adebowale concluded by encouraging well-being programme providers in the audience to seize the opportunity of scalable, cost effective schemes which exist in pockets throughout the country at a local level, and create the right conditions without barriers to them being adopted more widely.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
William Perrin, Director, Talk About Local William showcased a number of ways in which communities and residents can address local issues and affect positive changes to their well-being through innovative online networks. He cited research carried out by London Councils (Networked Neighbourhoods, 2010), which found that 59% of people who participate in local websites feel able to influence local decision making, compared to only 36% of people in the population at large who feel able to influence events in their local area (Citizenship Survey, 2009). He offered the example of www.w14london.ning.com which was set up by a resident in the Earl’s Court area as a forum for discussing local issues and subsequently became the most powerful media force in the area. William also drew attention to the changing trends in the ways people seek advice and sources of assistance, noting that social networks such as Facebook are becoming the first place people consult for information. He recommended that community organisations adapt to this and offer a presence on these sites, which also offer the opportunity for individuals to quickly and easily set up groups for community discussion. William also noted the importance of “empowering citizens to organise themselves and find a voice online”, in the face of planned changes to the building planning system under the Localism Act 2011. With the built environment, and one’s local surroundings in particular, a key factor in determining well-being, it is important for communities to be able to have a say about how theirs is developed. The Government has proposed ‘neighbourhood development orders’ which would give communities more say over what developments are permitted in their local area. However, due to the difficulties of communicating spatial development to local residents property developers are likely to achieve their goals regardless of local opinion, unless communities are empowered with the means to share information and discuss such issues. Online tools such as Google Sketchup allow quick and easy digital 3D modelling of proposed buildings, which can help residents understand the impact that proposed developments will have on their community. Additionally, hyperlocal community sites such as http://barnsburyliving.wordpress.com can provide residents with a forum in which to share and discuss information with one another, thus making them more empowered to coordinate responses to issues which affect their well-being. William concluded by stating the importance of “being aware of one’s online presence”, particularly when looking for a job. He noted the importance of ensuring that, for example, personal information posted on Facebook is not visible to potential employers, who may use it, unofficially, to screen candidates. Conversely, there are online resources such as LinkedIn, which can help job seekers improve their chances of finding work, and thus obtain the means to support their well-being in the long term.
Stephen Burns, Executive Director for New Business, Peabody Stephen presented a short film which highlighted the work of the Activate London programme, and stated the importance of considering what the legacy of the project will be once it reaches the end of its funding this March. Peabody’s Activate London video is available to view at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3_nsIC5kuw
Looking ahead, he emphasised the importance, in light of Government cuts and limited funding opportunities, for social housing providers to focus their resources on facilitation of community development work by residents themselves.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report He stated that “housing providers should support co-production, partnerships between residents and service providers, and could offer back-office support to resident-led programmes and provide expertise and guidance where required.” By encouraging a grassroots, bottom-up approach to delivering well-being initiatives, social housing providers can help ensure that limited resources go further and are used sustainably, supporting residents’ well-being in the long term.
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London Well-Being Conference 2012 –Better Together Post Conference Report
Conclusions Over the course of the plenary sessions, panel discussion, breakout workshops and networking, the London Well-Being Conference 2012 ‘Better Together’ presented a number of overarching conclusions: •
The importance of understanding the full extent challenges facing social housing residents to be able to determine effective solutions for well-being. These include health, financial and work-related issues through to social factors including resilience and isolation.
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Understanding new models of ‘working together’, including resident led solutions, ownership and co-production and empower residents through local activities, including volunteering and social action. In particular working together to tackle key priority groups, including child poverty and the elderly population to make sure that no one is left out.
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Embedding good practice and supporting legacies of major funding programmes, including Peabody’s Activate London in order to attract future investment, and identify opportunities for making the case for well-being to key funders at times when it will gain most traction.
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To effectively measure the markers of success of well-being programmes when improving existing programmes and designing new ones will be vital, in a climate of reduced funding.
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Encouraging social tenants to go online and promoting hyperlocal activity and digital inclusion; through existing local and national community campaigns and initiatives.
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Recognising the capacity and strength of the social housing sector to support well-being through its partnerships with local people and potential of providing support to initiatives which encourage entrepreneurship, employability and the gaining of skills.
Presentations, interviews and further information about the event can be found at www.londonwellbeingconference.co.uk
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London Well-being Conference 2012 was supported by:
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