COMMUNITY IMPACT

2017/18 Contents

Welcome You said, we did Welcome from Carol Bode...... 5 Residents’ Panel...... 21 Welcome from Lorraine Thompson...... 5 Longwood Park Resident Association... 22 Resident Associations TPAS training..... 22 Social Value Allotment Project...... 23 Our Social Value...... 6 Sawyers Close RA...... 24 Ward Royal: Your Estate, Your Voice ..... 24 Sustainable communities The Good Grub Club...... 9 Community funding Round About Café: focus on health...... 10 Internal and external funding...... 26 Community Champions ...... 11 Café 1759 – Quebec Park ...... 12 Employment, support and training Longwood Park Tots Stay & Play...... 14 Employment, support and training...... 29 Employability Day: Working with partners Conference and Market Place ...... 31 Men’s mental health...... 16 EST ‘Go Your Own Way’: Ford TRANSITion project...... 18 In-house self employment program ...... 31 Black History Month ...... 19 ‘Team of the Year’...... 32 World Mental Health Day...... 19 EST gives Home-Start charity a fresh new look...... 32

Tenancy sustainment “We are committed Supporting residents to sustain their tenancies...... 34 to listening to our Celebration event customers and acting Celebration 2017: on their feedback And the winners are…...... 36 whenever possible.

- Ralph Facey, Executive Director - Partnerships & Projects Carol Bode - Chair of Radian Board Our Communities and and ensured residents Involvement team have received a support service been working in your that provides them with the neighbourhoods, delivering opportunity to progress. initiatives to improve and support your communities. Our tenancy sustainment team has had its busiest year This work enables us to yet handling well over 1000 better understand the referrals. These referrals communities we serve and resulted in Radian securing hear first-hand about the over £237,000 worth of challenges you face and goods and additional income the services you receive. for our residents. Your engagement helps the Board focus on the things Feedback from our It is fantastic to see and hear that matter to you, ensuring how our residents work in customers is essential the decisions we make are partnership with the teams if we’re to continue to always in your best interest. at Radian to deliver great outcomes. I hope this report improve the services we This has also been another gives you a taste of the broad deliver. As Chair of the fantastic year for Radian’s range of support Radian employment, support and Radian Board, I enjoy offers and its commitment to training team. They won our customers. hearing your innovative ‘Team of the Year’ at the ideas and opinions. ERSA Employability Awards Lorraine Thompson - Residents’ Panel Chair I’ve been involved with I am also part of the panel Radian’s Residents’ Panel which allocates funding to for over 10 years now, seeing Radian’s funding and grants many changes along the way. projects. The panels are both Welcome resident-led and see us, as This year, in my role as Chair residents, supporting the Involving communities and creating opportunities for of the Residents’ Panel, one development and investment of our achievements has in our communities. residents are vital to create successful, sustainable been setting up ‘Community neighbourhoods where we’d all like to live. Through Support Standards’. These We are currently looking for community-driven projects and employment and training are in place to help people new members to join the settle into their new homes, Residents’ Panel. If after support, we benefit our customers and help keep Radian meet their neighbours and reading this, you would like secure as a business. ‘Community Impact’ gives a flavour get to know what services to get involved further please I thoroughly enjoy and facilities are available to get in touch! of this work over the last year. being involved with them in the area.

the Residents’ Panel. You can read more about It gives an insight into our work and our priorities the business and an this year on page 21. opportunity to genuinely influence things. 5 Social Value SOCIAL It’s important that Radian is delivering value for money on its projects. VA We need to monitor the impact of our work in communities and one LU of the ways is by measuring the social value of what we do. E

What is Social Value?

Social value is putting into a monetary fi gure the importance that people place on the changes they experience in their lives.

To assess this impact we use an approach developed by the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust (HACT) that allows us to measure the success of initiatives or activities by how much they increase people’s wellbeing.

This year HACT has certifi ed our fi gure to ensure Radian’s reporting is robust. The total Social value at Radian for 2017-18 is £1,826,244. This means for every £1 invested there has been £7.29 social value created, excluding employment overheads.

You can see examples of Social Value where applicable throughout this document.

Employment found £573,392 Self employment £277,910 Community champions £128,900 £31,283

Good Grub Club £71,160 £19,630 Round About Café Alton Men’s Shed £53,660 £11,985 Men’s Matters Ward Royal £46,084 £11,778 Langley Longwood Park Tots Longwood Park RA £34,877 Stay and Play Men’s Matters Sawyers Close RA £30,304 Windsor 6 7 SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES - Zara, Mum out offood.” when wewouldnormally run until theendofweek bags gaveusfoodtohave to dosomething.Therecipe get upandoutoftheflat Club gaveusanexcuseto holidays, butTheGoodGrub done anythingintheschool “We probably wouldn’t have expanding toSlough! in Millbrook, aswell again thissummer strength andwillberunning going from strength to The GoodGrubClubis NHS Trust andTheProject, Church, Fareshare, Solent Asda, ColneAvenue Baptist families. Nowpartnered with been attendedbyover25 and Easter2017has August 2016,January2017 over schoolholidaysin The GoodGrubClubran Resourcing andFWJLtd, Sponsored byOptions with thewellbeingthemes. sporting activitiesinkeeping enjoying othercraftand and eattogetherwhilst Attendees prep, taste,cook healthy mealsfromscratch. getting families themselvestopreparefoodandcook activities duringschoolholidays, withtheemphasison freehealthy helped totackleholidayhungerbyproviding Set upbyRadianin2016, TheGoodGrubClubhas Social Value: Where: Millbrook, When: August 2016–Ongoing Aim: To combatholidayhunger The GoodGrubClub £71,160 – Vicki, SolentNHSTrust Well done!” the localcommunities. making adifference within example ofanorganisation families andisanexcellent very wellattendedbylocal “The GoodGrubClubis in thearea.” and benefitlocalfamilies planned well,runsmoothly to ensure thesessionsare an incredible amountofeffort “Jess andherteamputin - Carley, Mum it before!” as he’s neverwantedtodo and motivationinthekitchen given himsomeconfidence think comingyesterday has is cookingdinnertonight.I love coming.Myeldestson great forusandthekids “The GoodGrubhasbeen – Chantelle, Mum things. different to eating more open now are food and more about they learnt it–loved “My kids 9 Round About Café: Community Champions focus on health Aim: Keeping our neighbourhoods “Our clean and safe, whilst reducing costs initiatives Aim: Provide a community hub as well When: April 2017 – March 2018 “Doing respond to as employment and training opportunities activities Social Value: £128,900 When: Ongoing local needs Where: Mansbridge with others Radian has recruited 22 This year’s outcomes and help Café volunteers Social Value: £31,283 on our own Community Champions include: build resilient doorstep to make a difference A Champion started full-time communities. Last year, customers were telling us they wanted to get helped in their community. work and stated that being We continue involved in the project helped more active and improve their health and wellbeing. By improving our engagement motivate me her develop confidence to be with residents in our to focus on So, quick off the mark, we ran a day of health checks, able to do this. body MOTs and lifestyle tips. The health checks were and improve communities Radian has a improving better chance of identifying Since October 2016 the attended by 30 people. my health solutions to problems much Champions have helped to health and more quickly. It was so successful it We also worked with the and fitness. make savings of over £7,150! wellbeing enabled Radian to apply for University of Southampton to Community Champions - Andrew, Community Champions help £4,000 from Southampton help them research joint pain. helped to tackle issues such reduce site visits made by and creating Healthy Living to run a Local resident as litter picking, ASB and our Neighbourhood Officers summer of fun activities fly tipping. As a result there employment We know that social and their ideas help reduce in Mansbridge. With the has been a reduction in calls isolation can have effects common community issues support of the Mansbridge about these problems. opportunities devastating to mental and such as ASB and fly-tipping. Residents’ Association, physical health. The café is to help our over 100 residents took a place where people can In the Avon area a part in a range of activities get together to chat, eat, Champion suggested that a residents including abseiling, kayaking, share ideas and get involved. combination lock should be climbing, walking and ball The Seniors’ Afternoon Tea, installed on a bin store sustain their games.The café helped run by volunteers, was very to prevent fly tipping. In the to refuel participants with popular and customers five months up to the lock tenancies. healthy smoothies and a enjoyed getting involved in being installed over £500 - Ralph Facey, nutritious menu which helped the regular craft group, local worth of work was carried Executive Director keep energy levels up. history projects and with the out to clean the area of community allotment. rubbish. In the five months - Partnerships & Health and wellbeing has after the lock was installed, Projects always been a priority for To support all of this, café no work was required to Radian. Through the café volunteers, Radian staff and clear the bin store. we were able to deliver local residents joined up for activites including healthy Making Every Contact Count A Champion in the Solent Kids Can Cook sessions with training. This is helping us area restarted a Residents’ Mansbridge Primary School feel more confident about Association. They were Year 6, cookery workshops, supporting people to make awarded £2500 funding to nutrition training and as lifestyle changes. benefit the local community. a result, made tweaks to You can read about this the menu to make it even funding on page 26. healthier.

10 11 Café 1759 – Quebec Park As part of our successful bid to regenerate Quebec Park, Just one week after opening three volunteers joined Bordon, Radian committed to providing a community to support the team. café in the new development to deliver a range of employment and social objectives. Café 1759 opened its There’s plenty planned for the future – a Food Academy doors in April 2018. for children, activities over the summer and work with A competition to come The new café offers a place partners to offer health up with a name for the to deliver Radian’s work related activities. The café attracted hundreds in Bordon (as one of the possibilities are endless and of suggestions. We chose NHS’s 10 Healthy New we look forward to see how the date which represents Towns across the country) plans develop. a link to the history of the which means there’s plenty area. Many of the barrack of opportunities for working buildings in Bordon were with partners to deliver named after land battles that activities for residents. Our were part of the Battle of aim is for it to become a Quebec, which took place in valuable social hub, helping 1759 between the British and to bond and develop the new the French. This seemed the community in Bordon. perfect fit for the new café, which is situated between The café, supported by two historic barrack blocks. Radian, operates on a not for profit basis, meaning we can Local residents were keep our prices competitive. consulted during the We buy local produce where development phase of the possible and everything café; we collected opinions in the café is made from on menus, décor and scratch. The café has created potential activities, which a number of jobs for local supported us to develop a people and is supported programme of events. by volunteers.

“First visit today and I will be “What a lovely cafe! regularly coming back for Friendly staff, really sure. Can’t ask for any more. welcoming and a great Welcome 1759 - definitely priced menu. Will absolutely what the area has needed be going here again.

for some time. - Café customer

12 13 Longwood Park Tots Stay & Play “Tots stay Aim: Improve social inclusion, wellbeing and play is of the child and parent wonderful. When: Every Tuesday and Thursday morning My child Where: Longwood Park Resource Centre Social Value: £11,985 enjoys it a lot and we have Residents of Longwood Park wanted to have activities a really good for children. We organised a summer programme with experience. Active Slough over the holidays for activities like football My sister-in- and rounders to be run. Longwood Park Tots Stay & Play is also something which residents were keen to continue. law invited us along and Our thriving parents and toddlers group runs on a people have Tuesday morning at the Resource Centre, Byron been really House. It provides a chance for parents to get together welcoming... for a coffee and chat and for Thank you! children under-five to meet new friends. The group has – Misbah Awan engaged with several local families since September, supporting the families to regularly attend the drop-ins. We spoke to some of the mums using the stay and play session and were told they thoroughly enjoy the stay and play.

“Today’s stay and play was amazing. My child really enjoyed himself despite being unwell. We made Easter baskets and enjoyed eating and getting messy. We also did painting for the first time with my child. Looking forward to next weeks session” - Sakina WORKING WITH PARTNERS

14 Men’s health and wellbeing Aim: To improve men’s mental health and reduce so- cial isolation and loneliness When: 2015 - Ongoing Where: Windsor, Langley, Maidenhead, Alton Social Value: Men’s Matters Windsor £11,778 Social Value: Men’s Matters Langley £19,630

Social Value: Alton Men’s Shed £53,660

Radian started working on the Men’s Matters concept Alton Men’s Shed is a group of men who got together to in November 2015. Two years on Men’s Matters has a form a Men’s Shed - one of board of trustees who make a significant difference to hundreds forming all over the health and wellbeing of older men’s lives in the the UK. local community. The group has gone from strength to strength since The group commit In January Men’s Matters forming last year. With our themselves to this extremely opened their doors to help they successfully gained worthwhile cause and with their patron, Sir Michael funding from Tesco to deliver the support of Radian, they Parkinson, who was visiting a number of activity sessions have achieved a tremendous the group for the first for elderly residents in Alton, amount. Having started time. The visit was a great who may be at risk of social with a monthly drop-in in success: not only did Sir isolation. These sessions Windsor; they now provide Michael talk about his life are proving to be a great weekly drop-ins which are from childhood to now, he success, with residents held in Windsor, Langley and also spoke passionately of coming together to learn Maidenhead for socialising, challenging health issues that new skills and provide quizzes, day trips, awareness greatly resonated with the gardening support for sessions and much more. men in the room. disabled residents.

“I intend to approach the Prime Minister with a personal letter asking if I can arrange a meeting with the relevant Minister for Lonelines. Thank you for inviting me and I look forward to working with you. - Sir Michael Parkinson

16 17 Black History Month was Ford TRANSITion project Black History Month celebrated in Langley at Longwood Park. Aims: Volunteering/training opportunities; Aim: To promote diversity and educate others on the reducing social isolation; social cohesion unsung heroes from the diverse backgrounds. Radian worked with Slough Borough Council to organise When: April 2017 – April 2018 When: October 2017 an event which featured Where: Southampton “I’m able to Where: Longwood Park Resource Centre story boards and information panels detailing key events get out and in black and African history, especially the American civil

Partners: NowHeritage; Radian; Ford; Winvic; Mountpark; meet new rights movement, as well as Mansbridge Residents’ Association; Bursledon black figures in business, people, find science and the arts. Brickworks; Mansbridge Primary School; ; out about Solent Sky Museum Lydia Simmons, who spoke the local at the event, was the first When Southampton’s Ford donated a TV to the café black woman to become a factory closed its doors in and topsoil for the area and use mayor in the UK, and joined 2013, it left a huge gap in community allotment. a fantastic crowd of people the lives of local residents, As a legacy, a website has my brain. I who were crammed into the many of whom are Radian been set up to provide an love history Longwood Park Office for residents. We teamed up online learning resource for singing, dance displays and with NowHeritage to work schools and local historians. and I think West Indian food! with the local community to explore the history of the site. The project had a big it’s great impact on the people of Over the course of the Southampton. Local resident what you’re year, 12 people accessed Linda told us, ‘‘having this free training in oral history project on the doorstep has doing here. and archive research and been brilliant. I’ve lost some went on to interview ex- mobility which has stopped World Mental Health Day employees. Furthermore, 30 me doing things. I can do this people attended community independently so it’s made a Aim: Raise awareness of mental health issues by Outcomes: reminiscence sessions at big difference.” encouraging residents to take part in activities that Radian’s Round About Café >> 25 people attended and 152 local residents promote good mental and physical health. enjoyed coach trips to the When: October 2017 >> Rob Miles - Governor for Frimley and Heather National Motor Museum at Where: The Pump Room, Sawyers Close, Windsor Beaulieu, the Watercress Line Trust Hospitals attended and Milestones Museum. and he was highly Pupils from Mansbridge impressed at the level of Primary and Cantell schools Radian partnered with Together we encouraged engagement Radian has got involved, as did several health and charitable residents to take part in with tenants residents at Kelly House organisations such as: activities that promote good >> Wellbeing Wagon and Grange Court. Solution4Health; Smoke mental and physical health. used to engage Stop Free Life Berkshire; WEA - These activities were taster Smoking service Two people have completed Cupcake decorating; Mens sessions to show that Mental >> 6 people signed up for a Level 2 Enterprise Matters - over 50’s Mens Health does not have to be Smokefreelife Berkshire qualification and as a result social group; Yasmine a hidden subject that needs the Round About Café is Therapies - Therapeutic specialist activities. Activities now developing a delivery Massage; Family Friends can range from day to day service to isolated residents. - Family support; RBWM hobbies, lifestyle changes Mountpark also kindly Sports Development Team; and social gatherings. Friends in Need, MIND.

18 19 YOU SAID WE DID them inthearea. facilities are availableto to knowwhatservicesand their neighboursandget new developments,meet into theirnewhomeson place tohelppeoplesettle Support Standards’ putin a setof‘Community been instrumentalingetting As aresult thePanelhas > > > at thefollowing: During 2017theylooked Residents’ Panel comesin. with residentswhentheseareset, whichiswhereour Social Housing, clear isvery thatweshouldconsult delivers itsservices. Ourregulator, theRegulatorfor Local OffersareprojectsthatlookathowRadian Where: Radian-wide When: Ongoing providedbyRadian and valueformoneyofservices Aim: To providearesidents’perspectiveonthequality about LocalOffers! Residents’ Panel -it’s all > > > vulnerable residents project supporting on afurniture Windsor &Maidenhead Royal Borough of Working withthe they receive heard andtherepairs having theirvoices were lesssatisfiedwith living intheThamesarea Reasons whyresidents new development new homesona of movingintooneour The resident experience Panel focusonin2018? What LocalOffers willthe page 25. read more abouttheeventon satisfaction levels.You can keeping acloseeyeon Radian, thePanelwillbe out tootherlocationsacross approach shouldberolled To determinewhetherthis available duringtheday. service thatwasmade along withahandyman various queriesandissues, met withkeystaff todiscuss receiving. Over30residents Radian servicestheywere that wasunsatisfiedwiththe estate -aneighbourhood grounds oftheWard Royal Your Voice’ eventinthe also helda‘Your Estate, Panel membersandstaff Association inWindsor, the the Ward RoyalResidents’ Working inpartnershipwith > > > > > > a Radianhome Why somepeoplerefuse Fly tipping Car parking next year. challenges to new look forward our areas. We needs across of residents’ understanding developed our have further year and another busy “We’ve had 21 Radian supported Longwood Park the Longwood Park Mansbridge Residents’ Association to Residents’ Association become an established Allotment Project “The group in September 2017. Aim: Promote and protect the interests Aims: Volunteering/training opportunities; health and allotment’s of those living in Longwood Park Since then, the group has wellbeing; reducing social isolation; environmental gained many new members brilliant – I When: Monthly and set up a Facebook page improvement and reducing management costs Where: Longwood Park Office to engage with residents. When: September 2017 – Ongoing love it. It Social Value: £34,877 Where: Mansbridge community allotment gets me out Our residents wanted to have a place for older people to Partners: Mansbridge Residents’ Association; the flat and meet. Therefore, we decided Southampton Community Chest; HorticTherapy to hold a series of drop-in gives me sessions for men. This Men’s Matters group meet, something This project arose from local adults an opportunity to get chat and socialise and residents who reported the physically active and this to do that’s organise monthly trips area was very overgrown and is helping to reduce social out. This has given older becoming a magnet for fly isolation. Planting is now good for my men opportunities to form tipping. Radian identified this underway and more people new connections. health. I’m to be a high management are getting involved. cost. We listened to residents starting to and community members in the Round About Café, get involved spoke to our neighbourhood team and researched health with other

Five different RAs attended. statistics in the area. community Resident Associations TPAS training Evaluation forms showed Resident Associations that members had increased This showed us the projects Aim: to support RA’s develop a clear vision and pur- confidence and a clearly area had a considerable pose, improve understanding role of RAs defined purpose. Other amount of isolated people, now too. TPAS training many with chronic health When: March 2018 support gained from the course: problems on the estate who Where:Aim: to helpRadian’s residents’ Eastleigh assocations office develop a clear were looking for positive, vision and purpose and improve understanding role >> Having a voice: RAs physical activities to get their teeth into! As a result, When: March 2018 felt better equipped to challenge and campaign the Mansbridge Residents’ Where: Radian’s Eastleigh office Association with Radian >> Long-standing were awarded £1500 from associations: Southampton City Council’s reinvigorated action We were approached Community Chest Fund Hearing the local voice planning and passion for by several residents’ to develop a community achieving outcomes of our residents and associations for support allotment project, with communities is vital in helping them set up or >> RAs developed a better a difference. refocus. We organised understanding of how for us to inform and a training course (run to research and to Over the winter, the group improve our services. by TPAS) to provide communicate with met and residents there One of the ways we do residents’associations their communities took part in gardening craft support on many issues they activities before heading this is through face as existing or newly set outdoors again. Regular residents’ associations. up residents’associations. sessions run by Hortic Therapy have given local

22 23 SCRA administer a Facebook group page Sawyers Close Residents’ with 209 residents which has transformed from an advertising tool to a page Association that encourages residents to communicate, take Aim: To act as a forum for residents at Sawyers Close ownership and deal When: 2000 - Ongoing with issues occurring Where: The Pump Room, Sawyers Close, Windsor on their estate. Social Value: £30,304 121 complaints/incidents were raised by residents on the Facebook page The Sawyers Close Residents’ Association (SCRA) between April and August 2017, of which more than supported the community this year through a weekly half were resolved by Youth Club, an over 50s tea and coffee morning, residents rather than arts and crafts events, fun days, and discos. being escalated to Radian.

They raised an incredible £597 towards activities at the Fun Day SCRA were proud to be in August, of which over 100 residents attended. SCRA has recognised and awarded 4th carried out clean up activities with the local councillors which place for Community Group has improved their local environment. of the Year at the Windsor and Maidenhead Voluntary Sector Awards.

As a result of one of the Residents’ Panel Local Ward Royal: Your Estate, Offers, ‘Your Estate, Your Voice’ was held for Your Voice residents of Ward Royal Aim: To improve customer satisfaction and give on Saturday 24th March. residents an opportunity to discuss their concerns The event gave residents When: Saturday 24th March 2018 the opportunity to speak Where: Ward Royal to Radian staff on issues relating to their homes and Social Value: £46,084 estate. In addition residents were able to use the free handyman service, who were able to resolve a number of repair issues on the day. Ward Royal Residents’ Association, a key partner in the event, held an Easter egg hunt for children and provided tasty treats, giving residents the opportunity to meet and mingle whilst sharing their appreciation of the event. FUNDING AND GRANTS

24 Radian secured £528,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Funding and grants for Project Increase VS. This is a six step training and support pathway for 4000 economically excluded people in Housing Association (HA) neighbourhoods. Radian funding awarded 2017-18: As a result of this, Radian has were awarded the funding. Radian secured £96,000 of also given £202,000 funding This includes setting up funding from Building Better Community to the project. The Project course structure and Opportunities (National 4 applications launched in March 2018 and confi rming venues for two Lottery) for working with Safety Fund £8,452.40 runs till December 2020. of the areas. people with multiple barriers Life Improvement to employment in the areas Grant 7 applications In this time we aim to support We have also recruited a of East , New £28,589.20 700 people into training, or to new staff support role, who Forest and Winchester. Kick Start start a business and increase will work with the participants Fund 21 applications confi dence. Planning and before and after the course By March 2018, Radian £5,652 organising has been the fi rst with additional mentoring had signed up 29 people part of this process since we and training. of the 51 project target Community 40 applications Fund £48,198.28 and has supported two people into employment and one person into a work experience placement. Three courses were put on for Identifi ed impact of projects we have funded: the participants; First Aid, confi dence building £43,410.28 and mindfulness. £36,269.60 Solent Community Grants programme funded Radian £9,412 to run a self-employment £1,800 course for £11,200. The programme was aimed at applicants considered ‘Hard to Reach’ or those furthest from being work-ready, over Wellbeing Protecting Reducing Community 50 years of age, from ethnic minorities or those disabled, income ASB investment as well as ex-offenders.

The programme so far has supported 37 people, of whom 23 have graduated External funding awarded to Radian for community initiatives: Examples of initiatives which from the course and completed a presentation secured funding: to a judging panel. The Grant funding £35,058.86 > Funding from Heathrow airport to outcomes until March 2018 support one of our residential were that 14 of the 23 are groups based in Windsor trading, three found part Local community groups £19,578.98 > Atuk Pathak sessions to support time employment, one Men’s Matters Windsor volunteering (in the same > Southampton Voluntary Services to industry as her business In-kind funding £9,140.50 support activities during the summer idea), three still in full time period of 2017 employment and two remain self employed. All are still being supported Total granted: £63,724.34 by Radian.

26 27 EMPLOYMENT, SUPPORT & TRAINING and training training andsupportfor1,800people. 600intoemploymentandprovided and helpedover 2,500residents the Radianteamhasworkedwithover help boostself-esteemandconfidence. Since2012, advice, alongwithtailoredtrainingprogramsthatcan employment byofferingarangeofpracticalhelpand It workswithresidentswhoarelookingtogetinto may beunemployed, onbenefitsor facing redundancy. employment andtrainingsupporttoresidentswho In 2012Radiansetupitsemploymentteamtoprovide Employment, support

people completedself employment training Grant fundingsecured people supportedinto £600k+ Training events work experience placements for CVs created employment 115 143 attended students 49 49 27 76 76

29 One of the main highlights of the conference was Lazaros Employability Day: and Chipo Madamombe talking about their experience with Radian and how the self Conference employment course sparked and Market Place their new cleaning business. Finally the attendees were Aim: Raise awareness and celebrate Radian’s positive treated to a marketplace where the self-employment outcomes supporting residents and local communities graduates exhibited and sold When: July 2017 their goods to the public. Where: Eastleigh, Collins House One of Radian’s partners at the event said “The way EST reaches to so many Radian delivered a successful Employability Day Event people, who are inspired in July 2017 at Radian’s head office in Eastleigh. The to achieve beyond their own expectations’ and event celebrated the achievements and included talks ‘Inspirational, flexible, from Employment and Training manager Chris Adams, out-of-the-box thinking” apprentices Libby Hayles and Zoe Green.

Within the last year we saw start up businesses from ‘Go Your Own Way’ – aspiring entrepreneurs like Sue Cooper. Sue now runs a not for profit In house self employment foodbank business, reducing supermarket food waste by donating it to local program communities rather than going into landfill. The Aim: To give residents the tools and support business has gone from to start a business and go self-employed strength to strength and her story was published in ‘The When: 2015 - 2018 News’ Portsmouth. Where: Windsor, Bordon, Alton, Southampton & Poole Two successful graduates from GYOW were Simon and Gerdine Ninsiima who The Go Your Own Way (GYOW) course is a 10-week have written and published training programme with follow on support for up to a book based on Simon’s 24 months. This includes: business support clubs, life growing up in East Africa, battling Polio and mentoring, website design and film promotion, advanced the struggles of having a training, market places and online directory support. disability in an indigenous, The course continued to grow this year, seeing a further traditional community. Facing abandonment, starvation 49 people supported into self-employment training over and wild animals, Simon’s eight GYOW courses plus additional after care support. humorous outlook on life is an inspiration to many.

30 31 ‘Team of the Year’ Radian’s EST team recently achieved ‘Team of the Year’ at ERSA Employability Awards.

Chris Adams, Employment and Training Manager, said:

“This is fantastic recognition of the work that the whole team do in supporting residents into employment and training, and I’m immensely proud that we have been recognised for our work. We have some exciting plans in the pipeline that we will be working on over the months to come, which will further enhance our offer to residents in getting into employment.

The awards showcase and EST is a small team, led champion best practice from by professionals and staffed across the employment by members from diverse support sector, celebrating backgrounds united by the and recognising the hard mission: creating pportunities

work and achievements of to change lives. those involved in supporting people into work.

Radian gives Home-Start charity a fresh new look

In July 2017 the Radian EST team stepped away from the busy office to offer their handy painting skills to revamp HomeStart WeyWater’s new charity premises. Radian actively look for ways to support charitable organisations that are dedicated to helping those in need.

“What can I say about the magnificent EST team, we would never have got this done so quickly and it truly made it so much easier for us to move premises. Being a Charity, you have saved us precious resources and money. You are complete superstars and a huge thank you to the whole team. TENANCY SUSTAINMENT

32 Case Study:

Supporting residents to Radian received a referral for a resident with learning and sustain their tenancies physical disabilities, having difficulty getting Last year was the busiest yet for Radian’s Tenancy up the stairs. On visiting

Sustainment team, with over 1,060 referrals. We provided the resident, it became support with anything from requests for extra help with apparent their situation was even worse - they food and furniture, to encouraging people that hoard to had to crawl on their make their homes safe. hands and knees.

The main reason for support Last year saw us gain over We wrote a letter was due to the reform of the £237,000 (this is made up with their doctor to welfare system. This resulted from funding gained and support a priority in less money for lots of value of items given) directly move for the resident. people, largely because of for our tenants. On top of this We also arranged the benefits cap and under we helped people to receive for social services to occupancy. Universal Credit over £303,000 of extra do an occupational is also rolling out, which sees benefits, grants and hardship assessment and our benefits payments going payments over the year. adaptations team to from weekly to monthly identify a solution. and residents paying their We are also delighted to own rent. Supporting our report that of all the people The tenant needed to residents with this transition we saw in the previous year, live in the same area as has been key. Our service is 98.5% are still maintaining their family, limiting the in high demand; however we their tenancies a year choice further. Working are very proud to achieve an later. This figure continues closely with the local average waiting time of just to improve year on year, authority, the resident one week, with an average hopefully we will get successfully obtained support intervention taking to 100% this year which an ideal flat in the around five-six months. would be fantastic. perfect area.

We continued support to the resident once a new property had been secured. On behalf of the resident we requested housing benefit to be paid for the existing and new properties, to ensure we could secure the new property. The resident is now enjoying her new home. CELEBRATION CELEBRATION EVENT

34 Celebration 2017. And the winners are… Radian welcomed its involved residents, top partners Young Resident Award: and fantastic sponsors CCS (Correct Contract Services) Jacob Lucas, recognising the instrumental role he played down the red carpet to enjoy a three course meal and in getting the Mansbridge hear how their involvement in a variety of initiatives allotments back into shape. has supported Radian. Involved Resident of the Good Neighbour Residents’ Association Year Award: of the Year: of the Year: Kelly Lucas who played Joyce Evans from Oak Mansbridge Residents’ a huge role in developing Lodge in Bordon. Despite Association (MRA) for the community spirit and being 100 years old, Joyce hard work they’ve put into addressing issues in regularly organises activities re-establishing the group her local community. including weekly bingo, after a two-year lull in activity. whist nights and lunches Customer Inspector Award: that help to make Oak Personal Achievement Ann Bartlett, Jennifer Lodge a real community hub. Award: Upton, Maureen Shillam, Lisa Cursley who overcame Susan Leach, Rosemary Community Champions barriers and changed her life Youatt and Geoff Walker Award: for the better. were recognised for their Shanie Clarke who contribution to this successfully ran a wellbeing Volunteering Award: initiative, which has day in her neighbourhood, focused on improvements Shirley Watts who volunteers helped to tackle a vermin to signage, accessibility for our Round About Café problem and met with and communal areas. and leads the successful neighbours to find solutions craft group. to issues and give advice.

36 37 It was fabulous to hear the humbling stories of ordinary folk striving to improve their community and environment “I think it was so inspiring to by extraordinary efforts. see the level of commitment Congratulations to all the that everyone put into making winners but obviously there the event happen last night. are no losers… everyone The whole thing was so here is a winner! It’s been a beautifully done, the Radian great celebration enjoyed by staff worked so hard to make it all, and a real pleasure to be such a delightful and wonderful part of it.” evening - thank you so much. - John Branscombe, Master - Jennifer Upton, Resident & Customer Inspector. of Ceremonies & Scrutiny Group member.

38 39 Radian Collins House Bishopstoke Road Eastleigh Hampshire SO50 6AD

www.radian.co.uk

0300 123 1 567

[email protected]

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Radian is a trading name of The Swaythling Housing Society Limited, a Registered Society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (registration number 10237R) and a registered provider with the Homes and Communities Agency (registration number L0689). Registered office: Collins House, Bishopstoke Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 6AD. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Part of the Radian group of companies.