2. What is Homelife?
• Provides affordable homes for our
clients, with good transport links and
close to local amenities
• Provides on going training and
employment opportunities for our
clients through TCUK Property
Services, our property refurbishment
social enterprise
• Through rental income it generates
unrestricted funds for the charity
3. The Process…
• The Homelife Team purchase
properties throughout the North
East that have been empty for a
minimum period of 6 months or
more.
• The properties are refurbished to
Decent Homes Standard by TCUK
Property Services, our property
refurbishment social enterprise.
• The refurbished homes provide
affordable, inviting and permanent
homes to those in need
5. EHCGP Round 1 £650k 25 Properties (original 20 completed by August 14)
EPCGP Round 2 £825k 30 Properties to be delivered by end of January 2015
HCA Round 3 £500k 25 Properties to be delivered by end of March 2015
HCA Round 4 £990k 45 Properties to be delivered between April 2015–Dec 2016
Changing Lives £3,557m CL Reserves and loan finance
Willan Trust £250k 5 properties purchased (inc in HCA targets)
Hospital Discharge £200k 6 properties (inc in HCA targets)
Nationwide Foundation £167k Contribution to cost of refurb 19 properties (inc in HCA targets)
Ridley Villas £43k Contribution towards refurb of 3 properties for RV tenants
Linden Family Fund £23k Contribution to furnishing costs
Community Foundation £13k Contribution to furnishing costs
Total £7.2m
125 properties owned and tenanted by December 2016 based on average £400 per month rent =
approx. £600K unrestricted income per annum
Funding
6.
7. TCUK Property Services (PS) have been developing, maintaining and refurbishing all
Changing Lives properties for over 5 years so the refurbishment of empty homes is a
natural progression in its development.
Led by a professional team, TCUK PS employs service users as apprentices and offer
clients work placement opportunities via our Employment Team so they gain the necessary
qualifications and experience to progress to a career in the construction industry.
Trainees who require accommodation can apply to live in a Homelife property.
Homelife and TCUK Property Services
Partnership
8. TCUK Property Services-
Training and Employment
TCUK Property Services offer a tiered system of training and employment:
• Apprenticeships
• 3 Month Placements
• 2 Week Work Placements
• Volunteers
13. Highlights
• Achieving targets of 80 properties by March 2015
• Excellent reputation with funders
• Unrestricted income
• Tenants feedback
• 96% of tenancies have been a success
• Properties being kept in excellent condition
• Developing robust processes
• Employing and providing homes for ex-clients
• Developed close relationships with local authorities and estate
agents to secure the best properties in an ever increasing
competitive market
• Runner up in “Contribution to the Community Award 2014”
Institute of Housing
• Allowed us to become a registered social landlord, TCUK
Homes
15. Strategic objectives
2014 to 2017
• A minimum of 125 properties in management by 31 March 2017
• Provide affordable homes to rent that are maintained to high
quality standard (Minimum Decent Homes Standard)
• Maintain the strong relationship with the HCA as a Registered
Housing Provider and as a partner in the delivery of its Affordable
Housing Programme
• Explore existing and new funding streams both locally and
nationally to identify opportunities for growth
• Work with partners to develop capacity and capability to deliver
new build opportunities
• Explore and pilot Housing First opportunities in collaboration with
Changing Lives Operations
Following the award of the Empty Home Community Grants Programme Changing Lives set up the Homelife to deliver the project.
The overall aims of Homlife project are to:
Provides affordable homes for our clients, with good transport links and close to local amenities
Provides on going training and employment opportunities for our clients through TCUK Property Services, our property refurbishment social enterprise
Through rental income it generates unrestricted funds for the charity
People who have been homeless and who are ready for independent living • People in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction and in particular, people who have been abstinent for over 6 months • Parents with children who fall into the above categories • People who are in the above categories who are seeking employment • People in the above categories who are in low paid employment and without the resources to rent or purchase privately • People identified by the local authority as priority for a property
Initially Changing Lives was awarded £500k to deliver 25 properties via the Empty Homes Community Grants Programme. Following this successful bid Changing Lives was also successful in a bid for a further £825k to deliver 30 properties via the Empty Property Community Grants Programme.
The award of the Empty Homes Community Grants Programme has opened the door for Changing Lives to further funding listed on the above.
The main one to point out is that be proven a successful track record of deliver of the Community Grants Programme the HCA approached Changing Lives with a view to deliver 25 units on their behalf due to underspend on their 2011-2015 programme through their registered provider TCUK Homes. Without the track record of delivery the HCA would not have approached Changing Lives
The HCA provided £500k funding. Furthermore Changing Lives has recently been successful in a bid for 45 units for the 2015-18 programmes. This funding would not have been possible without the initial aware via the Empty Homes Community Grants Programme
Due to the partnership with Homelife, TCUKPS has been able to implement a tiered system of training and employment.
TCUKPS currently employs 8 permanent FTE remembers of staff. This is an increase of 6 since the project began.
The social enterprise offers the following opportunities for training and employment.
Apprenticeships- there is currently one apprentice working on the project who is studying a NVQ LEVEL 3 multi skilled operative at Gateshead College. Discussions are on-going with a larger construction company to establish a partnership arrangement which would result in TCUKPS employing a further 2 apprentices.
3 Month placements- to date their have been 12 three month placements. Throughout these placements the trainees gain on site experience and develop skills such as plastering, joinery, tiling and basic plumbing skills. After the 3 months suitable trainees are recommended to agencies with a reference. One successful trainee is now a full time employee of TCUKPS and is training to become a chargehand.
2 week placements- TCUKPS offer the opportunity to have a 2 week work placement prior to commencing a permanent placement with other construction company. It is mainly used as an introduction to working on a construction site.
Volunteers- Changing Lives refer volunteers to TUCKPS as they have clients who had fallen on hard times and are looking for a route back into gaining employment. To date there have been 11 volunteers working on the properties.
