Tenant Satisfaction Measure 11: How satisfied or dissatisfied are you that Great Places makes a positive contribution to your neighbourhood?
As an organisation with a strong social purpose, the wellbeing of our customers remains at the forefront of our commitment.
Our dedicated Community Investment Team provides a range of support. Through a combination of directly delivered services and working with a range of organisations we support customers into employment, training and volunteering opportunities, recognising the importance of decent, stable employment in creating resilient households and neighbourhoods.
Alongside our existing support services, we have allocated almost £400k in funding from our Hardship and Community Resilience Funds to individual customers and community partner organisations to help tackle the consequences of poverty and austerity. Affordability concerns for customers will remain a key issue for our Board as the cost-of-living crisis continues, whilst also considering the impact on our income due to the Government-imposed rent cap.
Our colleagues support people who are in financial hardship and unable to afford basic necessities. Some need support when moving into our properties with no means to furnish their new homes, while others are seeking routes out of low-paid, insecure work. Meanwhile, many organisations providing services across our communities are competing for investment to help local residents navigate the welfare system, find work and access mental health support, while also being hit by rising overheads and costs.
The Tenancy Coach Support Service empowers our customers so that they can sustain their tenancies and become more independent and resilient, allowing them to thrive within our communities. We support and encourage customers to work with local services and partners who can provide their specialist knowledge and expertise. The service supports our most vulnerable customers including those with complex needs, mental and physical health needs, substance addictions and those experiencing financial hardship or facing poverty.
Our Greater Together Coronation Fund facilitated over 60 coronation-themed events across our communities and neighbourhoods to mark King Charles III’s Coronation Weekend. Comments from those who attended some of the events included: ‘It’s been really good fun, loads to do and the food was fantastic!’
"It has been a godsend, the change of environment has had such a big impact on my mental health. "
A customer in Bolton commenting on our recycled paint project
Future scientific whizz kids from our Longridge and Shawheath Anchor Neighbourhood were treated to a fun afternoon of discovery experiments at a Sublime Science session organised by our Community Investment Team.
Great Places is committed to partnership working – alongside a wide range of agencies and groups, we recognise that we can achieve more together.
In September 2022 we launched our Greater Together Foundation. This community-based project has delivered initiatives to help people to take control of their household finances, access crisis support and has invested in community organisations, helping to fund vital services in our community centres and neighbourhoods.
In the past financial year our Greater Together Fund, established initially in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, has provided over £200k of support (and funding from partners) to 32 community-based projects and initiatives, providing a lifeline to customers and making a significant difference to their lives.
Through our Financial Resilience Team, we continue to support and empower our customers, giving them advice and guidance to help manage and maintain their finances through difficult times. Key statistics for the 2022-23 financial year are below.
Through a combination of directly delivered services and working with a range of organisations, we support customers into employment, training and volunteering opportunities, recognising the importance of decent, stable employment in creating resilient households and neighbourhoods.
Our support for customers in, or close to fuel poverty has also continued to grow over the last year. We have a number of programmes in place to protect customers against cold homes and high energy bill costs.
We continue to support customers who may need advice and support (or look to signpost to partners that can provide support).
Our customer-facing colleagues are also trained in energy awareness so that they can give customers advice and signpost them as appropriate. We also continue to work in partnership with the Energy and Money Saving advice service LEAP to help customers who may need additional support.
27/01/2023
Article by: Libby Lomax
Great Places Housing Group’s partnership with Manor Park Primary school was formed to help build and sustain the local community’s financial resilience by raising its young people’s aspirations. Great Places is facilitating a series of events, including trips to Manchester Airport and local business Amelia Knight. The first visit will be to Great Places’ Head […]
19/06/2023
Article by: eraftery
Chatty Café are a not-for-profit organisation that tackles loneliness and social isolation across the UK, and we've been working with them to address this issue in our communities.
23/05/2023
Article by: Libby Lomax
Great Places has donated £3,500 to a Bolton-based project that serves as a hub for struggling families to buy school essentials for their children without breaking the bank. The community shop offers reduced or free school supplies, items sold include most of what children need at school, including uniforms, shoes, coats, trainers, PE kits, maths […]
