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Working in partnership has never been more important for housing associations
The Social Housing White Paper makes it abundantly clear that we need to ensure residents’ voices are being heard in everything that we do. Yet I would argue that our ambition must be to go much further than that, writes Geeta Nanda
As housing professionals who are committed to supporting people and places, we understand that good homes and strong communities have been at the heart of the response to the pandemic.
But one thing that has also struck me is the crucial role that partnerships, at every level, have played during this time. That’s why we need to continue to build and strengthen these vital relationships in order to support the recovery to come.
Homes have provided safety and security, as well as a place to work and educate, for many. I am incredibly proud of the role social housing providers have played in this hardest of years. The value of a decent, affordable and safe home has never been clearer.
But a good home, and all the benefits it can bring, only gets people so far. Without a strong community, a sense of connection to others and a support system in place, I fear that people are not being given access to the best chance to live well.
During the pandemic, we have seen communities rallying together through mutual aid groups, neighbours helping with shopping for people who are isolating and all of us spending much more time closer to home than before. These informal networks show there very much is such a thing as society, but the question is how can housing providers better play their part?
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When housing associations are at their best, we are vital parts of communities. At Metropolitan Thames Valley, we are listening to residents and supporting them to access jobs and training through tailored programmes that reflect people’s different needs and experiences. We are giving young people a voice and creating peer-to-peer networks to allow them to produce solutions that make their communities better places to live.
At the heart of initiatives like these are the partnerships we have developed. Whether that is with local councils and voluntary groups, or with residents’ associations and individual residents themselves, partnership is what has unlocked the potential we have to offer.
As the Social Housing White Paper makes abundantly clear, we need to ensure residents’ voices are being heard in everything that we do. Yet I would argue that our ambition must be to go much further than that and should instead to seek to build strong and meaningful partnerships at all levels, but especially with our residents.
During this crisis, government, local authorities, and housing associations have all provided significant support for residents through the close relationships we have with people. Last week, I was pleased to chair a timely discussion organised by the G15 that brought together leading voices from across local and regional government, to discuss what we can learn from the pandemic about supporting people at times of crisis and the role good homes and communities have to play in helping to live well in the future.
Versatility and flexibility were something that was often mentioned during the discussion. When lockdown was introduced in March, housing associations showed dynamism in adapting how our services were delivered and we worked in often new partnerships to reach out to people to offer support like we had never done before. We need that same ingenuity and commitment to act to make sure the recovery is not only supported, but that this is done so in a way that doesn’t leave anyone behind.
From greater collaboration and supporting people to access the health and well-being services in their community, to working with government to look for new ways to solve the housing crisis, strong partnerships that allow for honest and challenging conversations, with organisations and individuals, have never been more important.
Geeta Nanda, chief executive, Metropolitan Thames Valley
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