Report 2012 - Wishaw and District Housing Association

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12 Residents at Russell Street, Wishaw, plant and care for their communal flower garden.
People and Communities We believe that our role need not be limited to building and managing dwellings, and that we can do a lot to assist and support the development of sustainable communities. During this last year we have continued to lead or be involved in a number of initiatives, described below, and we continue to look for other ways to widen our service where there is a clear need to do so. Encouraging Credit Union Membership Credit unions provide a social banking service and for many residents they offer a cost effective savings and borrowing service. Our voucher scheme continues to be offered to new tenants, and, by arrangement, anyone who missed out on the first offer. Advice for Tenants and Residents (AFTAR) Project The AFTAR project is managed by the Motherwell and Wishaw Citizen’s Advice Bureau and five partner landlords including ourselves. It was financed by its partners and the Scottish Government’s Wider Role Fund and ran with this funding until the end of March 2012. During the year, this free and confidential service offered advice on a wide range of benefits, money, debt and fuel issues at our offices or to residents in their own homes. It also provided financial workshops to improve residents’ skills in money management. Over the last two years the service has brought in over £1.35 million worth of client financial gain to all five partner landlords. This is in excess of all the targets set for the project. Just over £307,000 has been put into the pockets of 398 Association residents, with a number of claims and appeals outstanding. People in debt also benefited from advice in managing repayment. Unfortunately, the Government has changed the funding regime for projects such as this and it must be reassessed in the context of a new fund with new rules. At present the partners have agreed to fund the project at full cost until the end of June 2012, to allow time for alternative grant funding to be assessed. Older Persons’ Advice Service (OPAS) This service has built on the work of the former Older Person’s Advice Project and offers advice aimed at our tenants and sharing owners aged 60 plus. Since the Association participated in this project over £210,000 has been gained for our more mature residents. All our residents who have used the service have been pleasantly surprised by its quality and friendliness and have sung the praises of staff even when they personally did not get any financial benefit. We have signed up to this service again for the coming year. Provision of Furniture We are looking at how we can assist tenants who are struggling to sustain their unfurnished tenancies. We have negotiated referral arrangements to Recap (a local furniture recycling project) that enables people to purchase low cost good quality second hand furniture at the lowest possible prices. We are in the process of negotiating a similar arrangement with St. Patrick’s Furniture Project and hope to include an option to purchase new white goods. In addition, through the AFTAR project we had managed to get access to Scottish and Southern Energy’s appliance service and are currently waiting to see if this scheme has been continued for another year. Welfare We have negotiated referral arrangements to the Basics Foodbank, run by local churches. This service offers practical support by providing struggling households with food packages, as well as emotional support at a time of crisis, usually caused by a change of benefit that leaves the household with no income for a short period. Sadly, the impact of some welfare reforms and other household circumstances meant that we did have to make referrals during the year. 13
Page 1 and 2: Wishaw & District Housing Associati
Page 3 and 4: Chairman’s steadfast commitment,
Page 5 and 6: Managing Tenancies Common Housing R
Page 7 and 8: Living With Neighbours The occasion
Page 9 and 10: Maintenance News Scottish Housing Q
Page 11: The Cost of Maintenance Works Betwe
Page 15 and 16: Our Little Patch of Green - Easter
Page 17 and 18: Our capital expenditure this year o
Page 19 and 20: Staff Team Our staff team is now: C

Report 2012 - Wishaw and District Housing Association

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