More than housing

Photo : Community Centre Whitefriars Housing Group Ltd is about more than housing, it's about people. We believe in creating neighbourhoods that work, and are committed to the Government's national 'iN business for neighbourhoods' agenda to build sustainable communities that help improve people’s lives.

To this end, we have several dedicated areas of business:

Our Independent Living Team provides a comprehensive service to support people in everyday aspects of life such as financial or health issues. We offer a professional mediation service to help to resolve any disputes between individuals or communities, and have a market-leading, comprehensive anti-social behaviour policy. Our award winning Training and Development Agency helps to provide jobs, fill skills gaps and so improve communities and the local economy.

For more information on getting extra help and our Independent Living Team, see our ‘Getting extra help’ page on this site, or contact the Independent Living Team on 024 7621 4355.
For more information on our anti-social behaviour policy, see asb4 on our ‘Partners’ page on this site, or visit www.asb4.org.uk. For mediation services you can contact the Mediation Team on 024 7649 6748. Alternatively, contact Eamon Lynch on 024 7676 7138.
For more information on our Training & Development Agency, see our ‘Training & Development Agency’ page on this site, or contact Nev Wells on 024 7676 7194.

Achievements in our More Than Housing Services in the last 12 months

Delivered and supported a number of communities, schools and refugee programmes aimed at ensuring that all local people are aware of the opportunities provided by construction employment within Coventry, and received a national Construction Skills award that recognised the success of our diversity and equality work with local people and construction businesses.
Successfully delivered the first year of the £1.2 million pounds Learning and Skills Council funding, managing a partnership of seven other local training providers as well as delivering our own qualification and job training programmes to local people and businesses.
Launched a new team called The Independent Living Team (ILT), which now brings together under one roof, the management and monitoring of all our Supporting People Services. We can now provide all our customers with a one-stop shop for advice, guidance and support in promoting and enabling independent living, whether it be one-off advice or a full support plan. This can include provision of specialist accommodation for older people and homeless people if necessary.

Our newly structured services provide support and assistance to, in particular, some of our most vulnerable residents, for example, those with learning difficulties, alcohol or substance misuse health issues and refugees. We also work closely with our partners in probation, children’s and asylum seekers services.
Through our own Modern Apprentice Scheme, provided up to 15 young people, at any one time, with the opportunity to undertake NVQ Levels 1,2,and 3 in Business Administration, Technical Certificates, Key Skills or the Association of Accounting Technicians qualifications, as well as high levels of in-house professional training.

This year one of our Modern Apprentices was selected as a finalist in the Coventry Freemen’s Guild Apprentice of the Year Award, and also won the Endeavour award. Two of our apprentices were selected as finalists in the Learning and Skills Council Modern Apprentice Awards.
Received the 2005 Investors in People Outstanding Good Practice Award for our Stardust Strategy approach to customer care, and especially our Face Values training – an innovative approach to equality and diversity training.
Won a National Training Award for our Face Values training.
Attracted over 100 people from all over the country and from all types of sectors to our Equality and Diversity Conference to showcase a variety of our innovative approaches and initiatives within this field.
Developed a suite of Equality and Diversity policies in consultation with the Whitefriars Champions Group
Taken over 1,900 reports of anti-social behaviour, ranging from neighbour disputes through to more serious issues such as harassment and hate crime.
Dealt with complaints of anti-social behaviour in a proactive way, using a number of different remedies from prevention through to enforcement.
Had 46 mediation cases referred to us, and of those suitable to enter the process, have had a 100% success rate of preventing the need for enforcement action.
Made full use of the remedies available to change and address behaviours in our neighbourhoods, gaining 14 injunctions, 19 acceptable behaviour contracts and 4 possession orders.
Adopted a problem solving approach by working with partner agencies to address complex issues and have supported the police in obtaining 2 criminal anti-social behaviour orders.
In response to our customers’ needs, we appointed a dedicated hate crime and domestic violence officer to provide intensive support to reporters of these serious crimes.
Listened to and responded to customers’ feedback, and begun developing a Witness Support Charter.
Became a key partner in the ‘Active Intelligence Mapping’ group to understand hot spot areas for crime and anti-social behaviour to ensure that partners deploy resources across the City where it is most needed.