Housing Corporation News Release

£800,000 Corporation Innovation and Good Practice grant cash boost for 16 nationwide projects

29 August 2007 Ref: 79/07

Sixteen innovative projects across the country are set to benefit from £800,000, as part of a package of grants to encourage innovation and good practice in housing.  The grants have been awarded under the Housing Corporation's Innovation and Good Practice (IGP) programme.

Bids for IGP funding were invited under five new themes:

• land availability;
• barriers to low cost home ownership;
• responding to an ageing population;
• housing management in the 21st century; and
• tackling respect.

One of the projects benefiting from this cash injection is the SHOUT youth and community project by the Oxford Citizens Housing Association (OCHA).  Under the theme of 'tackling respect', the project aims to create respect between young and old, by creating empowering activities cutting across the Older People and Respect Agenda through voluntary cross generational working.

The project's main aim is to develop a replicable model, in the context of the Respect Agenda, for social housing providers in partnership with other agencies to set up safe, accessible and creative activities empowering young people to take responsibility in their communities.

Its objectives include:

• working with 150 children and young people initially on three OCHA schemes, increasing to 250 on five schemes in the second year;
• creating voluntary opportunities for over 100 young people, including those with ASBOs, local secondary school children and university students.  They will set up and run young people's and inter generational activities;
• using sporting, multi-media and educational activities to encourage health and well being in the community; and
• providing increased support for parents, particularly those with vulnerable children.

Other projects to benefit will include:

Responding to an ageing population
Skills Exchange by the Serpentine Gallery
The project will develop a model for cross generational views of older people and the kind of housing they want.  The Serpentine Gallery will engage with older people through art and architect led discussion groups.

Housing management for the 21st century
Energising housing associations to achieve affordable warmth by National Energy Action South West
This project aims to develop an affordable warmth strategy applicable in a diverse range of homes.

Land availability
Financing land and rural housing schemes by Hastoe Housing Association
Fitting with the rural housing strategy, the project builds on work developed by Hastoe to report on and disseminate more widely different ways of securing land through renting, leasehold, rural housing bonds, community land trusts and tax relief.  It will highlight the way forward through good practice and successful initiatives.

Barriers to low cost home ownership
My safe home project by Staffordshire County Council
The project aims to tackle home ownership issues for people with long-term disabilities, marginalised and vulnerable people.

Housing Corporation Acting Chief Executive Steve Douglas said, “Our IGP programme promotes innovation across the housing association sector.  This is real cash, going directly to people who are engaged in new and exciting initiatives which have a positive impact on the lives of entire communities.

“The programme has funded a wide range of pioneering projects, many of which have paved the way as examples of best practice within the housing sector.  I am delighted that the package we are announcing today will ensure that this good work continues.”

Oxford Citizens Housing Association Operations Director, Andrew Smith said, "We are delighted to have secured the support of the Housing Corporation for SHOUT, our youth and community project aiming to create respect between young and old.

"By setting up young people's activities and intergenerational work, and implementing the Respect Agenda, we hope to not only reduce anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime on our schemes, but also see greater harmony between the younger and older generations."

The next IGP bid round is due to be announced in the autumn.

Ends.

Notes to Editors:
1) For further press information, please contact Naomi Evans on 020 7393 2118.

2) The IGP programme is a revenue grant administered by the Housing Corporation to encourage the development and testing of new ideas and proposals and to generate and promote good practice in the delivery of housing services within the housing association sector.  It is administered by the Housing Corporation's Centre for Research and Market Intelligence (CRMI).

3) Since 1995, the Housing Corporation has invested over £80m through its IGP programme.  Over 12 years, the IGP programme has funded a range of pioneering projects, developed innovative solutions and highlighted good practice.

4) The Housing Corporation is the Government agency responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating over 1,500 housing associations across England.  Its biggest ever investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-08 will fund 84,000 homes;  49,000 of these will be for affordable rent, and 35,000 will be for affordable sale through the Government's new HomeBuy initiative, helping people to get a foot on the property ladder.

5) The Housing Corporation is working with English Partnerships and Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed new homes agency.