Framework Housing Association: 2006 Gold Award winner

About Framework
A Nottingham-based association, Framework HA was creaed in July 2001 through a merger between Nottingham's two leading homeless support agencies - Macedon and Nottingham Help the Homeless Association.  Since then, the number of people it suports has nearly doubled, from 2,582 in 2001-02 to 4,818 in 2004-05.

The association works across Nottinghamshire, through more than 30 services, including GPs, colleges, and mental health professionals.

With an emphasis on prevention, Framework manages 432 homes centrally, as well as tackling rural homelessness.

The award-winning projects
Most of Framework's clients are vulnerable and face discrimination as a result of ethnicity, mental health problems, drug use or learning disabilities. Its women’s service group, for example, covers a range of residential and tenancy sustainment projects for teenage parents, women fleeing domestic violence and recovering drug users.

Framework's work covers street outreach, direct access hostels, day centres, move-on hostels, specialist accommodation, tenancy sustainment, learning and training, permanent accommodation and a health community centre in Mansfield for people at risk of homelessness.

The STAR service prevents homelessness and repeat homelessness among people with mental health problems through a partnership between Framework and the statutory services. It helps clients move out of long-stay institutional care by providing a supported living scheme, access to mental health professionals and finding tenancies in the community. Other partners in the scheme include Tun Tum, a black and minority ethnic-led housing association. It provides a cluster of tenancies to STAR clients, 40% of whom are from black and minority ethnic communities.

What the judges said
The merger of Macedon and Nottingham Help the Homeless Association has led to significant growth and development of services, said the judges. “Framework has an exceptionally strong financial position, and innovations such as the academy provide learning activities through courses for service users, focusing on developing life, social and employment skills. It has made extremely good use of Supported People funding, especially in developing its tenancy sustainment work.”

The association is also praised for its work with the Health Centre in Mansfield. “Framework is integrating its supported housing work with community regeneration, through an attractive and well-equipped community centre hosting a range of activities.”

The experts' view
The organisation’s gender-specific services “are leading to really good services especially for women”, according to the experts. Its intention to seek accreditation from Leeds University for its Practice Development Unit is commended, and a training and development initiative, Flat Pack, “clearly benefits clients by developing skills as well as increasing real sense of ownership”, the experts say.

Further information
Visit Framework's website for further information on the organisation