Your weekly news Editorials, Events and Podcasts - IHSCM
When was the last time you were obliged to sincerely re-evaluate your thinking because of something you’d heard or seen? How about, not just re-evaluate, but transform your thinking?
It happened to me on Thursday this week when I attended the IHSCM’s insight workshop looking at the world of social housing, as part of our new series exploring how neighbourhood health systems will work and how their impact will be felt.
Social housing is rarely referred to in discussions around health and care, but it is an absolute social determinant of health. Having a place, a home, to call one’s own and in which one can feel safe and secure is a building block of anyone’s wellbeing and fulfils one of the foundation elements of good public health. Some weeks ago, we decided that we should feature it as a mainstay of the discussion around how neighbourhood health systems will be designed and how they will work.
Social housing, however, is in crisis. Whilst there is a general housing crisis across society, the forces really are aligned for an assault on the social housing sector. Increased complexity, increased demand, increased legislative requirements and reduced resources mean that it is a sector under fierce attack. How can it positively respond?
Our search for two sector experts who could provide the necessary insights took us to Keiron Montague, Executive Director of Communities at Trivallis, a leading social housing provider in South Wales and Anthony Morrow, Community Connector Manager at Sanctuary Scotland, part of the UK wide Sanctuary Housing Group. What are they doing to promote the idea of social housing as a key social health determinant?
And this is where the re-evaluation, even transformation, came in because what they told the rapt audience meant that all our understanding of what social housing was about was dumped in the ‘junk’ file. My goodness, how they mesmerised us. At the heart of their approach are the first four letters of the alphabet – ABCD – Asset Based Community Development. The fact that both Keiron and Anthony have ‘Community’ in their formal titles is a serious acknowledgement of the importance that is attached. So, what is ‘Asset Based Community Development’ and why does it matter?
Because, for years, local authorities and housing associations have sought to do stuff to tenants, estates and communities focused on the needs and obligations of their own organisations… and its not worked. It’s because their approach tended to focus on what was wrong rather than what was strong.
Issues on many estates with anti-social behaviour, crime, substance abuse, rent arrears, poor property maintenance and more have soured the environment in which people try to live. So, the answer, for many years, was to line up agencies and organisations, including the criminal justice system, to sort out the ‘wrong’. Step forward Cormac Russell who has clearly been a huge inspiration to Keiron and Anthony, with his revelatory idea that such an approach will have a short term effect but won’t last because the communities themselves are not emotionally invested. Instead, spaces should be owned by the communities that live in them, empowered and enabled to make positive change for themselves. What are the gifts and assets possessed by the tenants and communities that will enable a high quality of life?
Having grasped this idea and committed to it, both Trivallis and Sanctuary are now embarked on housing transformation by revolutionising the relationships with their tenants and the communities in which they live. If you would like to see evidence of the effect then have a look at the work done by Leeds city council to embrace the same ABCD concept. It’s a revelation for housing associations and the communities themselves.
In a sector under huge pressure, as well as being pushed to the periphery of grand new strategies such as neighbourhood health systems, it was so refreshing and uplifting to hear how a genuinely changed approach is delivering measurably positive results. I felt genuinely liberated, as I know the communities themselves are.
Stay safe, stay strong, and thank you for the brilliant work you are all doing.
Jon Wilks, CEO
Upcoming Events
Brand New Series
We are delighted to bring you a brand‑new IHSCM development programme designed to help health and social care teams strengthen culture, reduce stress, and improve day‑to‑day performance — without needing extra budget or staffing.
Breakthrough Behaviours for Safer, Calmer, High-Performing Care Teams
If you’d like a preview before committing, join our free 30‑minute taster session on 1st July. You’ll experience a short activity, meet the facilitator, and get a feel for the programme’s approach.
Explore the full series and register here
We Need Your Opinions - Complete our Member Survey
We would love to know if you would like to attend an in person event addressing leadership and professional development.
Please take a moment to complete our brief two-question survey—it should only take a minute of your time.
Join us at the Care Show - Less than 2 weeks to go!