LintelTrust's Annual Launch and Review 02nd October 2009
Report
 
Nearly 100 guests attended Lintel's Annual Launch and Review held on Friday 2nd October 2009 at St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life in Glasgow.  Robert McDowall, Convener of LintelTrust, welcomed everyone to the event which marked Lintel's 30th anniversary.  Throughout the event, Robert fed audiences some fun facts about how life was back in 1979, such as Phillips producing the first-ever CD and that Israel was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.  

On Lintels' own history, Robert noted that over £1million had been awarded in grant by Lintel over it's 30 year history, to help new organisations get started, and to help other sustain their activities.  He explained that, as Lintel is an unendowed Trust, all money had to be raised by way of donations and events.  He wanted it to be noted, however, that Lintel is not just about funding, it is also about benefits to those involved in making contacts and in networking opportunities.  

Three projects which had received grant from LintelTrust agreed to come along to the Launch to talk about their work, and the difference Lintel grant had mde to them.  Sarah Findlay from Starter Packs (Glasgow) started off the proceedings by explaining a bit about their background.  Based in Govan, the project operates throughout Greater Glasgow recycling and distributing household items to people with no resources.  The main aims of the project are to:
* alleviate stree for people moving into a house, or setting up home for the first time;
* help people settle into their home free from debt; and
* kick-start tenancy sustainment

The 'Green Agenda' is a priority to the project in that it makes use of unwanted items and reduces landfill waste.  The recycled items are basic ones such as crockery, kettles, pots, pans and bedding - definitely no plasma screen or other luxuries!

The Lintel grant allowed a sessional worker to be employed to work with housing association tenants and to allow volunteers to take part who themselves had experience of social exclusion.

The project is run on a business footing and is developing its portfolio of social enterprises to include fashion clothing which is produced in Govan from a variety of unwanted items such as curtains, duvet covers and other reclycled materials.  This commercial approach sets the tone of the relationship with housing associations, companies and other organisations.  

Starter Packs are keen to encourage companies to think of them by asking staff to donate items which can be recycled or by putting on fashion shows to raise funds.  

Looking ahead, Sarah anticipated things getting tougher for those who have least.  Inclusion, not exclusion, is the byword of Starter Packs (Glasgow).  Sarah also kindly offeed to organise a fundraising fashion show for Lintel in the future, which was warmly welcomed. 

Robert McDowall thanked Sarah for her excellent presention, and commented that helping people to remain in their own homes had been a key theme for Lintel over the years, with its particular focus on Care and Repair and Handyperson Schemes.  

Next up was Victoria Scott, Coordinator with StreetLeague.  She wanted to talk about the element funded by LintelTrust - the Directions2Work project.

Victoria explained tht StreetLeague began in 2001 in London, and gradually developed to other areas of the country, with start-up in Glasgow in 2005.  The organisation works with young unemployed people expecially those who are hard to engage. 
 
It offers 2 hours free football coaching to young people then gives them the option of volunteering or moving into education, or employment opportunities.  

Lintel's grant supported the 'Directions2Work' programme offering the chance to move on in life via the medium of sport.  StreetLeague were pleasd to report that 82 young people had gained accrediation through this, and that the organisation had also been successful in receiving grant of £1.7 million over the next 7 years  from the Inspiring Scotland funding programme to help with their sustainability.  

Robert thanked Victoria for her presentation, and asked for our final presenter of the day to take the floor.

Audrey Cuthbertson from Motherwell and Wishaw Citizens' Advice Bureau took the floor to talk about their Fuel Users Empowerment Project.  

Audrey explained that the project was a unique partnership between CAB and 6 housing associations in North Lanarkshire.  It came about as a result of a survey which showed that
* 64-80% of housing association tenants are on benefit;
* 27% have a long term illness or disability; and
* 69% are economically inactive.

Lintel funding levered in further funding for the project from the Abbey Charitable Trust and further contributions from the housing association partners has allowed 2 part-time staff to work with volunteers.  The direct, confirmed benefit to tenants from the project has so far been over £30,000 with more in the pipeline.  This all came from an initial outlay of £17,000.

Robert thanked Audrey for her project overview, and some questions were posed to the presenters.  He then moved on to the next part of the Annual Launch: Housing Question Time.

This year's 'Housing Question Time' theme was 'Credit Crunch - what it means for housing'.  Andrew Robertson, LintelTrust Trustee, chaired the session, and this year's panel consisted of Ken Dow, Chartered Institute of Housing; Jackie Cropper, Grand Central Savings; Craig Sanderson, Link Group; Leah Cameron, ScotCash; Graeme Brown, Shelter (Scotland); Mark Ewing, TC Young Solicitors;and Gillian McInnes, Argyll Community Housing Association.

Each member of the panel introduced themselves, and commented on their views of the Credit Crunch.  All highlighted:
* the critical need for work on financial inclusion
* research showing a significant increase in eviction cases from social rented housing
* the difficulties for tenants who borrrow small amounts of money at high rates of interest
* an increase in money problems for people who are in employment
* investment in services for people who are socially excluded saves the community money
* the challenge is to minimise the effect of the credit crunch and maximise the opportunities it offers
* there is a need for more personalised services
* the impact of the Government's Concordat and Single Outcome Agreements in extending the 'contract culture' in the voluntary and charity sectors
* the last few years have been 'scary' with the introduction of 'Firm Foundations' and the end of ringfenced funding for social care 
However, there have also been opportunities!  

Questions from guests covered a broad range of topics, with some interesting responses flowing from these.  

Opportunities - what opportunities???
* Mortgage to Rent has alowed housing associations to purchase houses and sites from developers.  This has helped more people move into social housing and allows housing associations as social enterprise organisations to 'plough back' money into the community.  However, there is a difficulty because of the ceiling on the price of rent to mortgage properties.  
* housing associations are established organisations with experienced staff and board members with a regular income stream from rent are well-placed to combine their weight with local intelligence to crate and support social enterprise organisations for instance in the filed fo renewables, waste, market gardening, and health initiatives.  

Has Scottish Goverment let the sector down?
* not completely, but given the budget envelope and the limited availability of credit, it hasn't taken the opportunity to reset priorities.  It has a fixed line.
* We have to take advantage of the fact that the budget is a draft and seek to influence change
* The Governement has sliced Wider Role from the housing budget - the grant will end next year.  All guests are urged to write to Alex Neil stressing the importance of this funding stream.  The loss of wider role funding creates a double hit as wider role grant is usually 'match funded' by the associations
* 70% of housing associations are involved in wider role activities.  The Scottish Government should start seeing wider role funding as an investment not a grant
* The investment in wider tole needs measuring.  The Social Retun on Investment (SROI) project aims to develop some financial proxies that can be used to measure impact.  Penny Morris is a useful contact, or Bill Grant.  

If there are more applications for evictions in the social rented sector, what has gone wrong?  Shouldn't housing benefit cover this?
* The maladministration of housing benefit has been a long-term problem
* some people would prefer to have their housing benefit paid direct to their landlord, but a choice should be offered
* around 70% of housing associations have a tenancy sustainment strategy - this makes good business sense AND good social sense.  

People with disabilities have particular difficulty in obtaining suitable housing.  A national database is needed.  
* Ownership Options assists with housing information and advise for disabled people seeking to purchase
* Shared ownership may help some people but some lenders are now asking potential shared owners for a deposit which could rule them out
* the guidance on shared ownership is onerous
* Housing Associations are providing more new housing to varying needs standards but there is greater difficulty with knowing what adaptations have been carried out to existing stock and making this information available to those seeking housing
* In Aberdeen good progress has been made towards a local database and this could be rolled out nationally via the Disabled Persons Housing Service there (DPHSA)
*LintelTrust has supported DPHS 's and Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living's on-line database with entention to other areas of Scotland planned
* Disabled people need to shout louder!

How does the Credit Crunch impact on those who have least?  Does the system make it more difficult for the most marginalised of people? 
* There is a majore problem with financial literacy.  It is a disgrace that application forms for benefits are so complex.  Almost half of thsoe who seek financial advice need assistance with completing forms.  
* For some people (particularly refugees, immigrants and those form an ethnic community) translation services are vital
* The people who sek advice for organisations like ScotCash and Grand Central Savings are among those who are the poorest and most marginalised 
* These organsiations have strong links with Credit Unions
* It is important for people to work together more collectively.  The management of debts and loans relies on parnership working
* for most, joined up working is just a cliche
* The systems are allowing us to rely on voluntary organisations and charities for what should be core services.

If the panel could look 20 years into the future, what would they see?    
* fewer housing associations and more larger ones is likely, as is housing associations working more closely with other sectors
* credit will not necessarily be cheaper and ther will be an ongoing squeeze on public finances
* there should be no need for organisations like ScotCash!
* ther will be an increasingly elderly population and lack or provision for them
* there will be significant immigration into Scotland
* financial inclusion wil be embedded into the curriculum at school
* there should be a more flexible housing system perhaps within 5 years, with people able to choose tenure and staircasing up or down

Andrew Robertson thanked the panel for their stimulating contributions.

Robert McDowall closed theis year's Annual Launch by thnaking the presenters, and panel again, and also extending thanks to Link Group, Queens Cross Housing Association and DTZ Consulting and Research for again sponsoring the Annual Launch and Review.  He thanked the many organisations and individuals that support LintelTrust, with donations, assistance in kind, and taking part in events and activities.  He stressed that LintelTrust is not just about raising funds and distributing grants, it is about bringing people together, and about networking.  Lintel events and activities throughout the year provide that opportunity, and participation and support in the coming year will be much appreciated.      
 

Striking it Lucky for Lintel!

Wates Romps Home with a Winner for LintelTrust!

Wates Living Space (a partner of LintelTrust) recently sponsored a Charity Race Night and Disco (held on 21st April 2009 in Glasgow), with all proceeds going to LintelTrust.  SFHA kindly sppnsored the Programmes/racecards for the night, and the following companies and individuals sponsored the races: Miller Pattison, TC Young Solicitors, Martec Engineering, Whiteinch Demolition, ISS Waterers Landscape, and the Murray Family.  With an extra donation made after the event by Martec Engineering, an amazing £1000 was raised from the event.