Social Housing Opens Pathways to Employability and Social Mobility
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Housing and Social Mobility recently investigated the links between social housing, employment and income inequality. While it’s certainly true that social housing tenants experience below average rates of employment and earnings, this is far from the whole picture.
The APPG highlighted how social housing plays a vital role in helping people to overcome barriers to stable employment and better incomes. Having an affordable home and a permanent address is often the first important gateway to securing steady work.
Property services partners that provide repair and maintenance services for social housing are uniquely placed to build on this advantage. We deliver services right in the heart of communities and have the facilities and skilled people on hand to help local people gain valuable skills and experience. Proximity also helps to overcome the significant barriers to employment that arise when available jobs aren’t located close to where people live.
Whether it’s a contractual condition or not, boosting employability skills for local communities is always an important success factor.
Local Solutions
The economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19 will increase the focus on developing employability skills. Meanwhile, the loss of access to ESF support increases the need for economically sustainable solutions developed at a local level. The APPG stressed the role that social housing providers and their property services partners can play in developing skills and employability programmes shaped around local communities.
With the impact of social distancing, we had to take our employability and development course from a classroom environment to a virtual setting. This meant that we could continue to support our local community and provide interaction at a time where people feel isolated, alone, and lacking confidence. Moving to a virtual environment has widened our inclusivity as we have seen people who wouldn’t normally join a classroom course due to their anxiety or are unable to travel. We can also cater for more people online than we could in a typical classroom.
“Our commitment to recruiting and developing skilled apprentices within the local areas in which we work is not only more sustainable, but they also bring with them new ideas, enthusiasm and encourage a more diverse workforce into construction.” Vicky Fordham-Lewis, Managing Director for Osborne Property Services
