PREVENTATIVE SUPPORT WORKING GROUP MEETING: 26 MAY 2011
MINUTES OF MEETING
Present
Amanda Britain, JIT Associate
Yvette Burgess, Housing Support Enabling Unit
Colin Campbell, Senscot
Olga Clayton, North Ayrshire Council (Chair)
Glen Graham, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations/Loreburn Housing
Association
Greg McCracken, Age Scotland
Hanna McCulloch, Capability Scotland
Amanda Miller, Bield Housing Association
Gerry Power, Scottish Government
Valerie Sneddon, Scottish Government
Robert Thomson, Care and Repair Forum
Jackie Walder, Scottish Government (Minutes)
Minutes of last meeting

Minutes agreed without amendment.
Potential for handyperson, small repairs and gardening services – survey

Survey could be distributed to Timebanks – there are 26 in Scotland, which work
to enhance community capacity – and to the Community Sector Alliance.

Advertise survey in Senscot bulletin.

Local authorities could be asked to pass on to other organisations in their area
with an interest.

Survey could be distributed via third sector interfaces – a covering letter may be
needed to explain the survey’s purpose.

Three weeks agreed as sufficient timescale for responses.
Comments on proposed questions

Include name of organisation and client group(s) up front.

Include questions on how clients find out about services (e.g. through advertising,
social work referral, word of mouth) and the scale of the service (e.g. the number
of clients assisted in a year). Demand may be a reflection of how widely the
service is advertised.

Include more options on funding of services.
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
Include a question on whether services have been evaluated for impact.

Some introductory text will be needed to open the survey to explain that it is
being undertaken on behalf of the Scottish Government’s Preventative Support
Group, which is looking at the provision of services which help older people and
disabled people to live independently at home.
Action: Gerry to provide contact details for Timebanks.
Case illustrations

Purpose of illustrations is twofold – to demonstrate the benefits of preventative
services to service commissioners, and to show different models of service
provision to give providers alternative options for service provision.

Need to bear in mind that main focus is the contribution of the housing sector –
housing solutions as part of a more integrated picture.

Criteria for illustrations should include housing sector contribution; preventative
nature of service; and availability of detail of its operation.

Audience would be service providers, commissioners (local authorities and NHS)
and potential funders.

Need to ensure a geographical spread of illustrations from around Scotland.

Quality of illustrations is more important than quantity.

Information will be required on cost benefits and personal benefits and outcomes
for clients – whether evaluation has been undertaken and/or social return on
investment.

Some organisations have core activities, along with additional services, e.g.
repair services sometimes operate offshoots such as home security, fire security
and safety at home. Some sheltered housing services are being expanded
beyond tenants.

Additional sources of illustrations could come from Change Fund plans, Wider
Role Fund recipients, Lintel Trust and Joseph Rowntree Foundation (in relation to
the latter, need to consider whether to include illustrations from outwith Scotland).

Studies of social networks have shown contribution to social capital and
reductions in falls.

Need to consider contribution of services to reducing inappropriate hospital
admissions and delayed discharge.

Need to accept that some evidence may be softer, as some things are more
difficult to measure.
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
Illustrations will be useful for next round of Change Fund – to try and plug gaps.
Social enterprise

Social enterprise is not a panacea, and there are issues with capacity.

Senscot provides a range of support to social entrepreneurs, including a weekly
news bulletin.

Procurement practices can be a barrier – bigger contracts make it more difficult
for small organisations to win contracts, but community benefit clauses can be
helpful, and there needs to be greater awareness of them. Community benefit
clauses are often linked to the training of apprentices, but can relate to other
social and environmental impacts and could be used more widely in relation to
the preventative support agenda.

Social enterprises related to housing include Instant Neighbour in Aberdeen,
Community Food Initiatives and the Food Train.

Social enterprises need to be well connected within their communities – one of
the main barriers is a lack of relationships.

Social enterprises must earn 50% or more of their income from trading.
Assessment of economic impact shows that most are operating at more than
65% trading over grant and are making significant moves to self-sustainability
and growth.

Social enterprises can use volunteers, as a way to get people involved in their
communities. However, the use of volunteers is on top of core costs, and they
can’t be used to reduce service costs.

RSLs are involved in a range of social enterprise activities, and there are more
options for joined up work between RSLs and independent social enterprises,
which could build up into clusters of social enterprises.

Social enterprises need to diversify their activities – not very sustainable if they
only deliver services to one commissioner. They often start with a level of
subsidy and develop a charging model. Some social enterprises cross-subsidise
– e.g. one part of their business (a ‘cash cow’) may subsidise the provision of
other services.
Action: Jackie to circulate link to Port of Leith Housing Association’s
Community Benefit Clause Guidance Manual
(http://www.polha.co.uk/community_benefit_clauses).
Action: Colin to provide details of social enterprises delivering housing-related
preventative services in Fife to Jackie, with a view to organising a group visit.
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Date of next meeting

The next meeting should take place at the beginning of September.
Action: Jackie to circulate possible dates.
Independent Living
May 2011
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