Change 4: Housing and the VCSE as trusted partners

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Housing and the VCSE sector should be both strategic partners and delivery partners in helping to improve health and wellbeing. Housing is integral to health and wellbeing and VCSE organisations are often the first to identify and respond to local needs.

Seeing them as full partners and ensuring they have the funding and autonomy to work closely with communities can increase community capacity, help build resilience and sustainability, and empower communities to design services and support that work for local people.


Making it Real statements

I have a place I can call home, not just a ‘bed’ or somewhere that provides me with care."

We know that the place where people live, the people they live with, and the support they get, are important to their wellbeing and often interlinked. We have conversations with people to make sure we get all aspects right for them as individuals."

Tips for success

  • Recognise the valuable role of VCSE organisations connecting people into hyper-local services and support. For example, VCSE hospital discharge services convening other more local VCSE organisations to coordinate and ensure people have some ongoing support.
  • Recognise the important role community groups can play in tackling health inequalities often working closely with people who health and social care organisations can struggle to reach.
  • Build on what already exists in communities rather than starting from scratch, for example, joining up primary care network link workers, community navigators, mental health and other neighbourhood roles to have a greater impact.
  • Understand that short-term non-recurrent funding and competitive tendering can act as a barrier to sustainability, scaling up or adapting services, and collaboration.
  • Explore how VCSE organisations can provide preventative support to individuals and families who would not otherwise meet eligibility criteria for statutory services.
  • Look at different models of housing and support such as Shared Lives Plus or Keyring which focus on social connection and build community capacity, are cost effective and deliver positive outcomes.

Supporting materials


Case studies


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