Local Councils and Asset Transfer

Interesting article in last week’s Third Sector magazine about the challenges and difficulties in local councils transfering under-used buildings to third sector organisations.  The Audit Commission report  Room for Improvement found that barriers included “councils’ perception that voluntary organisations lacked the management capacity to operate assets. Some councils also resisted transferring assets to the sector because they felt they needed to get as much money as possible for them, the commission found.”

The article is here:  http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/News/Article/920939/Partnership-best-way/ but you might have to register with the site to see the full text.

New Funding Website Launched

NCVO have recently launched Funding Central.org.uk a free one-stop government funded website listing 4,000 national, regional and local funders. It not only contains masses of information about funders, but also tells you lots about how to go about approaching them and making an application.  www.fundingcentral.org.uk

Self Help Housing in The Guardian

Jon Fitzmaurice, Project Director of Self-Help-Housing.org, writes in today’s Guardian about self help housing:

“Self- help housing is all about use value. It’s grassroots, gritty and exciting. It generates opportunities for hands-on training and is community-based. It is local people solving local problems,” he says.

You can read an online version of his article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2009/jul/15/community-reclaim-empty-houses

Introductions

Introduce yourself here.

Launch Of First Ever Self-Help Housing Website

Earlier this year a new project (Self-Help-Housing.Org) was set up by three partner organisations and this week sees the launch of the first ever self-help housing website.

Jon Fitzmaurice from change making consultancy Agents for Change is excited to be launching a long cherished project.

Says Fitzmaurice:  “I started my career in self help housing a long time ago and since then I’ve done many things in housing and homelessness  However, my early experiences in Birmingham of bringing empty properties back into use, involving young people and mobilising communities have never left me.  If there was ever a time to revitalise self-help housing, then it’s now

David Floyd of project partner Social Spider CIC agrees:  “Now is certainly the time, and we’re excited to be involved in something that could change the face of so many communities.”

Heather Petch from hact added “The Government often talks about “empowering people” and here’s an ideal way in which people can take control. We’re particularly concerned about the plight of people at the margins, such a young people, people leaving institutions and refugees, and self-help housing is a great way to provide access to accommodation”.

The site, launching soon, contains a how to guide for any community groups who might like to get hold of disused property and return it to use.  It contains the first ever directory of existing self help housing projects, guidance and documents for setting up and sustain a project and a number of case studies