SOCIAL VALUE
Social value is the difference that stakeholders experience through change in their lives and can be achieved by utilising and investing resources carefully in order to maximise opportunities . The Group has been able to deliver social value by ensuring that new and existing initiatives align to its values and continues to champion innovative solutions to meeting need at a local level . On a business level there is awareness that delivering social value leads to cost savings and further work will be carried out during 2017 / 18 to refine Accord ’ s social value work , policy and measurement to more fully understand the link between the impact on customers and core housing data – for example driving more customers into employment .
Accord delivers social value in many ways and through activities generates a significant amount of social value added , for example :
FryAccord Evaluation of the jobs and skills service . Part of this evaluation has been done using the HACT wellbeing valuation model ( a ratio of £ 3.22 for every £ 1 invested in the service ). This is only part of the story though as participants are typically a long way from being employment ready so the majority of support is ‘ pre-employment ’. There are some fantastic outcomes being achieved in terms of individuals making progress towards employment and self reliance evidenced by Work Star and Self Esteem assessment scores .
Jobs and Skills service for Dudley & Sandwell A summary of the outcomes which have been achieved for the 65 clients the coaches have worked with ( 20 have moved into full time employment and a HACT wellbeing valuation ratio of £ 1 :£ 8 has been achieved ).
Money Advice service A summary of the outcomes which have been achieved both in terms of financial gains for the individuals but also benefits to the organisation through reduced arrears , fewer court proceedings etc .
Make , Move and Munch clubs A summary of the Sandwell NCP programme Accord is involved in
Holiday Kitchen Holiday Kitchen began in 2013 as an experimental programme funded by Children in Need . This was scaled up in 2014 when it was delivered across 11 sites in low income neighbourhoods in Birmingham , Sandwell and Solihull . Building on this success , over the summer of 2015 , Holiday Kitchen ran in 23 community settings and in the West Midlands , supported 83 families from 22 ethnic backgrounds with 127 children , and across Greater Manchester 119 families with 278 families were engaged . A PHE ( Public Health England ) funded follow up study was launched in April 2016 focusing on sustained impact during the 12 week period which followed families attending Holiday Kitchen and the potential value of including Holiday Kitchen type programmes as part of integrated support packages offered to vulnerable families . The study concluded that Holiday Kitchen is a programme that complements Public Health England priorities of ensuring every child has the best start in life ; and a reduction of health inequality and place based health is achieved in a cost effective manner . For approximately £ 15 per person / day over eight days during summer holidays the vast majority of participant families experience notable mental well-being benefits in the short-term . Significantly , the study evidenced that over time there appears to be a continuum of programme impact for participants . The meeting of short-term needs has gone on to foster medium term applied knowledge , and in some cases sustained behaviour change in relation to one or more of the programmes key objectives .
Digital Inclusion pilot A summary of the pilot which has begun at the Heritage in Walsall and the approach being taken to understanding the level of impact of giving customers free wi-fi and a tablet for a 12 month period . In addition to the delivery of services where social value added is wholly embedded in the activity , Accord also operates a number of initiatives which have the specific intention of adding significant additional social value .
38 Accord Housing Association