Partnership for Strong Communities’ Post

We welcome the government's Autumn Statement during these difficult times, but this is just the start of meeting the support local councils need. No council is in a position where they can wait for the government to fix the economy, as the damage to local budgets across London cannot be undone in one announcement, so we will be looking inwards to see how we can invest and balance our budgets, with the money we do have, to fill the gaps in funding. This budget recognises that it is essential that action is taken now to allow local authorities to meet the growing demand for services and rising costs. Single-year funding allocation has been disastrous for councils; therefore, the introduction of longer-term settlements next year will positively and tangibly make an impact on our residents' lives. Poverty and the rising cost of living continues to affect thousands of our residents, so we welcome the tripled investment into breakfast clubs and £1billion into Special Educational Needs and Disabilities provision, ensuring no child goes hungry and every child is able to reach their full potential. We are also delighted about the extension of the Household Support Fund, something we have lobbied passionately for so that we can continue to support our most vulnerable communities.  We made it our mission to ensure people in Greenwich have access to a safe and secure home. Housing is a fundamental right, and everyone deserves a place to call home. Due to the undeniable housing crisis and the spiralling cost of temporary accommodation, it is putting immense pressure on our budget, mirroring challenges faced by councils nationwide. With the promise of £233million investment in tackling homelessness and rough sleeping, we hope we will be able to reduce the strain of temporary accommodation costs on our budgets. Lobbying efforts to reduce Right to Buy discounts and enable councils to retain 100% of the proceeds have been heard loud and clear. This is a welcome boost and will allow us to reinvest in new homes and housing stock across Royal Greenwich.  We are also encouraged by measures to better align Carer’s Allowance with the rising cost of living, ensuring carers receive an increase in benefits to help manage expenses. We agree that expanded capacity in primary and community care centres will relieve pressure on hospitals and improve access to services. The budget also backs our commitment to improving mental health services, reflected in our own £1.3million investment into pioneering new mental and wellbeing hubs for young people   As a council, we want to make sure our communities are supported, while adapting to navigate the increasing number of financial challenges we face. Thanks to some of the positive steps outlined in the Autumn Statement, the first to be delivered by a female chancellor, we can continue to undertake work on a local level to ensure we remain the well-managed council that we are. 

Boulder is known for being one of the happiest cities in the U.S., but it's also one of the most expensive places to live in the nation. Nearly one in four Boulder households lacks the monthly income to make ends meet, struggling with the ability to pay rent, feed their families, get childcare, medical care, or pay their bills. The City of Boulder, inspired by the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income movement, decided to tackle this issue head-on by launching Elevate Boulder, the city's own guaranteed income pilot project. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gmZTUvym

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟭 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆❗️ Over the weekend, my news feeds were flooded with heartbreaking stories of families facing direct displacement. This morning, I joined my team in saying a prayer for a family forced to leave their home and community behind, forced to move miles away from their support network on no fault of their own. It's hitting closer to home for me than ever. I vividly remember the panic of searching the internet to understand if such evictions were even legal after a friend shared their own experience. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that people are being given less than two months to find a new home, all because some landlords feel like it. And let's not even get started on Michael Gove MP’s recent revelation about "unscrupulous landlords" using eviction threats to hike up rents or silence complaints about living conditions. 😡 It's clear as day that the 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦) 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 needs to step up to protect private tenants too especially financially vulnerable tenants who are often facing additional difficulties like disability or poor health. So, what can we do to help make a change⁉️ ✅ Get Engaged: Let's educate ourselves and others about the Renters (Reform) Bill currently in parliament. Let's understand the proposed changes and where we need to push for more. You can start from the joint letter to Michael Gove, backed by Christians Against Poverty, StepChange Debt Charity, Citizens Advice, Money Advice Trust and Law Centres Network, organisations pushing for action. 🪧Join the Movement: Support and promote petitions such as Shelter's 'The Renters Reform Bill’ ( https://lnkd.in/euBnHegi ) Every voice matters in advocating for fair and just housing policies. We can't sit back and watch. Let's throw our weight behind this and support where we can‼️ Together, we can make sure ALL rights are respected and protected. #section21notices #rentersreformbill #displacement #evictions #campaign #petitions #directdisplacement

Older adults' input needed in transition to residential care, says study Despite the efforts of care staff to develop a home-like environment and provide facility-led activities, study participants were happier undertaking self-led activities such as charity or volunteer work, taking care of others, watching birds, or listening to the radio/music. Residential care facilities should consider introducing resident-led programs rather than expecting residents to fit into existing programs, the study found. Collaboration between policymakers, residential care managers and activity staff is important in developing programs that are meaningful to residents, ease adaptation and reduce loneliness and boredom in residential care facilities. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3U6pwWG

NATIONALGOALSETTING You may want to get involved with this movement. I am working on a national (and international) project that may change your personal life, your community, and your nation.  The project will soon be found by looking up NATIONALGOALSETTING. Let's work together if you are part of a club or community group. If your personal and community goals are the same as people in other states (and nations), we plan to start a network to brainstorm and solve this issue together. Let’s plan to network these together at NATIONALGOALSETTING.net. We may even start a new organization at NATIONALGOALSETTING.org. Some folks have already spoken with me about issues like childhood literacy, childhood obesity, homelessness, financial literacy as a high school requirement, health issues, etc. Goals and possibilities: Improve the life of every individual in a nation. This may include: *Stopping homelessness by having every church adopt one homeless family. There are more churches than there are homeless families *Stopping hunger by requiring every restaurant to donate unused food every night. Most restaurants throw food away every night (no more “dumpster diving”) *Improving public education by seeing how other nations operate. Is your nation at the top of the “Literacy Chart” and the “Health Chart”? *Eliminate (reduce) personal and national debt by teaching financial (mis)management. Every year, teach some financial courses, including inflation, taxes, and housing. *Is your nation importing/exporting doctors, engineers, pilots, ministers, etc? THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS! NOTES: THE NEW WEBSITE WILL BE… NATIONALGOALSETTING.COM NOTE #1:   GOAL SETTING IS FREE!              NOTE: #2: This is NOT a political movement! NOTE #3: This is NOT a competition.  This will be an awareness campaign to discover what is working in your community (or nation) where you can share ideas and lead the discussion to make your village, community or state a better place. A goal without action is only a dream. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. This project is bigger than any person, city, or state. If we can help each student and each family set a higher goal, then the entire society will improve and excel. Every nation can have its own national goal-setting experience. If you would be interested in being a leader in your state or community regarding any “cause”; please let me know where you are located. My team is working on avenues for "Community Outreach".   We will keep you informed! If you are part of the media and want to help your community, let’s meet or talk soon!

We're proud to be featured in a recent article by Voice of America's Spanish division. Below is a translation from the original article, which includes an interview from SOME's SVP of Community Outreach Daryl Wright. "Voice of America recently highlighted the efforts of SOME, an organization in Washington, D.C., dedicated to helping the homeless. Founded in 1970 as a soup kitchen, SOME has expanded its services to include food, medical care, and temporary and permanent housing for individuals earning 30% or less of the Median Family Income. To qualify for the housing program, applicants must be sober, free of addictions, and employed. Residents contribute up to 30% of their income towards rent, with the remaining amount covered by housing tax credits. Daryl Wright, a representative of SOME, emphasizes that one of the initiative's main goals is to "restore the dignity" of those experiencing homelessness: "That they can get food, clothing, and, most importantly, be clean and stand at a bus stop without people laughing at them because they don't have a place to shower." Currently, 1,295 individuals are part of SOME's affordable housing program, with 98% paying rent on time. However, despite these successes, organizations like SOME face significant challenges, such as earning the trust of those living on the streets. As Daryl Wright notes, "Trust can be gained quickly, but it can also take months because the person has had many problems in their life... A lot of people are just scared." In addition to these challenges, organizations are also working to involve authorities to plan sustained, long-term solutions." Read the full article: https://bit.ly/3XbjtBE

Summary: The Austin Guaranteed Income Pilot provided $1,000 monthly to low-income families, resulting in significant improvements for participant Stephanie Hendon. The program enabled her to secure permanent housing, a car, and financial stability, ultimately transforming her and her family's lives. Takeaway: The Austin Guaranteed Income Pilot has demonstrated the positive impact of providing financial support to low-income families, offering a potential solution for addressing inequality and housing insecurity. #GuaranteedIncome #FinancialStability #EmpoweringCommunities

We’re excited to share the incredible impact of our investment in Be Caring one of the Uk's largest employee-owned providers of social care services. 💙 With a presence in Newcastle, Leeds, and Manchester, Be Caring is making a real impact by providing residential and palliative care homes for clients with complex needs, including those with learning disabilities. 🔽 We invested a £750k loan as part of a £1m financing package 🔽 This enabled Be Caring to refinance and secure new contracts 🔽 In 2022, when the loan was repaid, Be Caring had soared, serving over 2,300 service users, and delivering an astounding 900,000+ hours of care annually What's even more heartening is that 70% of Be Caring's clients belong to some of the most deprived areas in the country, showcasing their commitment to serving those in need. 💪 Do you want to learn more about our funds supporting organisations creating core solutions to poverty? Find out more ▶️ https://bit.ly/4cQPbKt #SocialCare #HealthandWellbeing #Newcastle #Leeds #Mancheser #BigIssueInvest

A shift in thinking about aid among some policymakers and nonprofits has led to the creation of pilot programs across the U.S. where households get cash, with no strings attached, so they can spend it as they see fit. All ask a similar question: Can cash grants, or grants in combination with mentorship and coaching, help boost the economic welfare of low-income people more efficiently and effectively than other kinds of aid? #basicincome #economicmobility #debunkingmyths A new report about the programs, released by Jewish Family Service this week, makes a case that “unrestricted cash support acts as a systemic buffer, provides economic security during economic downturns, helps families weather financial emergencies, and enables them to plan for the future.” Cash payments can also be a catalyst for upward economic mobility, the report says: “For many, having enough cash is the difference between following through with that new business idea, booking that dental appointment, enrolling in a college course part-time, or paying their monthly rent.” Researchers found that low-income families and individuals who got support in the form of cash used that money to pay for essential needs — food, housing, retail goods and transportation. These early results show people used their cash grants to help their families — not for frivolous purchases. It’s debunking a lot of the myths and the disbelief and really the hesitation around handing cash to families. https://lnkd.in/g-FA3NBe

Recovery homes for sober living, also known as sober living houses or sober homes, offer numerous benefits for individuals recovering from substance abuse. These homes provide a structured and supportive environment that can significantly aid recovery. Here are some key benefits: 1. Structured Environment: Recovery homes provide a stable and structured environment, which is crucial for individuals in early recovery. This structure helps residents develop healthy routines and habits. 2. Peer Support: Living with others in recovery offers a built-in support system. Residents can share experiences, offer encouragement, and hold each other accountable. 3. Reduced Temptations: Sober living homes are drug- and alcohol-free environments, reducing the risk of relapse due to temptation. 4. Life Skills Development: These homes often provide opportunities to develop essential life skills, such as budgeting, cooking, and time management, which are critical for independent living. 5. Access to Resources: Many recovery homes offer access to various resources, such as counseling, job placement assistance, educational programs, and support groups. 6. Gradual Transition: Sober living homes provide a gradual transition from intensive treatment programs to independent living. This helps individuals slowly reintegrate into society while maintaining their sobriety. 7. Accountability: Residents are typically required to follow house rules, attend house meetings, and participate in regular drug testing. This accountability can reinforce the commitment to recovery. 8. Safe Environment: These homes provide a safe and supportive environment where residents can focus on their recovery without the distractions and triggers of their previous living situations. 9. Encouragement of Responsibility: Residents are often required to contribute to the household through chores and other responsibilities, fostering a sense of responsibility and independence. 10. Sense of Community: Building relationships with others in similar situations can provide a sense of belonging and community, which is often crucial for long-term recovery. 11. Improved Outcomes: Research shows that individuals who participate in sober living programs have better long-term outcomes, including higher rates of sustained sobriety and improved overall well-being. Overall, recovery homes for sober living play a vital role in supporting individuals as they navigate the challenges of early recovery and work towards long-term sobriety and personal growth. Visit us at https://lnkd.in/g6eqUt4Y to learn more and donate.