Wigan-based Imagine, Act & Succeed is pioneering a model of housing in which people getting support live alongside ‘good neighbours’ with benefits for tenants and savings for the local authority. Terry Keely explains how it works.
Like all learning disability providers we are facing major challenges, fighting off drastic funding reductions to support levels while trying to run support models we can be proud of. Over the past few years we have seen the establishment of ‘quick fix’ solutions – blocks of flats, for example, created to deliver the financial agenda but not getting it right for the individual.
Deconstructing stand-alone services and remodelling them for large groups of people is very easy to get wrong. Far too many decision makers appear to latch on to the bottom line saving and overlook the need to allow people to live alongside the wider public within a more natural community.
We decided to propose a model that did offer some financial efficiencies but at the same time minimised the number of supported people within a specific environment. We term this an ‘intentional community’ as it is made up of people with support needs and the general public. Former Chief Executive of Imagine, Act & Succeed Owen Cooper had seen what could be achieved in a similar model in Toronto developed by Judith Snow and the City Council. This initially took a great deal of explaining, and persistence in identifying the people who could see what we were trying to achieve. Fortunately, we had a local authority, Wigan, who could see the positive aspects of the idea and a unique property owner committed to doing something different, not simply maximising revenue.
Railway Road in Leigh has twelve flats of which six are for people with learning disabilities and six are offered to the general public who sign up to being ‘good neighbours’. Initially, we thought about formalising the good neighbour role by mapping out specific commitments but as the scheme took shape we allowed the role to be more natural. A good example of the role is simply being there overnight; five of the six tenants, who formerly had specific overnight staff, now share one. This is a good example of how a model can save money without being simply driven by financial objectives.
Shared vision
Suitable good neighbour tenants are identified by the property owner, Shirley Longley, who worked with us during the two years spent creating the model. Shirley is able to communicate to prospective tenants what is expected of being a good neighbour. Written guidance is provided alongside the tenancy agreement. Whilst Shirley provides the six good neighbours, the supported tenancies are provided by New Foundations Housing Association, who also helped us to develop Railway Road. The essential elements between all parties are a shared vision and trust.
The six supported tenants came from a range of unrelated support services, with five being ‘stand-alone’ tenants. To identify who might benefit from a move we applied a philosophy of ensuring that people would be better off, both in lifestyle and relationships, and if public money was saved so much the better.
This is how some of the people benefited:
Peter lived in a single tenancy with round-the-clock support and although neither Peter nor his staff had major concerns about this support model it existed in isolation. Having staff around all the time made him feel he was being supervised. Peter was very keen to move to Railway Road, particularly because overnight staff would be on site but not in his personal accommodation.
Since the move Peter has benefited from having an increasing amount of time unsupported and the support he does get is targeted to his needs and wishes. He has also sustained a long term relationship with his girlfriend who visits him regularly. So although before the move Peter had a more expensive service it didn’t tick every box and now he says he wouldn’t want to go back to living in his old house with his old type of support.
Joanne lived in single service with partial support but no overnight staff. As with Peter the model of support worked at one level but allowed for little socialising. With the move to Railway Road Joanne has made more friends, not just with other supported tenants but with natural good neighbours. Popping into a neighbour’s flat to watch a film or going to the pub with them are regular occurrences.
This type of contact has added real value to Joanne’s life as previously her support, other than by the family, was determined by the staff rota. Now Joanne spends time with people when she wants to and, in turn, she offers a great deal to other people at Railway Road. The mix of formal and natural support really suits her and her identity. She now has more support without any increased cost. Joanne also says she feels a lot safer at Railway Road, particularly overnight, as she has more people around her.
David had lived in a two-person supported living service and before that a four-person house, both of which had overnight staff. Again this form of support worked functionally but there was justification for exploring a different way of living. As with all shared support models David had to accept a degree of compromise in how he lived but moving to Railway Road has provided him with more control. He appears to be both more independent and assertive, in a positive way, since the move and his decision making, about his lifestyle, carries conviction.
This can only be down to the sense of ownership he feels. Like the other supported tenants David has benefited from living alongside unsupported tenants who, in turn, benefit from having David as a neighbour. The removal of his sleep staff was a significant concern for David and his family when planning the move but now, two years later, this is working well.
Subtle changes
For support workers, Railway Road can be a major challenge as they have to work in a different type of environment. In the early days we arranged specific meetings for staff to focus on the subtle changes needed to work successfully in this mixed environment. Far too many support services can, sadly, drift into cultures influenced or determined by staff. At Railway Road there is the additional factor of considering the other people who live there. Staff have to make fine judgements about promoting natural friendship within a formal supported environment, knowing when to step back but keep the person safe. One innovation that has helped is combined social gatherings which now feel quite natural to everyone.
Establishing Railway Road has reduced the cost of supporting the tenants and it is hoped the saving is being put to good use. In theory, greater savings could have been made by just having supported tenants living there but far less would have been achieved in what really matters – improving people’s lives.
We are now actively engaged with the local authority in developing two similar schemes in Wigan and we are optimistic we will achieve similar outcomes for people.
Terry Keely is Head of Operations, Imagine, Act & Succeed,Wigan
