Capacity building

with customers

Our journey so far

Julie Grove

STEP employability and

engagement coordinator

Sarah Smith

Community investment

manager

Our time together today

• Who are we?

• Where have we come from?

• Where are we at?

• Exploring the customer journey

• Spreading the word

• Lessons learnt

• So what ?

• What’s next? Where do we go from here?

• Time for your questions and ideas

Who are we?

• Sentinel Housing Association

• Only locally run housing association in

North Hampshire – local decision making

• Not for profit

• Portfolio – 9100 homes - several local

authorities

• Just over 200 staff

• Prosperous area – Hampshire v hotspots !

Where have we come from?

• No previous direct involvement in

employment programmes

• 3 year lottery funding – Academy4Housing

• Support Towards Employment

Programme (STEP) 2013 – 2016

• 3 London based partners

• Rocky road

• Intensive one to one guidance and

support

STEP

The customer journey

Where are we at?

• One to one support – every step of the way

• Group learning e.g. Enham Trust

• Training / qualifications

• Volunteering

• Work placements

• Personal financial support

Spreading the word

• Facebook – targeted , timely

• Tailor made campaigns – buses, pull up

banners, age related flyers

• Press releases, full page spreads

• Holding message – call centre

• Shopping centre

• Personal financial support

• Staff

• Research

• Film

STEP stars on film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J76Qe22sEZo

Spreading the word

• Radio

• Partner referrals (non customers – WP

caution)

• High profile events - schools, careers

fairs

• In-house team referrals

• Word of mouth

Lessons learnt

• Intensive support – crucial

• Lengthy journeys – from developing

confidence to keeping work

• Building partnerships – challenging !

• In-house – placements, promo, volunteering

• Local – skillzone, JCP, college, training providers,

volunteering, marketing support, reciprocal

signposting

• Regional – work programme providers

• National – lottery

So what?

So what? The people behind the numbers

• Tracey

• Stuart

• Phillip

What’s next? Where do we go from here?

• Community investment strategy - hot spots

and impact (HACT)

• Links with financial inclusion, social

inclusion, digital inclusion and customer

engagement projects

• managing pay packet

• learn my way courses, digital champions

• volunteering

• Stay on track

• constant review

• continuous improvement

• customer base

• challenge self and others

Time for your questions and ideas