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