ESG Report 2023 Digital Final - Flipbook - Page 8
02/SOCIAL
Resident Support
C12 - Core
What support services does
the housing provider offer to
its residents. How successful
are these services in improving
outcomes?
Community Investment
As a social purpose
organisation, Choice has
a key role to play not only
in providing homes, but
also in creating vibrant and
resilient communities, and
supporting individuals and
families through the provision
of great services. We have a
history of providing a variety
of services for our tenants that
can broadly be understood
as ‘Community Investment’.
This is a key way that we,
as a housing association,
differentiate ourselves from
other landlords, and is central
to how we demonstrate our
social purpose.
We are utilising the UK
Social Value Bank (‘UKSVB’),
developed by HACT and
Simetrica to measure the
impact of our Community
Investment activity. In 202223, there were eleven
initiatives for which we could
clearly identify the costs of
delivery and subsequent
impact on tenants and wider
community. In the reporting
year Choice spent £482,835
generating £10,762,182 of
additional Social value. The
estimate Gross Value Added to
the Northern Ireland economy
through Choice’s business
activity is GVA £75,288,378
sustaining an estimated 1,306 jobs
throughout the supply chain.
Our ‘Community Investment’ is
an essential commitment, and we
deliver this in a range of support
services. ‘Economic Resilience’
and ‘Health and Well-being’ are
the two themes under which
community investment activities
are considered for funding.
In the year 2022-23, Choice
partnered with 11 organisations
supporting nearly 270 individuals
in accessing education and skills
and/or improving their physical
and mental health. Details of the
initiative are listed below.
‘Economic Resilience’
Young Enterprise NI – Access
Enterprise Programme
Four groups of young people
aged 13-18 in Belfast and the
North-West were supported
by Choice to take part in the
Access Enterprise Programme
organised by Young Enterprise.
The programme introduces the
young people to the world of
business, challenges them and
ultimately raises their educational
and career aspirations. The
business environment offers a
unique opportunity that will act as
a mechanism to provide young
people with an insight into the
world of work, whilst enhancing
their softer skills in teamwork,
communication, presentation
skills, confidence, and problem
solving. The programme is also
accredited with an OCN Level 1
in Vocational Skills and provides
each participant access to gaining
a recognised qualification.
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Choice Environmental, Social and Governance Report
The Rio Ferdinand Foundation
Community Pilot Programme
In February 2023, Choice became
the first housing association
in Northern Ireland to partner
with the well-established Rio
Ferdinand Foundation (RFF)
to support young people
through a range of personal
and professional development
programmes. The RFF has worked
in Northern Ireland since 2016
and provides mentoring and
employment pathways to help
young people in economically
deprived communities.
The initial six-month pilot, running
from January to June 2023,
involved a combination of sports,
music, media, and arts projects
and was initially delivered to young
people across South and East
Belfast. The pilot project delivered
progression opportunities with
established partners of RFF
including Warner Music UK
/ Ireland, UEFA Foundation,
Community Foundation NI and
Catalyst Belfast.
During the pilot:
215 participants (aged 13 – 19)
engaged in positive activities
involving twice weekly sports
and youth activities and personal
development projects. Further
engagement included:
• Community Football
Tournament with panel
discussion featuring football
legends – East Belfast
(x35 Young People - YP)
• Refugee Integration Cup
(x12 YP)
• Big Data In Sports Event
(x24 YP)
• Digital Skills Workshops
(x80 YP)
• Community Football
Tournament – HAPANI
(x50 YP)
• Graffiti Art Project (x14 YP)
69 accreditations achieved
including:
• Community Sports Leader
Award (CSLA) Level 1 – East
Belfast (x10 YP)
• CSLA Level 1 – HAPANI
(x19 YP)
• Equality, Diversity, & Inclusion
(x10 YP)
• Digital Skills Level 1
(x10 YP)
• Mental Health & Wellbeing
(x20 YP)
199 participants engaged in
social action projects:
• Graffiti Art Project
(x14 YP + 10YP helped at
painting sessions)
• Community Football
tournaments (x85 YP)
• Somali National Day (x90 YP)
98 Participants engaged with
motivational and careers events:
• Big Data in Sport learning
about the use of technology
within jobs in sport (x24 YP)
• Into the Sport Industry with
Glentoran FC (x32 YP)
• Into the Tech Industry with
Fibrus and W5 Life (x42 YP)
Choice Housing Scholarships
During the year, Choice also
continued to work with Queen’s
University and Ulster University
to provide financial support to
students facing financial, social
or logistical barriers to furthering
their education through its
scholarship programme. The
scheme, now in its final year,
has run for five years with each
awardee receiving £1,000 which
helps to reduce the stress of
financial pressures while studying,
improve their self-confidence and
give them an emotional boost.
Brian McKenna Student
Placement Programme
(incorporating the Brian
McKenna Prize)
Brian McKenna, who passed away
in February 2019, was a member
of the Choice team for more
than twenty years and, during
his time with the organisation
made a huge contribution to
the lives of tenants, colleagues,
and the communities he worked
in. As a board member of the
Voice of Young People in Care
(VOYPIC), Brian was committed to
working to improve the lives and
opportunities for young people
both professionally
and personally.
In memory of Brian, the student
placement programme offers
seven students the opportunity to
work for a year in the ICT, Assets,
Finance and HR departments.
During their time with Choice
they will receive support from
a dedicated line manager who
will guide them as they develop
skills aimed at preparing them for
employment, through practical
learning and real time problem
solving. Students earn a living
wage during the year’s placement
and the opportunity to win
payment of their final year’s tuition
fee for submitting the winning
entry in a business innovation
programme.
Overlapping Themes Initiatives
Street Soccer NI – Four Nations
Challenge Cup
Choice have supported Street
Soccer NI (SSNI) on a number of
occasions to attend the Homeless
World Cup. Due to Covid
restrictions this year’s world cup
was cancelled and replaced with
the Four Nations Challenge Cup.
This was a 3-day event held in
Edinburgh and brought men’s and
women’s teams from each of the
UK home nations.
SSNI selected 8 men and 8
women from their projects in
Belfast and Derry~Londonderry
to represent Northern Ireland.
Both teams got to the finals.
All 16 players went through five
weeks of trials and training in
the lead up to the event. Each
player completed a support plan
was given one to one support to
help make positive changes in
their lives.
‘Health and Wellbeing’
Destitute Asylum Seekers
Accommodation Project
This service commenced in 2018
to provide support to four women
asylum seekers with no recourse
to public funds. Choice partnered
with Participation in Practice
of Rights (PPR), Community
Foundation Northern Ireland
(CFNI), East Belfast Mission (EBM)
and the NI Law Centre (LCNI) to
provide furnished accommodation
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Choice Environmental, Social and Governance Report