Case Study

With unemployment and economic inactivity known to disproportionately affect people living in social housing, a proactive partnership between Riverside Housing and Ingeus in the North West is paving the way to working futures for Riverside tenants. 

 

Ingeus delivers the Work and Health Programme in the region, providing tailored employment support to participants with health conditions and disabilities, and long term unemployed people. Working alongside Riverside’s own Employment and Training Team, which can also assist with accessing skills, debt, and housing advice, it’s a supportive network of help allowing Ingeus participants living in Riverside properties to access a wide range of vacancies both with the housing provider itself and local employers it works with. 

 

The partnership is already benefitting Riverside tenants in Liverpool and Carlisle, including 55-year old Paul. Following five years caring for his elderly mother and an intricate foot operation, Paul says he’d lost his mojo and lifelong love of working outdoors. With Ingeus’s specialist support he’s now part of Riverside’s environmental services team, gardening and maintaining outdoor spaces across Liverpool. 

 

“I’d become very introverted, but Ingeus gave me the confidence to get back to work,” says Paul, who was supported by the Ingeus team in Huyton. “I love being back out in nature, giving something back instead of sitting at home. I’m enjoying being part of the Riverside squad and am passionate about doing a good job, making the community spaces smart for everyone.” 

 

Accessing support is completely voluntary and moves at a pace to suit each individual. Riverside strives to recruit its tenants into Riverside roles where possible, and appreciates the external expertise and impartiality that working with Ingeus provides: 

 

Julie Burns, Riverside’s Employment and Training Team Leader, forged the relationship with Ingeus and explains: “We work with various support organisations, but this is the most successful collaboration to date in terms of actively supporting our tenants into jobs. Together, we support Riverside tenants to overcome employment obstacles; support local employers with their recruitment needs; and help our own teams to be truly representative of our tenant population.” 

 

Julie’s nationwide team is backed by the charitable Riverside Foundation, which exists to provide practical support to help people overcome obstacles for a better quality of life.  With more than 75,000 homes, the Riverside Group is one of the leading registered providers of social and affordable housing and care and support services in England and Scotland.