December 12, 2011

Last week, Huw Lewis – the Welsh Government
Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage – visited one of Gofal’s supported housing projects in Bridgend. The Minister was greeted by a number of Gofal staff members, as well as one of our current service users, Natalie, who receives housing related support in Bridgend. After meeting the Minister, Gofal’s Head of Services Greg Thomas said:

“We were delighted to welcome the Minister to one of our key supported housing projects in Bridgend. It was a great opportunity for one of our service users to talk openly to the Minister about her experience and to demonstrate how the Supporting People programme has had a positive impact on her life.”

A number of Gofal projects in Bridgend, and across South Wales, are funded through the Welsh Government’s Supporting People programme. Supporting People is the Welsh Government policy programme and funding for housing related support for vulnerable people.

In 2009, Jocelyn Davies, who was Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration in the last Welsh Government, commissioned an independent review into the Supporting People programme, led by Professor Sir Mansel Aylward. The report considered current policies, arrangements, systems and resources, and made a number of recommendations to the Welsh Government.

The visit by the Minister coincided with the ongoing Welsh Government consultation about the new Supporting People (SP) programme. Gofal has been actively involved in developing the new programme guidance, but has and continues to make representations to the Welsh Government about the need for robust and enforceable governance structures and grant conditions within the new programme.

In relation to the Welsh Government consultation, Greg Thomas said:

“Supporting People makes a huge difference to thousands of vulnerable people across Wales and we welcome the new collaborative approach to planning and delivering SP services in Wales.

“However, it is absolutely vital that all stakeholders are held to account by robust and enforceable governance structures and grant conditions within the new programme.

“The role of the National Board and Regional Collaborative Committees will be fundamental to this, but we feel that more detail is required to ensure that the new system really delivers for vulnerable people across Wales.”

Gofal will be responding to the consultation in due course, but the Minister’s visit was a great opportunity to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by the new SP programme.

 

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