Skills and Knowledge from the HCA

The place-making recognition scheme
 Identifying quality products that improve skills and knowledge

Case studies

The scheme has scope to approve a wide range of different products and programmes. These case studies demonstrate how some currently recognised products help create sustainable communities.

Take a look at the full list of products we’ve approved

Active Learning for Residents (ALfR)


Who delivers it?
Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) supported by social housing providers including registered social landlords, local authorities and ALMOs.

What does it offer?
ALfR offers two courses for active social housing residents aimed at recognising their existing practical experience. A level 2 community action in housing qualification is suitable for residents’ association members or local community campaigners, while a level 4 award in governance in housing is aimed at tenant board members.

How does it work?
Launched in 2009 following a successful two-year pilot, ALfR qualifications allow residents to reflect on practical experience of community work and volunteering – and to demonstrate what skills and knowledge they have gained. It’s about accreditation of prior experience and learning – with less reliance on traditional assessment methods.

Housing providers deliver the courses; also appointing ‘recognisers’ to mentor residents. Qualifications are awarded by the CIH-accredited ALfR Centre which acts as an umbrella college, providing all quality assurance and control mechanisms as well as marking and learning support for recognisers.

Flexible two-year programmes are delivered at the student’s own pace; each producing a learning portfolio showing how they meet various learning outcomes. Because the courses are not like traditional taught courses, they’re better suited to those with little recent experience of formal education. CIH introduced the courses to address a lack of resident-focused courses in the sector.

What CIH say
“Our courses help residents get involved in making their communities better places, while gaining formal recognition for the skills, knowledge and learning they pick up along the way. They support active community members who want to take a more informed part in the decisions that affect their neighbourhood – and are therefore ideal for the HCA place-making recognition scheme.”
Rich Warrington, head of strategic partnerships, CIH

Further information: www.cih.org/education/activelearning/

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Planning for non planners


Who delivers it?
British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA).

What does it offer?
BURA’s Planning for non Planners course is aimed at practitioners who currently work with planners but who want to understand more about this key regeneration profession. The two-day course is held at venues across England and offers an excellent introduction to the planning system; how it works and its aims.

How does it work?
Launched in April 2009, BURA’s Planning for non Planners course gives practitioners a hands-on introduction to planning in England. The course is ideal for local authority staff and other professionals who deal with with planners.

The course consists of an online pre-reading module; a day in class covering the planning system and a second day analysing a ‘real world’ example of planning in practice. The latter involves a tour of a development, including a chance to hear from a panel of experts.

The course is held at venues in London, Newcastle, Peterborough, Bristol and Sheffield. It can also be run ‘in-house’ at any organisation which thinks it might benefit from the course. Teaching methods include interactive seminars and workshops.

Ultimately, the course aims to improve the planning process and its outcomes by helping those who are not from a planning background to better understand the system.

What BURA say
“Planning for non Planners is designed to improve best practice among professionals by increasing understanding of the planning system and planning issues. Participants learn to understand how their day-to-day responsibilities are affected by planning issues and how to better interact with planners. The course aims to promote understanding of how planning can contribute to successful and sustainable regeneration – and to the delivery of community objectives. As such, it is a perfect match with the objectives and values of the HCA’s place-making recognition scheme.”
Jane Cheshire, BURA head of learning and skills

Further information: www.bura.org.uk/training/planningfor+nonplanners/

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Sustainable Communities and Regeneration Masterclass


Who delivers it?
British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) and the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).

What does it offer?
BURA and CIH’s Masterclass bring together senior managers to discuss key regeneration issues, influence policy and share knowledge and experience. Three residential modules are delivered in: creating sustainable communities; the built environment; and developing successful and effective partnerships.

How does it work?
Launched in 2006, the Sustainable Communities and Regeneration Masterclass has to date given over 60 senior-level people the opportunity to discuss how to create and maintain better places.

Three 24-hour residential seminars are held over three months and bring together senior government officials and policy makers with practitioners from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Each programme has approximately 20 participants.

BURA and CIH have worked closely with the HCA to develop the programme which is also endorsed by the Royal Town Planning Institute and supported by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Improvement and Development Agency. Speakers have included the Communities and Local Government permanent secretary as well as the shadow regeneration minister. Recent subjects covered include the economic downturn and housing growth.

What they say
“The Sustainable Communities and Regeneration Masterclass has earned itself an excellent reputation in the sector in its first four years. The programme provides senior regeneration people with a much-needed chance to take time out and engage in genuinely open discussion. It’s a key part of our mission to promote understanding and co-operation across the regeneration professions. It provides new insight into the state of the sustainable communities landscape and offers new approaches and solutions. And as such it’s a perfect fit with the HCA’s place-making recognition scheme.”
Jane Cheshire, BURA head of learning and skills

Further information: www.bura.org.uk/training/regeneration+masterclass/

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CABE Space leaders programme


Who delivers it?
The course is delivered by CABE, the government’s advisor on architecture, urban design and public space, alongside delivery partners Pathways Consultancy. The programme itself involves a wide range of contributors from across the green space sector and beyond.

What does it offer?
The CABE Space leaders programme is an intensive learning programme for green space managers. It is designed to help green space managers develop their skills to operate in an increasingly strategic environment; one that requires them to get involved with a much wider range of audiences and agendas than in the past, at the same time as continuing to deliver high quality services on the ground. The programme has been held once a year since 2006. To date, 338 people from 149 different organisations have taken part.

How does it work?
This three-day residential programme is aimed at those who manage or are responsible for parks and open spaces; with most delegates working for local authorities.The programme mixes key note presentations with workshops, reflective discussion groups and breaks for informal networking. Delegates can tailor the programme to meet their own needs by choosing workshops of interest to them.
Each day of the programme covers a different theme. Day one introduces many of the issues that will be explored through the programme and is called ‘stepping up to the challenge’. Day two looks at leadership through workshops, policy updates and a ‘question time’ panel discussion. Day three is all about ‘striving for excellence’ and includes site-based and topic based workshops, plus a conference dinner with speaker. The final day is an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned and explore ways to make a difference back in the workplace.
Further information: www.cabe.org.uk/cabespaceleaders

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Neighbourhood Toolkit


Who delivers it?
The toolkit is delivered by Charlestown and Lower Kersal New Deal for Communities, Salford, Greater Manchester

What does it offer?
The toolkit provides local residents in the Charlestown and Lower Kersal New Deal for Communities area with a useful guide to help them access and influence local services. Services cover key quality of life issues such as housing, the environment and community safety and are delivered by the NDC, Salford City Council, Salix Homes and Greater Manchester Police. The toolkit also helps residents gain the skills and knowledge needed to hold services to account.

How does it work?
The toolkit is given to all households as part of a neighbourhood management approach and is designed to empower local residents to take an active role in local issues and service provision. It is also distributed and explained at local community events and is available to download on the NDC website in a number of accessible formats.
The idea for the toolkit came from a neighbourhood event which identified a need to support residents to understand and access local services. The toolkit was introduced in 2008.
The toolkit includes a directory of local services and advice on who can help with particular issues. Service providers meet every month to discuss feedback they have received from residents via the toolkit and to decide on responses. In this respect it also helps service providers to better understand the needs of their communities – and to respond to them.
It has proved particularly useful in helping new residents to the area (asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers) to integrate into their new community by giving them an understanding of how local services are provided; who provides them and how they can influence them.
The toolkit is now being rolled out across the Charlestown and Lower Kersal NDC area. *
Further information:* www.chalk-ndc.info

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CIH level 2 certificate in housing


Who delivers it?
The course is delivered by New College Durham on behalf of a number of housing associations

What does it offer?
New College Durham’s CIH level 2 certificate in housing is aimed at housing association staff, residents and board members. The informal course is delivered over 10 days at participating housing association’s own premises and offers an introduction to housing and the skills and knowledge needed to deliver housing services. The programme has been successfully delivered at a range of venues across the region during the last five years.

How does it work?
The 10-day certificate in housing course is delivered ‘in-house’ at housing association premises – though representatives from a number of different organisations may come together to take part in a programme. Teaching is informal with the emphasis on sharing knowledge and experience and learning about each other’s roles and organisations. Teaching staff from the Centre for Housing Studies at New College Durham facilitate learning and provide support and assessment to those taking part.
The course is tailored to the individual needs of the host organisation and other organisations which may be taking part.
Course content includes an introduction to the housing environment and key housing policy issues. Learners are encouraged to examine the housing and support needs of different customer groups and explore and assess different methods of customer engagement. Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Housing, the course also looks at the role of the institute and explains the resources it is able to offer housing professionals.
Strong emphasis is placed on developing students’ oral, written and non-visual communication skills as well as IT skills. Participants put together a group presentation using Powerpoint – with each member of the group expected to present. The course also covers study skills which can help learners to progress to further courses or programmes.

Further information: http://www.newcollegedurham.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx

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Regen-IT


Who delivers it?
The course is delivered by Pixelfountain.

What does it offer
Regen-IT is a computer-based learning simulation, which allows workshop participants to practice regeneration decision making in a ‘safe virtual world’. Developed by learning simulation experts pixelfountain, Regen IT allows practitioners to act out scenarios and roles in a fictional local authority. The programme, which was designed with Sefton Borough Partnership and Sefton Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, is designed to improve understanding of complex issues and improve generic skills.

How does it work
The Regen-IT virtual learning simulation models life in a typical local authority area with five neighbourhoods. Teams taking part in workshops can use the programme to try out roles such as housing developer, housing association, neighbourhood manager, the local strategic partnership or the local authority itself.
Users can take ‘decisions’ and see the consequences of their actions. Feedback is provided including scores, reports and maps showing how neighbourhoods have been affected by decisions.
The aim of the ‘game’ is to regenerate the borough and deliver new affordable housing for residents. The programme seeks to develop understanding of the different needs and drivers of the organisations involved in place making – and to promote better partnership working as a result.
To date the learning simulation has been used in more than 350 workshops involving more than 5,000 participants.
Further information: http://www.pixelfountain.co.uk/regen-it/workshop.html

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Housing development and regeneration certificate (HDARC)


Who delivers it?
The course is delivered by Adams Integra Housing Consultants on behalf of the CIH.

What does it offer?
This level 3 course aims to give employees from local authorities, housing associations and private sector developers a solid introduction to affordable housing development and regeneration. The course was set up in 2005 to bridge skills gaps and covers everything from high level policy to the practicalities of developing a site for new housing. The course is delivered through a ‘blend’ of distance learning, tutored workshops and a mentored placement.

How does it work?
The one-year certificate in housing development and regeneration includes six specialist modules and five core CIH units. The former includes developing new projects; the funding framework; development/regeneration including project management, sustainability and modern methods of construction; the strategic context; financial appraisal and risk assessment; and introduction to housing tenures.

Further information: www.adamsintegra.co.uk/course

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Foundation Degree in Housing Studies


Who delivers it?
The course is delivered by University Centre at Blackburn College

What does it offer?
A flexible level 4 qualification designed to equip housing professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the dynamic social housing sector. The degree is studied over two years and students completing the course can go onto pursue a final year BA (Hons) in Housing Studies. The course is ideal for those looking to start a career in housing or those already employed in the sector who wish to enhance their career progression.

How does it work?
The Foundation Degree in Housing Studies has been developed to meet the learning, skills and knowledge needs of the social housing sector. The course is practical and emphasises work-based or work-related learning; however there are conceptual as well factual aspects to the course content.
The foundation degree has been developed in close partnership with housing employers whose priorities have been embedded in the syllabus and the learning methods used. The latter includes new flexible approaches to teaching such as distance learning, online/computer based learning and bespoke provision which assist students who are often combining the degree with the demands of a full-time job.
The course takes as its starting point students’ existing experience levels. How to create and maintain sustainable communities is a question addressed throughout the course alongside issues such as community cohesion. Over two years, 13 units are completed covering legal principles; housing policy; housing practice; housing law; research methods; personal development and planning; managing resources; housing economics; and work-based learning. Students also undertake a research project and can choose to complete two of the following three units: property management and planning; managing diversity and social welfare.
The foundation degree is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Housing and is also part of the Centre for Excellence in Public Services, which is based at University Centre at Blackburn College and includes the local authority, PCT and police force as partners.
Further information: http://www.blackburn.ac.uk/FoundationDegree_HousingStudies.html

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