Housing associations
will begin a major new challenge developing pioneering ideas to tackle the
country’s biggest future social challenges, the National Housing Federation has
announced.
As part of its
ambitious new programme, ‘Creating
our Future’, the National Housing Federation will bring together housing
associations from across the country to create products and services
that transform people’s lives on a national scale.
Independent social
investor Big Society Capital is partnering with the National Housing Federation
on the challenge, having recognised housing associations’ ability to implement
impactful social change across the country.
Big Society Capital
will invest up to £15m for the most investable idea from
the programme. The winning ventures must be innovative, socially impactful
and financially sustainable, with a robust business model that requires
investment.
The eighteen-month
challenge will tap into the energy and innovation of housing associations up
and down the country, gathering hundreds of ideas before developing and
testing the best of them with residents and local communities.
The National Housing
Federation will then hold a Futures Expo in 2019 to launch the ground-breaking
ideas that have the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives
across England.
James Green,
Creating our Future Programme Director at the National Housing Federation,
said: “As successful businesses with strong roots in their communities, housing
associations are uniquely placed to respond to the challenges of tomorrow.
Innovation is in their DNA, from building good quality affordable homes to
ensuring residents have the skills of the future.
“Creating our
Future builds on the sector’s rich heritage and core mission by harnessing
the brainpower and drive of housing associations to tackle the big social
issues we face as a country.”
Cliff Prior, Chief
Executive Officer of Big Society Capital, said: “We are proud to be a core
partner with the National Housing Federation in this transformational project.
Housing associations have successfully risen to the challenges of social issues
on many occasions.
“This programme
will contribute to them doing so again, using all the new technology and
innovations that are available. Our £15m investment for ground-breaking,
financially sustainable ideas demonstrates our commitment to working together
to improve people’s lives through housing.”
