Our Aims and Objectives

• To create a sustainable regional Voluntary & Community sector Housing Network


• Establish the means of engaging and interacting with members, in particular, small and hard to reach voluntary & community sector members.


• Ensure the Network is well placed to influence regional and sub-regional decision-makes, in particular the developing housing strategy.


• Secure sustainable means of maintaining and developing the Network.

• To commission research to identify the capacity of, barriers to and recommendations for the engagement of those groups under-represented in the Network, in particular Black and minority ethnic groups, rural groups and small voluntary and community groups. To examine their access to IT and to consider cost effective approaches to improving access.


• To establish a range of communications and feedback routes suited to all concerned and including: face to face contact, newsletters, IT access including email and website, meetings based on themes of interest or location e.g. sub-regional, use of community media, use of existing networks, partnering/buddy arrangements.


• To identify relevant decision-making fora at regional and sub-regional level and convince those responsible that the Network should be represented.


• To establish an accountable means for appointing nominees to consultative fora and introduce fair means of support for those representing the Network including expenses, information, feedback routes and any necessary training.


• To map members interests and seek out new members with expertise in areas of policy and housing need under-represented within the membership.


• To explore alternative sources of funding the Network beyond the term of the project with key partners engaged in the Regional Housing partnership. Options may include charitable sources, applications for appropriate grants, secondments, membership contributions, selling out services, benefits in kind and lobbying for continued funding as a result of the broad benefits of the Network evidenced during the period.