HACT has launched a roadmap for the future of social value in social housing in the UK.
The roadmap, designed by the social housing sector for use by social housing organisations, is the outcome of the UK Social Value in Housing Taskforce, which HACT convened in January 2020.
The roadmap consists of three stages:
- Stage 1: Expanding the UK Social Value Bank with a broader set of wellbeing values, a new set of economic values, and a new set of environmental values
- Stage 2: Developing tools to use the UK Social Value Bank
- Stage 3: Applying the UK Social Value Bank to the business of social housing
Commenting on the launch of the roadmap, Andrew van Doorn, chief executive of HACT, said: “Much has changed in the sector since we launched the UK Social Value Bank with Simetrica-Jacobs.
“The challenge we face now is to ensure that how we understand and measure social value is fit for the business of social housing now and in the future.
“That’s why we are launching our social value roadmap that includes an expanded UK Social Value Bank, along with tools and resources that can be used by any project in social housing looking to improve, demonstrate, and maximise its social, economic, and environmental outcomes.
Van Doorn continued: “Our roadmap will enable the social housing sector to use social value information to improve services, enhance decision-making, and increase the impact we make.
“Our roadmap is ambitious. Our roadmap is pioneering. Our roadmap will create a shared future where our social value is at the core of who we are.
“As it has been from the start, we will co-create the the most robust and hosiltic approach that we can. Together, we can do more.”
“In partnership with HACT, Simetrica-Jacobs is committed to delivering social value measurement tools for the housing sector,” said Daniel Fujikara, CEO, Simetrica-Jacobs.
“Evidence-based, rigorous methodologies are the foundation of robust and reliable social value measurement.
“Working with HACT and the Taskforce in progressing the Roadmap, we will further develop approaches and tools to improve practice, provide assurance and inform decision-making.”
“The social housing sector should be proud,” said James Williams, head of Social Impact at HACT.
“We have always been at the forefront of generating and improving the measurement of social value. So much has changed since we first came together as a sector to find a better way to measure our social value.
“Now, across the sector, social housing organisations are using social value information in a way that they have never done before.
“It has moved beyond retrospective reporting and into business decision-making. As a sector, though, there is no value in social value unless we work together.”
Social value calculators
According to HACT, the UK social value calculator has been downloaded over 18,000 times.
It has also developed three additional social value calculators “to help social housing organisations measure their social value around mental health, community-led housing, and community-asset transfers”.
HACT says housing associations can download and use all calculators for free.
The UK Social Value in Housing Taskforce comprises representatives from 22 organisations, including social housing organisations, national membership bodies, developers, contractors, and the Regulator of Social Housing.
They are:
- CHP
- Clarion Futures
- Communities that Work
- Community Housing Cymru
- Engie
- Fusion21
- Guiness
- HACT
- Imani
- Keep Moat
- L&Q
- Longhurst
- Morgan Sindall Property Services
- NHC
- NHF
- Regulator of Social Housing
- SFHA
- Simetrica-Jacobs
- SouthEast Consortium
- tpas
- Trowers and Hamlins
- whg
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