ERSA and NHF launch new Housing and Employment Forum

The NHF and ERSA have today announced the launch of a brand new Housing and Employment Forum, at the ERSA Annual Conference in central London.

The Forum will be jointly run and chaired by the NHF and ERSA, the sector body for the welfare to work industry, and provides a unique platform for the membership of both organisations to engage, collaborate and communicate across the sectors.  The Forum will develop a representative and collaborative voice to government on behalf the housing and employment related services sectors. It will represent both sectors equally, sharing the opportunity to build on existing good practise and develop further working partnerships between them to bring the most consistent, high quality and sustainable outcomes possible for the communities that both the NHF and ERSA serve.

Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive, ERSA, said:

“We are seeing increasing interest from both housing and employment worlds in working closer together. While successful collaborations are taking place across the country, far more can be done to build relationships. The new ERSA/NHF Housing and Employment Forum will help these two sectors collaborate more effectively, providing a conduit for the sectors to talk to government about the support they need and  sharing models of best practice and lessons learnt – all with the aim of benefiting residents and jobseekers.”

David Orr, Chief Executive, NHF, said:

“We know that the case for collaboration between the housing and employment related services sector is strong and growing.  As we seek to mitigate the impact of welfare reform we want to help those that can work towards a sustainable and rewarding employment outcome.  We can surely achieve more and better outcomes for all by working together, in the spirit of a genuine partnership, and I am pleased to support the Forum as a practical means of realising this.”