Poplar HARCA

Our Communities and Neighbourhoods (CaN) programme is a key priority for us. In the year our total spend on Community Regeneration of £4.9m (2016: £4.9m) was partially offset by external funding of £1.5m (2016: £1.1m) resulting in a net investment by Poplar HARCA of £3.4m for the year (2016: £3.8m).

The Employment and Training team have engaged with approximately 1,200 people throughout the year, providing one to one support, organising jobs fairs and running accredited training for work. As a result, 300 people successfully got a job and 450 residents have achieved qualifications.

Our communities and neighbourhoods (CaN) programme utilises community assets and a £2.8m annual revenue budget to produce social returns valued between £17M and £25m a year (calculated by HACT). For example, we supported 450 people to achieve training qualifications and got 300 local people into jobs. This amounts to a social impact value of £3.5m. Getting 232 JSA claimants and 68 ESA claimants into jobs meant a savings of £4m to the Treasury, based on their formula.

The Placeshapers Group is a fantastic network of small and medium Housing Associations covering the breadth of the UK. Together we share a set of core values to transform the homes of individuals, and to add quality of life through regenerating an entire area including infrastructure, services, activities, employment, health and education. Being part of the PlaceShapers Group gives us a unified voice to ensure these key passions will be maintained in the future.