An Economic Inactivity Trailblazer research project that will help identify and overcome systemic barriers to employment for people living in supported accommodation has been commissioned by the North East Combined Authority (NECA).‘Opening Doors’ is an exciting pilot research programme bringing together academics and specialist housing providers to consider the challenges vulnerable adults living in supported housing face when moving towards employment.
It will gather first-hand insight from people with lived experience and examine ways in which these barriers could be addressed so the right opportunities and pathways can be created to benefit residents. This, as a result, could also help reduce economic inactivity levels in the North East region.
Led by Tyne Housing, a specialist supported housing provider with over 50 years’ experience working with vulnerable adults, the partnership project brings together academics and practitioners with deep connections into communities impacted by such challenges.
Key partners include University of Sunderland’s Institute for Economic and Social Inclusion and Newcastle University (researchers from Fuse, the Centre for Translational Research in Public Health) who will collaborate to deliver a comprehensive research element. Delivery support will come from Home Group, Bernicia, Oasis Community Housing, Action Foundation, Newcastle City Council, Thirteen and Housing Employment Network North East (HENNE) with the project also being championed by North East Housing Partnership.
Opening Doors is part of NECA’s Economic Inactivity Trailblazer programme, a flagship initiative under the government’s wider strategy to support people into work.
Steve McKinlay, CEO of Tyne Housing, explained: “The project will engage with people including single adults, care leavers, survivors of domestic abuse, refugees, employers and young people (amongst others) across the North East over a three-month period. It will enable their voices to be heard and real-life experiences to be documented to become the foundation from which key recommendations will be made at a local level.
“There is strength and depth with this partnership programme and that allows us to engage fully and directly with people who are living very different experiences, have very different backgrounds and are from different areas, but who all encounter common barriers when attempting to enter into employment. This needs to change and by identifying why residents living in supported housing can often face greater disadvantages than others (and the reasons for this), we can unlock this cycle and take the right steps forward to put initiatives in place to help more people thrive.”
Cllr Tracey Dixon, North East Combined Authority Cabinet Member for the Home of Real Opportunity, said: “Supporting people to gain the right skills and access sustainable employment is central to our ambition to reduce economic inactivity across the North East, and through our Economic Inactivity Trailblazer programme, we are testing new ways of working that focus on prevention, inclusion and long‑term impact.
“Opening Doors is an important step in understanding how people living in supported accommodation experience existing skills and employment systems – and where those systems are falling short. By bringing together lived experience, academic expertise and frontline delivery, this project will help us design clearer, more joined‑up pathways into training, education and work which is all part of our ambition to make the North East the real home of opportunity for all.”
The Opening Doors project will be delivered over the next three months until March with findings and recommendations presented to NECA thereafter.
