Your Own Place

Norwich

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“If you treasure it, measure it”

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Emily is a full-time facilitator at Your Own Place. She joined the company in the post-Covid haze of April 2021.

“This week it’s been confirmed for me that it isn’t all an elaborate prank. Rebecca White, CEO and Founder of Your Own Place CIC is moving on to pastures new.

As a team we’ve grappled with how to say goodbye in a way that is worthy of Rebecca. As a team, it feels necessary to document this somehow, but we are finding it so hard to put into words the impact that she has had on each of us.

I love the culture at Your Own Place – and I’m not shy about saying this! A few weeks ago, we gathered to discuss the transition of Rebecca leaving. We planned how we would support each other – because big change is hard. We’ll continue to make time for each other, bring our feelings to our weekly sharing and listening time, continue to meet for some work-free time during the week. 

What also happened at this CEO Transition planning meeting: we were asked how we felt when we found out that Rebecca was leaving.

One of my colleagues said that she saw all the stages of grief quickly pass over my face. We laughed about this – because it was true that I felt that way, and because we can.

Rebecca is an icon, a true leader, a role model – and I can identify quotes to show some of the characteristics of her leadership.

“Let’s not let perfection be the enemy of the good”

Rebecca embraces the Review Cycle wholeheartedly, and because of this, it is embedded in Your Own Place. This approach of using our experience and resources to create the best we can, reviewing, making it better, reviewing, making it better, helps us all to find a point where we’ve done enough. We know we will improve every time we revisit – and there’s no such thing as perfect.

“This is the first time I’ve been CEO of a social enterprise”

I think this is equalising – reminding us all that it’s her chosen passion and also that we don’t always know how it will work or what will happen, but that first times can go really well. It’s been meant as a way of encouraging a try it and see what happens approach.

“Well done this week” and “Thank you”

Acknowledgement and appreciation of the work we do – when they feel truly genuine, are so motivating.

I could continue – I could talk about the values that are instilled from day one, the limitless support, the never-too-busy to check a document approach, the listening – but apparently I have other work to do today!

Rebecca, I want to say thank you from all the team, past and present, for creating such a welcoming and values-based environment in which we thrive and have thrived. We are all wishing you peace, joy and rest. And we can’t wait to see what you do next!”

Cost of Living Support Event 

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10am – 4:30pm on
Thursday 19th October 2023
1st Level Castle Quarter, Norwich 

Times are hard.
You’re not alone.

We welcomed anyone and everyone to Castle Quarter on Thursday 19th October 2023, 10am – 4:30pm, to a free event to address the cost of living crisis.

We worked with our Advisory Board to co-produce and event aimed at reducing hunger, energy poverty and homelessness. Your Own Place and our Advisory Board of people with lived experience, known as YOPAB, designed the event from start to finish. 

The support on offer ranged from money, debt, bills, council tax, wellbeing, gambling, health, housing, food, free services, legal matters and maths skills. 

Our team and volunteers were on hand to help people identify the best organisations to speak to.

Here is what the Advisory Board said to encourage people to attend…

Here’s Gary:

‘We’re putting this event on to help others find the right kind of support.
We’ve spoken to almost a hundred organisations to invite them to this event – it’s so clear that people need the support, so we’re so happy that so many helpful organisations have signed up!’ 

Here’s Lauren:

‘The cost of living support day means so much to me, to all of us. It’s a day where people who are struggling can come, not worry, and talk to companies about their bills and other stuff before the winter months come again.

I’ve been there when you are worried and don’t really know who to turn to. Coming to the day will be great because you can get advice.’

Norwich City Council tenants benefitting from our tenancy training

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We’re so excited to announce our commission from Norwich City Council to train their tenants.  Two courses of four modules each will start from May.  Between May and the summer we’ll be making changes to venues, module order and other aspects in order to test a number of variables.  In August we’ll take a breather for evaluation before refining for September re-start.

Developing the course has been a well-timed revision of many of our resources and approaches.  We can’t wait to take our offer to local tenants with a view to getting them involved in other exciting projects too.

All part of our mission to prevent homelessness.

Why should anyone volunteer to mentor a young person?

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Here’s why:  “I trained to be a Volunteer Tenancy Mentor in March 2015. I missed working with people and was looking for my first voluntary role when came across the opportunity at Your Own Place. The two-day training gave a great overview of what we were to expect during the mentoring process. We all left feeling excited for what was to come.

I was matched with my first young person within a month. This young person was living in a B&B. They were in a period of massive change in their life. We tried to engage with them but they had too much on and too many disruptions. They simply were not ready. I was a little disappointed at first, questioning whether it was something I had done or I could have done more of. I quickly learned not to take it personally, timing is very important when building a good mentor relationship.

I have gone on to have two successful mentoring relationships, both totally unique experiences. The first was with a young person living independently, struggling with their mental health and in particular the isolation they were feeling. We would often just meet for a coffee and a chat. They needed someone to talk to, and I was there – not to advise, but to listen. We also had a few practical sessions around things like budgeting and debt and I would be there to encourage them to tackle things head on and not hide away. This relationship ended when the young person moved away.

The second mentor relationship was completely different, the young person was a single parent and needed support around the practicalities of moving into their first home. Where would they get furniture from? How would they move their belongings? How could they afford all of these things? We did a lot of work around budgeting, sourcing affordable items and saving for them. As well as accessing support and applying for funding. This relationship ended over a cup of tea in their new place, when they said “I think I’m okay now, I think you’ve done your job”.

It’s fantastic having a positive impact on young people, especially at a daunting and confusing period of transition. I’ve enjoyed my time as a mentor, it has increased my confidence and adaptability. I would definitely recommend it to others!”

 

CSR and its future

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Whilst planning for this year’s Social Saturday I have been pondering the future of CSR.  We’re interested to understand its breadth and depth as well as impact.  Do businesses measure the impact of their giving or trust the sector to spend their money wisely?  With a rise in social enterprises getting into the supply chains of big businesses for a potentially more impactful contribution to society, will there be a shift in traditional CSR?