We’re sustaining tenancies for new young tenants – and we’re getting businesses to pay for it!
Your Own Place is a social enterprise based in Norwich and working across Norfolk and Suffolk. As a social enterprise we’re conscious that our core customers don’t have lots of cash, have rising demand and can struggle with multiple political priorities.
This is a win-win-win solution.
Mentoring is very ‘now’. Everyone wants to be a mentor/coach or to have one. And we know that young people, especially care-leavers for example, making the transition to independence often have little support.
Our Volunteer Tenancy Mentors work for local businesses and organisations and they pay to get involved!
The two-day training is great fun (we’re told!) and brings a community of like-minded people together to develop new skills. The business case for providing employees with volunteering opportunities is well versed and for those just wanting a branding boost or to recruit millennials – it really is a win-win.
With this amazing pool of trained, DBS checked and enthusiastic mentors we match them to young people getting their first tenancy.
And because the revenue is ongoing from businesses – it doesn’t have to end when the funding does! Mentoring outcomes are the better the longer it is!
Following the training, which includes Child and Adult Protection, Money Skills, Being a Mentor and working Restoratively and Taking an Asset-Based Approach, mentors meet their mentees once a week and build a relationship.
This is relaxed, informal and they’re supported throughout. As the relationship develops they might turn to budgeting, looking for work or just how to make a call to their utility company. All with an empowering approach.
So far customers have included a local authority wanting to develop their staff, local businesses, a local solicitors office and other across Norfolk and Suffolk.
We’re so excited by this approach to meaningful local social action and will be independently evaluating it over the next two years.