Starts at Home Day is a chance to celebrate the positive impact of supported housing on our communities across the country, and to ensure supported housing is recognised as an invaluable part of the housing, health, social care and criminal justice systems.
Without a long-term plan for supported housing, thousands of people could go without the support they need, costing the public purse and leaving people who could live independently with support facing long stays in residential or institutional care, or at risk of homelessness. This year’s Starts at Home Day is a chance to tell the new government how they can deliver for supported housing and your residents.
There are many ways you can support the campaign, from a social media post celebrating your work, to inviting your local MP or councillor to visit your organisation.
On Friday 30 August, you can share a post on social media showing your support for Starts at Home Day using the hashtag #StartsAtHome. Here’s what you can do before the day to prepare:
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It’s more important than ever that our elected representatives (newly elected or re-elected) understand and value the vital role supported housing plays in building thriving communities.
Inviting politicians to see your work first hand and meet your team and residents is the best way to make that lasting impact. As Ade explains, inviting your MP, councillor or mayor to visit is a really effective way to support the campaign. To help you organise your visit, we have put together some resources and templates for you to adapt and use.
To create the biggest splash on Starts at Home Day, we need as many visits as possible to take place on or before the day itself so photos or videos from the visits can all be shared at the same time. But of course a visit from a local representative is worthwhile at any time.
If you are organising a visit with a MP or a councillor then we want to hear about. Get in touch with our team to let them know about your plans.
Resources to help
If you are unable to invite a local representative along in person, it is still worth contacting them to tell them about the value of supported housing. We’ve drafted a template letter that you can adapt and personalise, which can be sent to your MP or councillor to promote supported housing and inform them about the vital work it does in their community.
Nothing demonstrates the positive impact of supported housing better than real life stories. There is huge value in demonstrating just what supported housing is, and showcasing its positive impact on thousands of lives. Sharing the voices and stories of your residents is a powerful way to demonstrate the impact of supported housing.
You could:
On 5 September, we’re hosting a free webinar to showcase examples of how supported housing providers are part of strategic partnerships with local authorities and the NHS to deliver supported housing to meet need. Make sure you save the date and register your place.
This year we will be sending NHF members who provide supported housing a campaign pack to help celebrate Starts at Home day in style. These packs include a leaflet with key information, campaign boards (to take photos with or pin up on the wall), balloons, branded wildflower seeds and branded badges. We look forward to seeing your celebrations on social media.
