Co-op Connections: An introduction to community-led housing

About the event

In recent years there has been increase in the number of community organisations pursuing housing developments, motivated by the need to address housing affordability and to improve the quality of condition and management.

Others have developed housing as part of a strategy to increase their organisational resilience, recognising its potential to address community need whilst creating a long-term income stream.  

Join us for this exciting lunch-time online session. The workshop will introduce you to community-led housing and help you to think about initiating your own community-led housing project.

The workshop will feature a case study that looks in-depth at co-operative housing. It will also cover the development process for community-led housing and other development and management models.

The case study organisation is Stirchley Co-operative Development, a group of local people in housing and worker co-operatives who are developing a project to build affordable homes and eco-friendly retail premises in Stirchley, Birmingham.

Format

• This event will take place online for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• A presentation will be delivered followed by Q&A.

How much does it cost?

• This event is FREE for members and non-members of Co-operatives UK. Learn about Co-operatives UK membership.

What attendees will gain

Attendees will gain an understanding of the key features of community-led housing from an experienced community-led housing adviser from Locality, with a chance to hear direct experiences from an organisation who are delivering their own community-led housing project.

Who should attend?

This event is aimed at community organisations who are interested in community-led housing and who may have thought about initiating a community-led housing project and need support to get started, or are curious and would like to find out the possible routes to initiating and progressing a community-led housing project.

You might have some spare land that might be suitable for community-led housing or you are thinking about redeveloping your building and would like to include a housing element. There might be empty properties or sites in your area, and you would like to find out how your organisation can develop affordable housing that meets the needs of local people.

About the facilitators

Debbie Lamb, Development Manager, Locality

Debbie has worked at Locality for 19 years. She began her career in the community sector managing a women’s refuge. Before joining Locality, she worked as an adviser on supported housing, coordinating a network exploring innovative housing-based solutions for homeless heavy drinkers.

Debbie is an accredited Community-Led Housing adviser and supports organisations around community-led housing development, business and financial planning, policy development, board development and risk management.

Blase Lambert, CEO of Co-federation of Co-operative Housing (CCH)

Blase has been a leading player in the UK co-operative and community-led housing sector for the last twenty-three years. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Confederation of Co-operative Housing and a founder member of Community-Led Homes.

Blase became involved in co-operative and community-led housing as a member of Brent Community Housing, was the Treasurer of the London Housing Federation for seven years and is currently the Treasurer of Co-operative Housing International. His areas of expertise are corporate governance, risk management and financial control and he has numerous publications to his name.

Stirchley Co-operative Development 

Stirchley Co-operative Development is a group of local people in housing and worker co-operatives who are building an affordable and eco-friendly residential and retail premises in the heart of Stirchley, Birmingham. They are developing a project to house three local businesses along with 39 apartments.

Read a case study about Stirchley Co-operative Development.