9 September 2021

Join us! How H&F aims to improve housing for Disabled residents with Disabled residents

We're planning radical improvements in how we work with Disabled people to provide housing and support.

Categories:
Housing

Hammersmith & Fulham Council is planning radical improvements in how it works with Disabled people to provide housing and support.

This commitment will be marked with the publication of our first-ever housing strategy created in partnership with local Disabled residents. The strategy is ambitious and designed to meet the aspirations and priorities of Disabled residents across the borough, as we work to do things with, not to, local people.

You’re invited to join us for the virtual launch of the Disabled People’s Housing Strategy on Friday 17 September from 12 noon to 2pm.

We want as many people to be part of this event as possible.

The event will include:

an introduction and welcome by the co-chairs – Cllr Lisa Homan, H&F Cabinet Member for Housing, and local Disabled resident, Jane Wilmot OBE
keynote speakers including Victoria Brignell, Chair of Trustees from Action on Disability in Fulham, Faisal Yusuf, Chair of Trustees from Safety Net People First in Hammersmith
speakers from national organisations including Inclusion London and Tony McKenzie, Senior Participation Officer at The Joseph Rowntree Foundation
a question and answer session with members of the team about the strategy.

There will be British Sign Language interpreters at the event. Please let us know if you have any access requirements.

We can also provide support for joining an online meeting, if you’re new to them.

Delivering change for everyone

Disabled resident, Jane Wilmot OBE, said: “Our aim is to help H&F achieve its ambition to be the most accessible borough in England. Disabled people face barriers when using buildings, housing and open space. It’s time we deliver accessible and inclusive buildings that work for everyone.”

And Cllr Lisa Homan said: “We know that Disabled people know best about what they need from their housing. It was important that we heard from as many Disabled people in our housing network as possible. That’s why we also set up focus groups, to have in-depth discussions about housing issues.

“Those discussions highlighted these key points and we’ll now work with Disabled residents to deliver lasting changes and improvements to the way the council operates.”

Working with Disabled residents

At the heart of the council’s long-term strategy is our desire to work with Disabled residents and local Disabled people’s organisations to agree on a “co-production” approach.

Co-production is taken to mean an equal and reciprocal relationship between the people who use services and those who design and deliver them.

We’ve made four key commitments in the new strategy:

We’ll create a culture of co-production with Disabled residents and work together with those residents to improve their influence in shaping housing service.
We’ll improve access to housing information with Disabled residents including housing options and housing services.
We’ll also improve the council’s services as a landlord for Disabled residents.
Finally, we will identify ways to increase the supply of accessible and affordable housing to meet the needs with Disabled residents.

We are committed to working with disabled residents on issues that affect them. And together we’ll deliver the housing and services Disabled residents want and need.

This strategy is also the start of a new way of working better together – towards true co-production.