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Paddy Leonard, 14 Jun
PICTURED ABOVE: In attendance at the Supporting People 20th anniversary
event are: (L-R) Colum Boyle, DfC, Grainia Long, NIHE, Kelly Andrews,
Womens Aid, Diane Forstyle MLA, Kellie Armstrong MLA, Keith Buchanan
MLA, Nicole Lappin, NIHE, Mohammed Jama, MACs, Ciara Ferguson MLA,
Claire Carolan, MACs, Mark Durkan MLA.
The Housing Executive is celebrating 20 years of the Supporting People
programme, which has invested over £1.2 billion into providing housing
support services and assisting vulnerable people to live more
independently in communities across Northern Ireland.
Speaking at an event in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Housing
Executive Chief Executive Grainia Long said: “I want to thank our staff
who administer the programme and the invaluable contribution from
service provider staff as they continue to make a remarkable, positive
difference to the lives of so many people.
“Last year over £76 million was distributed to 82 service providers.
Over 800 vital services were provided to in excess of 19,000 people
across Northern Ireland, often delivered as they faced some of the most
challenging times in their lives.
“This collaboration between the Housing Executive, the Department for
Communities, the Department of Health and the Department of Justice has
been a productive and successful joined-up approach over the past two
decades.”
Guests, who were welcomed by event sponsor Kellie Armstrong MLA,
watched a short film which documented the work of Supporting People,
provider organisations and the impact the programme has had on the
lives of those supported.
Colum Boyle, the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Communities
underlined the significance of Supporting People: “By supporting people
when they need it, in a way that makes sense not just for now but for a
more positive future, we are building back lives. But that’s not all.
We are also building more cohesive communities that are accepting and
reflective of diversity and difference. That is why the Department for
Communities has supported this programme over the last 20 years.”
During the event, guests heard how the Supporting People programme
provides assistance for vulnerable people to live independently in
their own home, while reducing other costs to the public purse.
A report commissioned by NICVA in 2015* estimated that every £1 spent
on the Supporting People services saves the public purse £1.90.
The Housing Executive also commissioned research in 2020 on the Social
Return on Investment and the findings indicated that every £1 spent on
Supporting people between 2018 and 2021 generated a social value of £1:
£5.71.
The future priorities of the programme were also outlined during the
event.
Housing Executive Chief Executive Grainia Long explained: “In 2022, we
introduced the Supporting People Strategic Plan and Covid-19 Recovery
Plan 2022-2025. The strategic plan was developed following extensive
engagement with stakeholders including service users from the
voluntary, community and statutory sectors.
“It focuses on driving recovery and re-build beyond Covid-19, working
towards closing the 14 per cent gap between need for services and
supply, collaborating with providers to invest in service innovation to
achieve greater outcomes and strengthening relationships across health,
criminal justice and housing, with the aim of generating greater value
from public funds.”
We look forward to our continued partnership and collaborative work
with our partners and providers.”