About Space-East
Our aim is straightforward
Providers of services to the most vulnerable individuals and communities seeking supported housing in the East of England will turn to Space as the leading source of support, knowledge and association.
Governance
Space East currently has nine individuals on its Board of Trustees. They come with a range of skills and expertise including that of working in the media, finance, the law and member agencies.
Our trustees are:
- Jo Huxtable (Chair) Area Business Manager, Stonham Home Group
- John Durrant (Treasurer) Chief Executive, Solo Housing
- Wayne Tatlow, Director of Housing, Cotman Housing Association
- Amanda Payne, Director, Move on East
- David Sice, Flagship Housing
- Gwen Allmark, West Norfolk Mind
- Gary Standley, BBC East
- Olu Ognuwwo, Solicitor, Fairfields
- Rachel Omori, Julian Housing Support
Space East is a membership agency of organisations that are committed to working together to tackle social exclusion across East of England. Space East seeks to advocate and support a diverse group of small to medium sized not-for-profit frontline service providers in the supported housing and homelessness sector in the East of England. They provide for example, direct accommodation for single homeless people, people recovering from mental illness or with long term mental health support needs, those fleeing domestic violence and exploitation, ex-offenders, people with substance dependencies on drug and alcohol and young people leaving care. While these organisations are in no way homogenous, they share common aspirations and experiences for example within the national Supporting People programme framework and through their relations with statutory housing, health and social care commissioning agents.
We work closely at local and sub-regional levels while also benefiting from the added value of delivering some of our services across the region.
We work with members to:
1. Offer a tailored organisational support and advice service concerning aspects of organisation development, remodelling services and diversifying income.
2. Through a partnership development facility, strengthen the capacity of this sub-sector to tender for the delivery of public services and to increase the efficiencies of services through collective purchasing.
3. Offer a greater range of specialist skill development opportunities and that quantifiably increases the skills base of this sub-sector.
4. Provide a research and policy facility to promote progressive approaches to delivering relevant frontline services, maintain a strategic view of the pattern of provision required and to press for investment in this provision.
5. Provide a specialist knowledge and advocacy service that actively shapes the commissioning of relevant services.
Space
- Will strive to remain focused on the needs of its membership and keep our customers at the heart of our service delivery
- Will maintain a professional approach in all contact with external organisations
- Will measure satisfaction and fair access to service delivery and improve where necessary
- Will ensure that funding and financial support will be used to give best value and where possible projects are sustainable
- Will maintain its ‘grass roots’ spirit and maintain integrity in our contact with member organisations
Space seeks to make an impact on:
- Improving the practice of managers and front line staff in dealing with the most vulnerable and socially excluded members of the communities through information and training.
- Improving the impact of the work of charities in the East of England in tackling homelessness and disadvantage by coordinating information and facilitating networking and partnerships.
- Improving working relationships between the voluntary and statutory sector at both a front line and policy making level towards a better service for those who are homeless or vulnerably housed.
- Ensuring that individuals and communities who are most excluded have a voice in service planning and delivery and fair access to services they need.