Housing Association Case Study

Midlands based Housing Association

Embedding Value for Money in day-to-day behaviours and activities...

Significant strengthening of understanding of VfM throughout the organisation

A Midlands based Housing Association

The association wished to undertake VfM training for all its colleagues and its Customer VFM Steering Group to support its journey of embedding a VfM approach within the organization. This included:
- Understanding procurement arrangements to maximise VFM and comply with legislation
- Comparison of services cost, quality and effectiveness to support prioritisation for improvement
- Maximising opportunities to review service areas for VFM
- Understanding in particular 'what it means for individuals' on a day-to-day basis

Project initiation and planning meeting to put programme into the wider strategic context of the association
Held an initial training workshop with the management team to test out and modify the training approach and content where necessary – providing the senior management team with the opportunity of emphasising key messages to be delivered
Delivered a series of highly interactive training workshops to all staff covering:
- What VfM is and what it means in practical terms
- What VfM means to the association and why customers should get involved
- Tips / advice for making the VfM group successful (e.g. how not to get sidetracked on small issues)
- Examples of good and bad VfM
- TSA regulatory framework, inspectors perspectives on VfM
- What you need to know about to assess VfM (inputs, outputs, outcomes and impact)
- Ways of assessing whether or not VfM is being delivered in the services residents receive
- Helping colleagues understand how to embed VfM and communicate it across the organisation
- Identifying ways to involve Customers and Contractors in assessing VfM
Delivered VfM coaching to Board members covering their role in challenging the executive management team in delivering VfM throughout the organisation
Workshop outputs included a series of specific VfM suggested actions to be taken forward, assessed and prioritised by the VfM steering group

Reinforced and embedded the key VfM principles of Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness - significant strengthening of understanding of VfM throughout the organisation
Over 100 VfM suggested actions generated for financial assessment and prioritisation by the steering group
Very positive feedback ratings from staff on approach and training delivered
Roles and responsibilities for VfM sharpened at all levels