Scottish Housing Shortfall

Scotland is still 'way off' when it comes to addressing social housing needs, that's according to housing bosses.

The Scottish Federation of Housing Association is urging Holyrood and construction firms to make a greater committment to deal with a shortfall in properties.

In Fife alone, 533 households were living in temporary accommodation on 31st December 2014. It's a picture which is mirrored across the country.

The SFHA is also calling for more apprenticeship opportunities to be created in the construction industry during Apprenticeship Week.

The Kingdom currently has the third highest youth unemployment rate in Scotland.

The body will launch a two-day challenge at its annual conference today, with 22 young people working in teams to tackle tenant problems such as social isolation, fuel poverty and mental health issues.

Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said: “Apprenticeship Week 2015 is about showcasing the positive impact Modern Apprentices have on businesses and industry and the value they bring to employers and their own job prospects. The apprentices taking part in the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Apprentice Challenge are a small group of a much greater number who are being supported to create enthusiastic and skilled workers in the housing sector.
“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting young people towards jobs and apprenticeships, with an aim to have 30,000 new opportunities by 2020. By employing Modern Apprentices, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ members are helping create a dynamic and experienced workforce.”

Clare King, 18, is in her first year of an enterprise Modern Apprenticeship. She is based at Ore Valley Housing Association in Fife. She said: “I chose an apprenticeship as it’s an opportunity to achieve a qualification while earning a wage. At the same time, it gives you the chance to flourish, grow in confidence and gain knowledge and skills within a working environment. I think it’s the best way to initially approach the world of work.

“Besides the obvious qualification and experience that I am gaining through my apprenticeship, for me, the best part has been the support and different training I have received. I have not been thrown in the deep end, and my colleagues are understanding of my learning process and are happy to answer any queries that I may have.

“My main goal at the moment is to complete my Modern Apprenticeship, get as much experience as possible and, ultimately, be happy with what I am doing.”

Mary Taylor, Chief Executive of the SFHA, said: “We are delighted that the Housing Minister is launching our 2015 Apprentice Challenge as this highlights the importance of apprenticeships in the social housing sector. Apprenticeships can give young people the vital skills and experience which they need to gain permanent employment, and nurturing young talent now will benefit the sector in the future.

“We decided to hold the challenge again this year, as it is an excellent way of consolidating the apprentices’ learning, and we must engage with young people in our sector, as they are a vital part of keeping it fresh and forward thinking.”

The challenge is being supported by Skills Development Scotland (SDS). Katie Hutton, Depute Director of National Training Programmes at SDS, said: “We welcome the launch of the SFHA Apprentice Challenge during Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2015.

“The Week is an opportunity to highlight the vast talents of Modern Apprentices and the benefit of earning while you learn. This event from SFHA will allow the apprentices to showcase the skills they are developing through their training and demonstrates the benefits of the programme to employers.”

The challenge was launched at SFHA member Irvine Housing Association’s (IHA) Pennyburn development. Nicola Thom, IHA Interim Managing Director, said:
“We are delighted to play host to the launch of the Apprentice Challenge. We provide an employment and training service to our customers and believe that investing in young people and setting goals creates a sense of pride and ambition. For the past four years, we have also supported a local Ayrshire housing careers training programme, with five of the trainees gaining full-time employment with IHA.

“We wish the apprentices every success with the challenge and their future in the housing sector.”