 How
big is the organisation?
We count as a small housing association, a medium-sized charity
or voluntary organisation:
- Our annual turnover is just over £3m each year.
- We have 63 members of staff (57.6 full time equivalents)
- We serve 330 people each year
Do
we only work with people in Hackney and Islington?
All our housing, offices and activity sites are Islington and
Hackney. Most of our tenants and participants are referred from
the two local boroughs. But people do come to us for work, training
and employment from other boroughs (e.g. Camden, the City of London,
Tower Hamlets)
Why
do we call people participants, not clients or service users?
The term participant helps people focus on the importance of taking
part and contributing. It gets away from labels which can be thought
of as dependent or passive. We do call people tenants as well.
Why
do we say we are anti-labelling?
Labels - like mental health, learning difficulties or homeless
- can stop you seeing the whole person. They can invite stereotyping
and assumptions. We find that focusing instead on people's needs
and aspirations, builds confidence. It also liberates people from
feeling pigeon-holed or judged.
Do
you have to be a tenant to get a service?
No. People on our Islington Outreach Service live in their own
homes or have a different landlord but still get practical and
emotional support and can take part in a range of activities. Nearly
forty people each year come to us for work, training, and employment
- and many get involved in the community and social life of Peter
Bedford. You don't have to be a tenant to get involved.
Does
that mean anyone can get a service?
No, unfortunately. All our services and activities must be funded.
Most statutory funders, understandably, will only fund those people
for whom they have responsibility and for whom there is a high
priority. However, if it becomes financially viable, we would extend
our services to more people and are on the lookout for opportunities
to do this.
Can
I speak to Mr Bedford?
Peter Bedford (1780-1864) was an early Quaker who worked with
other Friends in London's East End to help people help themselves. We
took Peter Bedford's name in recognition of the help and encouragement
given to us by the Bedford Institute Association back in the late
1960s.
Although we are not a Quaker organisation, we happily acknowledge
our roots. Our commitment to helping people help themselves is
as strong as it ever was.
How
many tenants does Peter Bedford have?
We have 265 tenants in all. 228 of these are in supported or special
needs housing. A further 37 of these are in general needs
housing
|
