Working with others to achieve great things is really important to us, in facts it is one of our five values. We are proud to work in partnership with a variety of different organisations to collaborate and co-create, supporting each other to achieve great things. Here are just some of the partners and projects that we work with.
Citizens UK
We are a member of the Birmingham chapter of Citizens UK, an independent membership alliance of civil society institutions acting together for the common good of the city. Founded in 2013, they have trained over 300 leaders on acting in public life through the method of community organising. We are one of only two housing associations to be a member.
The Bike Project
As a result of a partnership with The Bike Project our office at 350 Bournville Lane, B30 1QY, is now a drop-off point for the charity. The Bike Project give second-hand bikes to refugees and asylum seekers who struggle to afford other forms of transport. Having a bike can help an asylum-seeker get to crucial appointments and save them nearly £20 a week (cost of a bus pass) of their £37.75 weekly income.
Spring Housing Association
We work with Spring Housing Association to provide accommodation to people who have been homeless or are at risk of homelessness. The partnership began by working with Spring to bring a property in Birmingham, no longer fit for purpose for its former residents, back to life by transforming it into accommodation for Spring’s customers. We have a referral pathway to support Spring’s residents into their own secure accommodation with BVT.
Housing First
In 2019, we became the first housing association to support the West Midlands Combined Authority’s ‘Housing First’ initiative. The project, led by Birmingham City Council, aims to provide intensive support to individuals with a history of rough sleeping, getting them into affordable housing that can be sustained to break this cycle.
Birmingham District of the Methodist Church
We worked with the Birmingham District of the Methodist Church in Britain to house the only Syrian refuge family to have settled in Birmingham as part of the Community Sponsorship programme. We learnt lots from working with the Methodist Church and a blog about the project has been published on the National Housing Federation’s website.
CT Furniture Project
CT Furniture is a division of the charity Community Transport, operating three divisions across the West Midlands and North East. These divisions include CT Passenger, CT Furniture & CT Training. We work with the charity to help residents buy affordable second-hand furniture.
Care Leaver Covenant
We have signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant and offer support to care leavers to improve their life chances and help them make a successful transition to adulthood. This includes looking for ways that ensure care leavers will be better prepared for employment and/or to live independently.
The Bridge
We work with the Bridge, which is a charity that supports people who have experienced long term drug and alcohol addiction. They provide supported accommodation and help people on their journey to recovery and independent living. We have a referral pathway to support The Bridge’s residents into their own secure accommodation with BVT.