About us
Community engagement
Housing 21's extra care housing is used as a centre for community activities - a place which provides a lively environment in which people can meet, have fun and enjoy new experiences.
It's all about offering choice - from artistic endeavours, social events, food co-ops and cafes to physical activities, pampering and advice sessions. From our experience it is clear that to enable older people to live the lives they want and deserve and to improve people's health and well being extra care housing must be at the centre of the community where local people and residents, despite their frailties, can remain active and independent.
For instance, Housing 21 in partnership with Gateshead council, have built five extra care housing courts to replace residential care homes. They are used as centres to provide care and support into people's own homes and activities and events for the local community. They offer restaurants, shops and a base for community health services. And also in Gateshead, Housing 21 has been chosen as a key partner in the "Link Age Plus" project which will mean that our courts will become focal points for people over 50 to access a range of information and services. Extra care in Gateshead not only provides services for the local community it is also a place to have fun, learn, grow and develop.
Other examples of true community engagement from our courts include:
- Our breakfast club for school children at Marigold Court in Gateshead where our residents enjoy the company of young people and our court is used as the base for a vital community service.
- At Staveley Court in Bradford young people with Asperger Syndrome run the shop and café at the court. The residents appreciate their company and the young people achieve a sense of pride, connection and dignity in their work.
