New Partners New Opportunities

New Partners New Opportunities

Introduction

As a charitable housing association Thirteen is committed to working across the North East, and Yorkshire and Humber regions to deliver quality homes where our communities can thrive.

With our strong brand, award-winning services and 1,600 colleagues dedicated to making a difference, we’re proud that our presence is increasing. We know we can play a major part in new home delivery, particularly affordable homes, by working closely with local authorities and partners.

We want to use our extensive knowledge and track record, alongside our dedicated colleagues, to work with local authorities and other partners to deliver our collective aims and ambitions.

We are looking to work with like-minded partners to build strong relationships and work together to identify innovative solutions.

We have a reputation for delivering quality homes and regeneration, often in challenging areas, and working with our communities to create great places.

Our operating area

As a Homes England Strategic Partner, we have been awarded £191m to deliver our ambitious housing development programme providing family homes, apartments, conversion of existing buildings as well specialist places to live to support customers. We deliver large scale flagship regeneration down to small grassroot interventions, including Empty Homes schemes.

We also go beyond bricks and mortar to develop targeted help and support for our customers, so people can live more successfully and become the best they can be. We support communities, help prevent homelessness, help residents gain employment and apprenticeships, help with money management, provide volunteering opportunities, domestic abuse support, refugee resettlement and much more!

Key

Northumberland

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Our base in the Tees Valley means that we are positioned perfectly to expand our influence across the North East, Yorkshire and Humber regions to help deliver wider aspirations across the area.

If you’d like to work with us, we would love a discussion with you on how we can help you deliver your housing and place ambitions.

Gateshead Newcastle upon Tyne North Tyneside South Tyneside Sunderland Hartlepool Stockton-on-Tees Middlesbrough City of Kingston upon Hull Thirteen Operational Area

Durham

6 Darlington

Our ambitions are supported by excellent teams, with innovative, responsive customer services at the heart of everything we do.

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Redcar and Cleveland Scarborough

Richmondshire Hambleton Ryedale

Harrogate

Craven

York East Riding of Yorkshire Bradford

Leeds

Calderdale Wakefield Kirklees

Selby

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Who we are

Our approach to partnerships We’re ambitious and committed to making a difference, and there are lots of reasons why we make a great partner, including that we:

Partnerships Partnership is our history. A succession of unions between social housing over 20 years has led to Thirteen becoming one the largest social housing providers in the North East and nationally.

Partnership is also our future. Links between Thirteen and private companies, social enterprises, health trusts, local and national government open opportunities for special projects delivering mutual benefit for all, particularly our customers.

We already work with some high-profile partners, including Homes England, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Tees Valley Council’s, the Ministry of Justice, Teesside University, Kirklees Metropolitan Council in West Yorkshire, Hull City Council in East Yorkshire and we have an outstanding track record.

We’d be interested in any discussions on mergers, stock transfers and acquisitions which could deliver joint ambitions.

We can work with you to deliver those key regeneration projects that will provide you with economic growth and thriving communities.

• Have expertise to deliver traditional regeneration projects • Have expertise around development and construction • Deliver commissioned service contracts for a range of support needs by understanding what services are required and being innovative in our delivery models • Focus on delivering mutual goals and interests, being flexible and transparent, agreeing solutions together • Share skills and expertise increasing outputs and efficiencies as a result

What we can offer • A progressive partner who is actively seeking new partnerships • Experience in delivering commissioned supported services • All the benefits of being a Homes England Strategic Partner, allowing us to build on our ambitious development programme • Provide homes for every stage of life as part of our ‘Living Well’ approach. This means we can evolve our offer to our customers, so it helps them to live well, independently and change with their needs • A dedicated team committed to working with like-minded partners to create place-based regeneration and vibrant communities • A partner who is at the forefront of the need for carbon reduction delivering innovative solutions • A commitment to creating great partnerships that deliver for our communities and meet our collective ambitions • A team of experienced professionals who can deliver high quality mixed-tenure homes • Expertise in support services providing excellent outcomes and cost savings to the public purse • A vast knowledge of providing homes and wrap-around services to create great communities • A commitment to social value and making a difference to people’s lives

Thirteen at a glance

Spending £1bn over the next five years to build fantastic new homes

New homes that are built to 100% Nationally Defined Space Standards Building Carbon Neutral Ready homes A Homes England Strategic Partner Delivering large scale flagship regeneration down to small grass roots schemes

Actively take on the role of community anchor

Providing new homes for market sale through Thirteen Homes, with profits being reinvested back into the business

25% of our homes are built using Modern Methods of Construction G1/V1 regulatory rating

We have the ambition and finance to build over 1,000 affordable homes per year

Committed to town centre regeneration and placemaking

Where our priorities lie

35,000 homes across the North East, Yorkshire and Humber

18,530 emergency repairs through the pandemic

£181m turnover: 2020/21

1,545 customers helped through care and support services: 2020/21

£62m spent on maintaining and improving existing homes: 2020/21

553 customers supported into jobs and training: 2020/21

355 new homes built: 2020/21

£2m additional benefits gained for customers: 2020/21

Supporting people is our passion

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to make the most of themselves, given extra help at the right point in life’s journey.

Our support services are on hand for those who might be struggling with life’s challenges.

We’re continuing to grow our commissioned service contracts for a range of support needs by understanding what services are required and being innovative in our delivery models.

Our specialist teams Our specialist teams provide responsive, customerfocused services across the areas below.

Our services can be tailored to your organisation’s needs and requirements, just get in touch if you’d like to have a chat.

Homelessness support - Our specialist teams work with the homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to improve their lives by offering advice and practical support. This includes help with finding a home or a job, building resilience or working towards personal independence.

Domestic abuse support – We support people in their homes or our specialist accommodation, offering tailormade programmes that recognise and respond to the unique needs of people who have experienced domestic violence.

Support for offenders – We work closely with a range of partners within the criminal justice system, including the police, prisons, the National Probation Service, community rehabilitation organisations and offender management services. We work with ex-offenders to offer a range of support that includes accommodation and help for people in a time of crisis, ensuring that people have somewhere to turn when they need it most.

Children and young people – Because housing is our business, we are ideally placed to use our skills and resources to construct or convert buildings tailored to particular groups of young people who would welcome a protective roof over their heads.

Employability - Our employability service provides intensive support to customers, helping them find jobs or get into training or education. Around 740 customers receive our help each month.

Resettlement schemes - We know that we are part of a wider global community, so we work to resettle people who have left difficult situations in their own countries to build new lives in the UK. We’ve helped people from many countries including war-torn Syria to find a home in the region, access jobs and education, apply for benefits and register with health services, and make the most of the opportunities that our area can offer.

MoJ partnership supports custody leavers The Ministry of Justice awarded Thirteen £3m to provide advice, help and assistance to people leaving custody who might find it difficult to access suitable housing. We’re the lead provider working in partnership with the Wise Group, a prominent social enterprise organisation working to lift people from poverty.

This project will help people find more stable and sustainable accommodation on their release from custody, and we expect over 2,500 people will benefit yearly.

Employability support for veterans Our employability team started working with an army veteran who hadn’t worked since 2018.

He was on benefits and had been referred to the employability service by Thirteen’s housing colleagues felt the service could help him escape the poverty trap associated with under-occupying a property.

We undertook some intensive support with him, including helping to understand interview techniques, running through common interview questions and details about competency-based questions.

He secured an interview for a job as a store manager and was successful. He is now considering shared ownership in the future, and if he does then we’ll support him every step of the way.

Ahead in shaping the green agenda

At Thirteen, improving our approach to the environment and sustainability cuts across everything we do. Reducing our environmental impacts is essential to us as a business.

We work with partners, suppliers and subcontractors to reduce carbon in our homes and moving forward all our new homes will be built to a carbon neutral ready standard. We’re making great strides on our retrofit programme too.

We’re doing extensive work to understand our customers’ decarbonisation ambitions so that we can take them with us on our journey to zero carbon.

As we move towards being carbon neutral in the future, we’re also testing different ways to do this with pilot schemes that will also lower costs for customers and provide a new standard of aspirational homes.

We’re committed to becoming a much greener organisation, reducing our environmental impact as far as we can and empowering our customers, colleagues and stakeholders to take control of their impacts. We’ve set our ambition as an organisation to reach net-zero on direct emissions by 2035.

Decarbonisation and green agenda Eco-friendly homes set to welcome new customers We are working on delivering many projects that will help us on our decarbonisation journey. In Stockton we’ve reconfigured a former housing office into two unique ecofriendly homes to test out new and innovative systems to see how homes could be made greener and smarter in the future.

• Infra-red heating panels are installed on the ceilings to remove the need for gas, providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to heat the home.

• Solar PV panels linked to a thermal store provide a simple electric hot water solution with minimal maintenance requirements.

• A mechanical ventilation heat recovery system (MVHR) provides fresh filtered air while retaining most of the energy which has already been used in heating the home, keeping it at a comfortable temperature.

It’s a great opportunity to bring new life into what was previously an empty building. We’ve looked at the fabric of the building, low carbon building services, and we’ve integrated renewable technology.

Data from the homes will be picked up remotely, to measure the effectiveness of the technology we’re using. This full house retrofit project will give us essential insight into how we ensure Thirteen’s properties move towards our goal of being carbon neutral in the future.

University partners for green projects We have also partnered with Teesside University on a successful government bid to deliver projects focusing on the zero-carbon agenda.

The bid – named Towards a Greener Tees Valley – was made by the partners to bring £700,000 of funding into the region to help develop green projects and better understand some of the green agenda challenges, especially for social housing. The project is funded through the UK Community Renewal Fund. The funding will be used for a number of projects, including supporting Thirteen’s retrofit ambitions in Hartlepool, which is looking at how current homes in the area can become zero-carbon ready.

We’ll also be gathering insight to understand what’s needed to de-carbonise older homes in Middlesbrough.

Another project will investigate the skills gaps around new green technologies in the Tees Valley, understanding what this means for housing providers and builders and finding practical solutions to bridge the gaps.

The projects form part of Teesside University’s SocioEconomic Impact Campus (SEIC) initiative.

Shaping places and spaces

We have experience delivering a wide range of tenures from affordable rent to shared ownership through to homes for market sale. We consistently deliver our grant funded affordable housing programme alongside Homes England, as well as delivering section 106 homes with local developers.

Building new homes Last year we spent £54m developing new homes, and we plan to build 7,000 homes by 2029. We understand the rapidly changing housing market which ensures we bring maximum benefits to both partners and communities.

We have a dedicated land team actively sourcing land, so we have a secure pipeline and supply of sites.

As a Homes England strategic partner, we have an ambitious development programme. We plan to build over 1,000 new affordable homes per annum with a minimum of 25% built using modern methods of construction (MMC).

Thirteen has been a significant pioneer in MMC, as you’ll see from the following case study, and it saved us both time, especially at the height of the pandemic, while delivering exceptional quality.

Partnership plans to bring new homes to Kirklees We are delivering more than 200 affordable new homes for Kirklees Metropolitan Council in West Yorkshire, alongside fellow housing association Incommunities.

The partnership between Kirklees Metropolitan Council, Thirteen and Incommunities will create vibrant new homes and places for the people of Kirklees.

The local authority has identified five proposed sites in its ownership to be developed as part of its housing development programme, and the partnership will provide a range of house types and tenures to meet the needs of the whole community.

We’re committed to making sure the homes we deliver meet the aspiration of residents. Our homes will be zero carbon ready, plus we will create spaces with great accessibility that people can enjoy and feel safe in, and we will respond to the housing needs of the diverse community. In a nutshell, it will mean we’ll deliver high quality, green homes and much more for the people of Kirklees.

The partnership will also help create new jobs and some fantastic apprentice opportunities and we will be working closely with communities to ensure they benefit from the schemes.

Innovative modular homes in Hartlepool Thirty-one new innovative modular homes in Hartlepool.

Working in partnership with Homes England and Hartlepool Council, these ground-breaking new homes were built using pioneering MMC, for affordable rent.

The homes were built off-site in a controlled factory environment by ilke Homes in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, before being driven to Hartlepool. Once onsite, each module was split into the ground and first floor and craned into place. The homes, which were already finished internally, were assembled and connected to the groundwork and services by delivery partner ENGIE.

Regeneration and placemaking expertise

Thirteen works with local authorities and partners to identify, access and deliver regeneration projects that enhance places and spaces for communities and build homes on challenging brownfield land sites. Together, we’re creating high quality, sustainable communities that have the needs of residents at the heart.

We have a great deal of experience around master planning and community resilience, which ensures residents, businesses and stakeholders are involved throughout the lifetime of the projects.

Town centre regeneration is a priority for us, and we are well aware of the challenges local authorities face. With that in mind, we have the expertise to work with partners to develop sustainable solutions, and we are keen to work with partners to help shape transformational regeneration and change.

Union Village, Middlesbrough

Placemaking through housing led regeneration Shortlisted in the project category at the Housing Design Awards, the 220 new, affordable, and much-needed homes form ambitious and transformational plans to regenerate part of central Middlesbrough by bringing derelict land back to life.

A close working relationship with Middlesbrough Council is key and we’re investing over £30m, with funding also coming from Homes England and the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

As part of the scheme, we’ve also entered into an innovative co-operation agreement with Middlesbrough Council to improve community safety and environmental standards as part of the area’s wider regeneration.

To ensure regeneration goes beyond bricks and mortar, Thirteen and Middlesbrough Council will jointly funding a dedicated neighbourhood manager for Gresham.

Bohouse North – cutting edge, town centre living Forty modern, flexible apartments where people can work or study from home.

Situated in a vibrant location - the Middlehaven regeneration area of the town is in the heart of the Boho Zone - Middlesbrough’s digital, creative and business hub.

It is a contemporary development where residents will keep their bills and carbon footprint low while benefiting from living in an exciting and central location close to everything the town centre offers.

Since day one, it’s been great working with Middlesbrough Council and the Middlesbrough mayor as well as Homes England, Esh Group and other partners to deliver these fantastic new homes, which are contributing to the Boho Zone’s growing national reputation.

Housing is our bread and butter Housing management We own and manage almost 35,000 homes and we’re proud that we put our customers at the heart of everything we do, and almost 90% tell us they’re happy with our overall services.

We have developed our current service offer by listening to customers and stakeholders about what matters to them to create great experiences and turn our customers into fans. As a result, we are transforming the way we work with customers through our new digital platform, My Thirteen and our touchpoint programme, including a high street customer hub in Stockton and another in Hull.

Our approach allows us to deliver a more consistent, responsive and quality service, while giving us the platform to understand changing customer behaviours and attitudes in a dynamic market.

This means that we continue to put customers at the heart of everything we do.

We welcome discussions about how we might be able to work together on any future opportunities for housing management agreements. So please get in touch with one of the team.

Thirteen welcomes new customers We welcomed new customers in Middlesbrough and Hull after completing an acquisition agreement with Clarion Housing Group.

The deal with Clarion, which was formally completed following a six-week customer consultation period, saw us take over the ownership and management of more than 1,000 homes as well as sheltered housing schemes and other community buildings.

As an ambitious organisation, we are always looking for opportunities to grow our geographic reach as well as solidify our status as a leading landlord.

Social value and community resilience

For Thirteen, social value is about increasing the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the people we work for and the communities we work in.

We recognise that explaining what we mean by social value and demonstrating what we deliver is sometimes difficult. Working with colleagues and our customers suggests that demonstrating social value and what we’re delivering is best explained by understanding the difference we’re making.

That’s why our procurement processes ensure that when businesses bid to work with us, they offer something to our communities and the local economy.

This means we get the most for our investment - spending wisely and to maximum effect.

We’re also committed to creating thriving and engaged places to live by building community resilience. Working alongside partners in the heart of the community, to celebrate strengths, provide opportunities and connect people to the assets and support in their local area.

Tackling a multitude of environmental, social and economic issues, we help build capacity and resilience by giving the community a voice.

Here's a snapshot of the added value we create from our everyday activities and some of the great work we have done to help our customers and neighbourhoods:

In any one month more than 4,700 people benefitted from the services we provide over and above our usual landlord functions.

We have secured additional funding of around £90,000 via our contracts with Travis Perkins and NE Procurement.

We invested

£131,763 into initiatives which directly helped customers and communities.

The total social value recorded through HACT in 2019-20 was worth more than £5.52m.

We put more than £2.04m straight back into the pockets of residents by supporting customers with money and benefits advice.

We put more than £98m into the local economy through our spending on staff and suppliers.

Get in touch Our dedicated business growth team will work with you to help create the best possible outcomes for your communities. They are an experienced and enthusiastic team ready to help deliver your ambitions.

Chris Smith

Executive Director of Business Growth chris.smith@thirteengroup.co.uk

Chris leads on business growth for Thirteen, which includes identifying and developing bids and securing new business ventures, contracts, partnerships and commissioned/contracted services, and working with partners to create housing and service solutions for their housing, support and care needs.

Chris also focuses on strategic partnerships with Homes England, local authorities, health organisations, universities, and the community and voluntary sector.

Sharon Thomas

Director of Strategic Partnerships sharon.thomas@thirteengroup.co.uk

Sharon’s role is key to identifying opportunities, delivering regeneration schemes and building community resilience and new affordable housing, across the North East and Yorkshire.

As a previous Director of Economic Development & infrastructure at Middlesbrough Council she draws on her expertise to create and nurtures relationships that promote our ambitions for growing our market, increasing our presence in existing and new areas and meeting our regeneration aspirations.

Chris Joynes

Director of Thirteen Plus chris.joynes@thirteengroup.co.uk

Chris leads on horizon scanning and identifying opportunities. He’s responsible for developing relationships as well as strengthening existing connections with external partners.

His team manage the bid and tender process and submit proposals, tenders and expressions of interest across a wide range of support services.

Angela Brockbank

Head of New Business & Growth angela.brockbank@thirteengroup.co.uk

Angela leads on new business and opportunities for Thirteen, focussing on creating and maintaining excellent relationships and partnerships with local authorities. As a former Head of Place Investment in Economic Growth, which involved delivering major regeneration projects, Angela is well-placed to understand the needs and aspirations of your communities.

Karen Kenmare

Head of Business Growth karen.kenmare@thirteengroup.co.uk

As head of business growth, Karen and her team support operations with maintaining existing supported housing and employability contracts and identifying new procurement opportunities which include Ministry of Justice, homelessness, youth, and health as well as writing and submitting tender specifications. Karen is instrumental in developing and maintaining relationships with commissioners and other key stakeholders to identify gaps and propose solutions.

Contact us 0300 111 1000 www.thirteengroup.co.uk @Thirteen_Group ThirteenGroup