Providing the foundations for lasting social change

As a social housing provider, Karbon Homes knows a thing or two about the value of solid foundations. That significance, though, goes far beyond mere bricks and mortar, extending to the very people residing in its properties. Here, the North East-headquartered operator highlights the potential of its recently launched Karbon Foundation, with director Phil Pollard telling Bdaily how the charitable arm will help unlock opportunities, strengthen partnerships and deliver even greater impact for people and communities across the region and beyond.

“Housing associations are more than just bricks and mortar; they’re about building communities.”

It’s a simple statement, but one that sits at the heart of Phil Pollard’s belief in the transformative power of social housing providers to impact customers and those living alongside them.

After more than two decades in the housing sector, including five years leading Karbon Homes’ customer and community engagement programmes across the North East and Yorkshire, Phil has seen first-hand how housing associations can help people overcome barriers, build skills, improve financial wellbeing and access new opportunities.

Now, Karbon Homes is ready to take the next step in its ambitions, with the launch of Karbon Foundation, a registered charity within the Karbon Group.

Karbon Foundation is designed to build on the housing association’s longstanding commitment to community investment, while creating new opportunities to work in partnerships with more organisations across the region.

Phil, who is taking the lead as the foundation’s group director, says: “As an anchor institution within the communities we operate, our vision for the Karbon Foundation is to build an organisation that will strengthen our commitment to supporting communities in the region.

“We see first-hand the challenges our communities face, challenges that are only getting more acute as the cost of living continues to rise and access to support services from the third sector becomes more difficult.

“Its creation will really amplify the work of our long-established community engagement and support services, including financial inclusion and employability programmes, community investment and place-shaping initiatives and social value partnerships.”

Charitable status will enable the organisation to access previously out of reach grant funding opportunities, which would help boost the impact of its engagement programmes.

Take Karbon Homes’ Money Matters team, which has generated around £8 million in income gains for customers in the last financial year alone, helping people maximise their income, access support and improve financial stability.

Phil says: “Accessing our Money Matters service has the potential to have a huge, often life-changing, impact on residents.

“It makes a big difference to individual lives and the wider economy too.

“If we look at just that team, with additional grant funding through Karbon Foundation, we could really grow that support and extend it to more people across the region who need help.”

But, as Phil makes clear, funding is just one piece of the puzzle.

He says: “Though it does open up new avenues for us, it’s not just about bringing in funding.

“What excites me most is the potential to expand the number of partner organisations we work with, achieving more collectively than we could alone.

“A lot of individuals, organisations and community groups were unaware they could access support from, or work with, Karbon Homes, because either they didn’t live in a Karbon home or they didn’t work directly with Karbon customers.

“But through the foundation, we’ll be able to make what we do more accessible and open doors to new partnerships, which both strengthen and extend our offer and help build the offerings of others.”

That collaborative spirit was on display at the foundation’s launch event, where housing providers, charities, community groups, contractors and businesses came together to explore opportunities for future partnership working.

For Phil, those relationships will be key to driving meaningful change.

Taking employment and skills as an example, one of the foundation’s major areas of focus, Phil says: “We’re committed to helping people get ready for work, or to get back into work, supporting them to take that next step on the ladder.

“Partnership working is key in providing a more comprehensive, tailored support system, which leads to better outcomes for those in need.”

One example is Karbon’s Step into Driving programme, developed with County Durham coach company Stanley Travel and Jobcentre Plus.

Participants are supported through their driving theory test and on to gaining a driving licence, before progressing to bus and coach driver training, with successful candidates offered employment by Stanley Travel.

Phil says: “Step into Driving is a fantastic example of partners identifying a local need and coming together to pool expertise and resources to support residents.

“The process of becoming a bus driver is one with multiple steps, one that any single partner would struggle to take someone through from start to finish.

“But together, we’ve achieved fantastic outcomes that are making a tangible difference to lives long-term.”

Karbon Foundation is now exploring how similar partnership-led programmes can be developed with other employers, training providers and skills organisations across the region.

Karbon’s approach to social value is another strong example of the power of partnership working.

Using its spending power to create wider benefits for its communities, the foundation works with Karbon’s contractors and suppliers to deliver benefits that go beyond financial investment and are rooted in local need, making a meaningful difference to people’s lives.

In the last year alone, Karbon unlocked £5.7 million of contributions, which has been channelled through the foundation to help turn social value commitments into opportunities.

For Phil, the principle is straightforward.

He says: “It all comes down to where we can make the biggest impact for customers and communities.

“Whether that’s offering apprenticeship opportunities, donating volunteer hours or contributing time and materials to support community projects, through the foundation we can ensure every contribution made has the greatest possible impact.”

And Phil has a clear message for organisations that share the foundation’s ambition to create lasting social impact in the North East.

He adds: “Through Karbon Foundation, we’re making a call to arms.

“We want to hear from charities, community groups, other foundations, training providers, skills groups, colleges and local employers – we want to work with you.

“We want to help create the conditions people need to move forward with confidence and achieve.

“That’s what Karbon’s customer and community engagement has always been about.”

• This article first appeared in Bdaily sister publication N magazine. Click here to see more from the latest edition.

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