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Blackpool Transience Programme: initial workshop
In partnership with the Public Services Transformation Network and New Economy, we have
been working with Blackpool to identify information sharing issues within its Transience
Programme.
In March 2015, we held a one-day workshop with attendees from Blackpool’s Transience,
Housing Strategy and Housing Enforcement teams, to map the Transience Programme’s
information sharing journey.
It was recognised that attendees would dip in and out of the process, however, each team
member listened and contributed to the whole journey.
Introduction
At the beginning of the day, each attendee was asked two questions:
“What have you got to offer?”
“What is your ask of the day?”
Responses included:
“My team can offer a wide range of people interventions to help with day-to-day living
and ease pressure via signposting into relevant services.”
“I can offer local knowledge, including an understanding of the town.”
“I can offer support with engaging difficult and challenging individuals.”
“I want to leave with a better understanding of partnerships involved in transience
project and the agencies I work with.”
“I want to understand what systems are used to pull information together.”
“I want to pick up ideas of how to show impact.”
Structure
The workshop was structured around a giant sheet of brown paper which was separated into
two lanes, showing the people and property interactions and cross-over points.
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By visually representing information, and with plenty of willing interaction, attendees were able
to absorb a large amount of content – and we learnt that the preparatory work, visits and
follow up spanned almost year of work!
Attendees were also able to add comments and insight from their own areas of work to support
wider team awareness around information sharing issues.
Populating the two lanes
The attendees worked to the three key stages of the Transience
Programme:
1. Pre-knock (the preparatory work)
2. Knock (the visit)
3. After knock (referrals, sign-posting and follow up)
They were asked to describe their working day and write their
responses in the two lanes on the brown paper. These descriptions
centred around the four questions; What? Who with? When? Why?
Alongside these journeys, information sharing opportunities and
barriers were then discussed and captured.
A rich picture
As well as contributing insight from their own professional roles, the Transience and Housing
Teams were also able to share the experiences and views from a citizen-centred perspective;
landlords and tenant / owner occupiers. A richer picture was therefore developed through
viewing issues from a users’ perspective.
Reflection
Through reflection at the end of each of the three key stages, attendees became more
comfortable in voicing their views. This enabled them to draw out ideas and collectively devise
some practical and creative steps that would help overcome information sharing barriers and
take advantage of identified opportunities.
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Round up
At the end of the workshop, attendees were asked to identify their personal priorities. These
included:
• Develop better reporting methods between the Housing and Transience Team
• Look at developing / procure a Transience Case Management System where all
information would be collected in one place
• Hold regular Housing and Transience joint team meetings
• Follow up on referrals using evaluation methods and documentation of case studies
• Measure the success and impact of the Transience Programme
Follow up
Using the rich discussions and information gathered on the day, we are developing a paper that
identifies the information sharing issues within the Transience Programme and sets out steps
that will support the programme to overcome these barriers. Further meetings will be held in
April to continue with this work.
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