Safer London has released Unlocking Doors: A Professional’s toolkit for establishing managed housing reciprocals.
This free open-source toolkit has been developed from Safer London’s experience of running and operating the Pan London Housing Reciprocal, which supports Londoners with a social tenancy who are at risk of abuse and violence in their borough.
Since 2017, the Pan London Housing Reciprocal has facilitated 227 moves, with 517 adults and children having moved to safe, secure homes.
It has been an effective tool in the fight against gender-based violence, providing a pathway for individuals and families to find affordable homes away from harm. From 2017 to 2020 almost two thirds (63%) of property requests were for applicants fleeing a form of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), most of them referred due to domestic abuse (58%).
Recognising wider risks, Safer London opened access to the Pan London Housing Reciprocal to other groups including young Londoners and their families affected by violence, and those experiencing hate crime within the community, such as LGBTQ+ hate crimes.
They hope that other agencies will take this toolkit, with the aim of establishing a managing housing reciprocal in their local area, based on local need.
Unlocking Doors: A Professional’s toolkit for establishing managed housing reciprocals is available on their website now.
Please find their full Press Release here: http://vawgnetwork.mdx.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/PressRelease_UnlockingDoors_3011202284.docx