Community Housing Advice Partnership Print E-mail

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Background

Launched in 2004 The Community Housing Advice Project was established by Housing Rights Service, Citizens Advice and Advice NI to help ensure that good quality housing advice is accessible throughout Northern Ireland. In 2010 the venture was rebranded as the Community Housing Advice Partnership.

Aim of the project

The project aims to increase the capacity of information and advice providers throughout Northern Ireland to provide quality housing advice services for people in their local communities who are threatened with homelessness or experiencing housing need.  The project is managed by Housing Rights Service and is funded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive

The project currently has partnership agreements with 22 frontline advice agencies; 11 citizens advice bureau and 11 independent agencies.

Read our most recent Project Report.

Progress this year

  • A further 16 advisers, working in our partner agencies completed our accredited Housing Advice Training Programme this year.  This means that CHAP has now provided this training course to 57 staff in partner agencies. As a result there has been an increase in the competence and confidence of staff and volunteers when dealing with housing issues.
  • Staff at partner agencies dealt with 17,621 housing issues in 2009/2010.  The breadth and complexity of these issues has also increased.
  • Almost 80% of clients reported positive housing and related outcomes as a result of their involvement with CHAP 
  • CHAP reached an agreement with NIHE to provide training to Housing Executive staff on the Private Rented Sector. This training programme was rolled out in February 2010.   
  • Staff in partner agencies improved their skills, knowledge and understanding of the issues involved in giving advice on the Private Rented Sector by attending introductory and accredited training programmes. 
  • Training was also provided to partner agency staff on housing debt and preventing homelessness as a result of housing debt.  
  • CHAP issued factfiles on Landlord Repossession and Guides to the Private Tenancies (NI) Order to partner agencies and NIHE.

For further information on the Community Housing Advice Partnership contact Advice Services Manager, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .