The Habren Partnership

Grŵp Gwalia Cyf and the Faculty of Health, Sport and Science at the University of Glamorgan recognise the benefits of working in partnership when developing innovative support services, particularly when working with people with dementia and their families.

The two organisations have come together to form Habren specifically in order to improve support facilities for tenants and service users and to identify opportunities that working together strategically can create.

The planned projects will focus on the development of integrated accommodation for people with dementia and their carers. Habren is well placed to implement the projects successfully as significant expertise and commitment exists within both organisations. Pooling expertise and commitment will place both organisations at the forefront of partnership working in order to improve services for people with dementia.

Habren is committed to providing people with their own front door and to providing an environment that allows individuals to remain independent, for as long as possible. We also recognise the importance of enabling couples to remain together and this is an integral part of our philosophy.

Working in Partnership

Grŵp Gwalia has a long history of providing a range of innovative forms of housing within Wales. Over the years, it has specialised in the housing needs of vulnerable and dependent tenants. Gwalia is keen to build upon the experience gained in projects such as Plas y Môr in Burry Port and Llys y Werin in Gorseinon. These are extra care schemes for the elderly which have proved not only popular with the client group but also represent examples of best practice in supporting older people to live active, independent lives in the community.

Given the shortage in the provision of dementia-friendly housing in Wales, the partnership is keen to develop first class dementia schemes into the proposal.

The Faculty of Health, Sport and Science at the University of Glamorgan is interested in improving the support given to vulnerable people, and is keen to contribute to the development of innovative support models. These innovative models along with appropriate, modern facilities would ensure effective and efficient service delivery.

The primary objectives of the partnership are to:

Establish a shared philosophy for both the scheme and support services.
Improve the support of people with dementia.
Improve the training of staff involved in the supported housing sector.
Strengthen or create partnerships to deliver innovative, quality schemes.
Improve the standards of education and training of support-givers by emphasising a multi-agency and multi-professional approach.
Provide a rich arena for research and the continuous development of services, whilst recognising the underlining principles of respecting people as if living in their own homes.
Act as an ambassador of good practice.

Habren is currently working with two partners, Carmarthenshire County Council and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, to develop residential accommodation to meet the needs of local residents.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your authority's housing needs.

The Faculty of Health, Sport & Science at the University of Glamorgan

The Faculty of Health, Sport and Science has a wide range of courses from pre and post registration nursing programmes, to training for pharmacists assistants and sports scientists. The Faculty's Mental Health Team has designed a support model that is underpinned by current research and as new evidence based knowledge is developed, the model will be updated and refined. The Faculty has developed a module called 'Supporting the Person with Dementia'. The module comprises units that together, will enable the participant to demonstrate good working practices in the provision of individualised holistic care for people with dementia. The module is underpinned via the Support Model. This will be explored in-depth, including its theoretical underpinnings and how it functions in practice.

The formation of Habren will result in the development of innovative alternatives to residential care. A key element of the partnership is to ensure the provision of high quality training and education programmes for Health Care Support Workers. It is anticipated that these programmes will be rolled out over time across the social care sector.

Grŵp Gwalia Cyf

Grŵp Gwalia is a leading provider of social housing and care in south and mid Wales and the parent association of the Gwalia Group. Gwalia is committed to the building and maintenance of high quality social housing at affordable rents in sustainable communities. It supports its group associations to deliver an efficient and effective service to tenants and clients of its Care and Community Services. With a turnover of £35m it employs 860 people in five associations.

The parent organisation provides support and development services to the Group associations. It develops environmentally sustainable housing in an innovative, cost effective way, whilst seeking to develop new markets related to the core business of social housing both for rent and low cost sales.