Addressing Food Poverty in the UK

Introduction

Food and shelter have been recognized as part of the basic human needs. The provision of these two essential services of life for the whole human population has however not been met. Different parts of the world face different kinds of food poverty; some places more severe while others more concealed. In the UK an increasing amount of people are facing food poverty with many people having no choice but to turn to food banks for support (Robinson, 2016). In 2016, Trussel Trust alone offered 1.2 million of estimated food packages to consumers. This paints the picture of a sad reality that is being faced in the UK (Caraher et al., 2014). The persons who are the most affected by food poverty are low income earners, persons living with disabilities and persons with mental health problems and homeless people. This is because persons with lower incomes spend most of their income on food and thus if food prices rise it means they are left with less income to spend on other things (Food-Poverty.Pdf, n.d.). A large proportion of the UK population is also facing housing difficulties. Both the prices of houses and rents have been found to be extraordinarily high with housing in London and Southeast of England being some of the most expensive in the world, only second to Monaco. Prices of houses in the UK are almost twice as expensive as the US (Hilber and Schöni, 2016). The housing problem is further worsened by the fact they are also high compared to incomes and are also highly volatile with a lot of price swings of high housing costs is further worsened because they are also high compared to incomes (Hilber and Schöni, 2016). A majority of the people who are the most affected by the high costs of housing and rent are young people and families who have middle and low incomes. Many a people from this class are at high risk of forced evictions, having rent arrears and being homeless (“Housing | Key Issues,” n.d.).

AWJCG is a non-profit organization whose staff works on a non-paid volunteer basis. This organization supports people in the community regardless of their age, gender or social status to the best of its ability. They help persons with physical and mental health issues who are getting to and from hospital; they assist prisoners to develop positive relationships with their families, provide advice as well as guidance when it comes to addictions such as substance abuse, and provide bereaved families with advice on funeral arrangements, bereavement advice and support. They provide safe homes for persons who are either homeless are at the risk of being homeless. It provides free food and a sanctuary for persons who are vulnerable by destitution.

Food poverty

Food poverty is defined as ‘The inability to acquire or consume an adequate or sufficient quantity of food in socially acceptable ways, or the uncertainty that one will be able to do so. Food poverty also captures the inability to obtain healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables thus restricting the food choices a person has. It also covers the lack of access to food and the expenditure of a high amount of one’s income on obtaining food (Miklavec & Butcher, 2018). Food poverty has serious consequences on a person’s health, wellbeing and nutritional intake. One may suffer from malnutrition, dietary related non communicable diseases social and psychological issues. Food poverty is being fuelled by a number of factors which include; rising prices of food, high costs of housing, debt repayments, ill health, low levels of social security benefits financial challenges faced by person living with mental health issues and disabilities (Wakefield & Bowe, 2018).

Housing policies

The provision of affordable housing to all is also a challenge because of the many policy barriers that exist in attempts to gain it. There are widespread pre-tenancy assessments which are aimed at determining affordability. There are also increasing conditions that those who are seeking social housing must meet to access or renew their social housing tenancies (Hilber & Schöni, 2016). There are many housing policies in the in the United Kingdom. The first policy to be put in place is the social housing policy which was put in place in 1917. The social housing policy required the local authorities to provide houses for people (Harding et al., 2018). From 1917 to 2007 the local authorities provided most of the UK social homes until 2008 when for the first time it was overtaken by housing associations (Heath, 2018). This policy intervention helped low income and vulnerable people to obtain houses which they would otherwise not been able to access (Hilber & Schöni, 2016). The fact that cost of social housing is lower than the market price has put a lot strain on the services since there is more demand than supply implying people have to spend a lot of time waiting for their turn on the long lists of social housing. Investors on the other hand lack incentives to build more houses. Another housing policy was the right to buy introduced in the 1980s which allowed the tenant of social houses to buy those houses at highly subsidized rates (Nowicki, 2018). This policy led to the purchase and private ownership of many of the best social homes. while this policy improved home ownership it had an adverse effect on the labour market (Hilber & Schöni, 2016). There are proposals to put houses owned by housing association on the same basis. The other housing policy is the “help to buy” policy whose aim was to stimulate the demand in housing by the provision of mortgage guarantees, allowing for shared ownership of homes, provision of equity loans and the new buy scheme which allows persons to check into a new house after paying only 5% of the total cost of the house (Preece et al., 2019). The increased demand in housing was to help stimulate the building of more houses.

The sad reality is that the “help to buy” scheme has but robbed people of the opportunity to buy houses and reduced their ability to own homes. This is due to the fact that this has caused an increase in the prices of houses (Slater, 2018). In London an average increase in house prices of about 25% has been noted but there has been no corresponding enthusiasm to build new houses. The help to buy policy needs to be financed from the taxpayers money this puts excess burden on the tax payers further straining the social welfare scheme. Under this policy first time buyers take upon themselves high financial leverages thus putting them at high risk of defaulting. In the case of such a default the tax payer is to take responsibility (Preece et al., 2019). The welfare reforms have had a tremendous impact on social housing (Baptisa et. al., 2016). it has led to a reduced amount of housing benefit which then means social renters who are of the working age but do not have other sources of income are no longer able to fully pay for their rent using the housing benefit. They have led to an increased amount of scrutiny on the behaviour of both prospective and active tenants (Preece et al., 2019).

Comparison of the approaches and housing policies of three organizations providing housing support

The AWJCG takes the housing first approach to ending homelessness. Under this approach providing a home is the priority. The individuals are then helped to cope with their behavioral health problems, allowed to pursue their personal goals and improve the quality of their lives. These are achieved through support services offered to the persons under a voluntary rather than a mandatory process. This approach to housing the homeless, takes into account the clients personal preferences of where to live, and gives them a choice to participate in support services. This has shown better outcomes as much as improvement in client life and likelihood of remaining housed is concerned. Under this programme rental assistance is given to the persons for a duration which depends on the needs of the household. These people are housed in social houses acquired by the organization. Providing a suitable home in this case means a home a home they can afford, which is located in a suitable place, the house must be in a good condition, providing comfort, safety and security which supports health and wellbeing. Housing support is not only provided for homeless people but also for persons who face a significant risk of becoming homeless. This could be as a result of ill health, mental health problems, disability and lack of adequate understanding of the housing situation which makes them vulnerable. The help offered include; helping individuals make a decision on where to live, help individuals to be aware of the options available to them, physical search of accommodation, connecting the individuals to potential landlords or organizations’ providing accommodation, assisting the individuals with finances such as deposits for rent and other necessities while establishing a home, helping the prospective tenants to understand the expectations of tenancy and to draw plans to help them meet these requirements and provide a temporary refuge where it is necessary (Definition of Housing Support Needs and Housing Support Services, n.d.). Other organizations which are involved in trying to tackle housing issues include are CRISIS and Shelter Cymru . Shelter Cymru offers independent housing support. Under this project the work together with the local authority to support persons with housing needs. The organization puts more emphasis on the prevention of homelessness by creating sustainable tenancies. They ensure that incidences of possession by mortgage lenders, landlords and local authorities are reduced and in thus doing establish settled communities. This approach has great benefit since it is a precautionary measure rather than a curative and one. This organization helps tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities thus ensuring a smooth stay in rented houses. The organization advices people on better ways to manage their debts and the repayment options available to them. It also provides advocacy services for the tenants where necessary. It provides support for its clients as they settle into their new homes through application of grants, help in finding furniture and access to other services and support. the services provided by Shelter Cymru are person centered although they only last for a short time (6 months to one year) unless it is deemed entirely necessary to continue them, that is in cases where clients are at high risks of losing their homes (Independent Housing Support – Shelter Cymru, n.d.).

Shelter Cymru believes the Right to Buy policy has been and continues to be a key contributor to the housing crisis that is currently being faced at Wales. The impact of the policy together with reluctance of the local authorities to invest in building new affordable social houses during the last three decades, have led to social housing becoming a rare and limited feature of the available housing options for households living in Wales. For this reason the organization has always believed that the government Wales should abolish this policy. This policy framework has denied the most vulnerable proportion of the population an opportunity to have housing services and puts them under the risks of being homeless. This is so because it has led to the selling of social houses at low prices while the local authorities are not building new ones. It is undeniable that this policy has increased the amount of people owning homes but this is at a tremendous cost on the low income earners in the society. Home ownership could be achieved through other means such as stair casing and shared equity schemes. These provide access to homes but at the same time do not compromise the availability of social houses for those who need them. These schemes have also been shown to be more effective than the right to buy. Social houses provide security and are more affordable than their privately rented counterparts. If social housing is not protected it may force the vulnerable groups of the population to rely on privately rented accommodation which may not only fail to meet their need but also increase their vulnerability to homelessness. Shelter Cymru therefore supports the abolishment of the right to buy policy since it puts even more strain on the already strained housing provision (ARTB 01 - Shelter Cymru.Pdf, n.d.).

Crisis is a charity which aims at ending homelessness. It focuses on ensuring that the plan that is already available on how to end homelessness is being followed through. This it plans to achieve by identifying policies which have a great promise in ending homelessness and campaigning for their adoption. This charity also works with the public through providing information on the causes of homelessness and how to solve it. This approach helps to break down the prejudice that the public has such as that homeless people are lazy people who have failed, or that they are there as a consequence of their bad choices (Cri0101_5yearstratgey_digital.Pdf, n.d.). Crisis has the intention to work with governments in England, Scotland and Wales to help them adopt national plans to end homelessness through clear demonstrations of the need to change and constant research to fill in the gaps in evidence. The organization also actively participates in demonstrating that an end in homelessness can be achieved by carrying out practical demonstrations in local areas. The organization provides direct housing services to people in their Skylight areas and is focused on ensuring that more and more homeless people who are either secluded from other services or have more complex needs are taken care of (Health and Wellbeing | Crisis | Together We Will End Homelessness, n.d.). Crisis organization provides housing based on the housing first policy. Under the housing first policy ordinary houses are rented from social houses and private landlords to persons who are already homeless as a quick intervention to get these people out of the streets. During the time of tenancy the persons are then provided with support services that enable them to get back to their feet. The underlying principle in housing firs is the belief that people can recover if they are provided with a secure place to do so. The tenancy is always provided as fast as possible and the conditions of tenancy are quite reduced. Individuals housed under this policy have a choice on what services they decide to participate in. The homeless individuals are highly involved in the housing project and their strengths, aspirations and goals respected (Blood et al., 2018).

Housing support funding

The Housing Support Grant (HSG) comprises of three grants; Supporting People Programme, Rent Smart Wales enforcement funding and some features of the Homelessness Prevention Grant. For the HSG to actively respond to homelessness and to ensure that their response focuses on the underlying causes of homelessness, a lot of authorities are required (Welsh Government, 2020). The bulk of housing-related and homelessness funding in Wales is provided by the Supporting People programme (SPP). The SPP aims to prevent or ease the burden of homeless and to assist the vulnerable people such that they can live an independent life (Welsh women aid, 2018). Local authorities commission the services which are delivered through various housing organizations and charities all over wales. Local authorities access funding from the Homelessness Prevention Grant that will enable them to provide services that will relieve as well as prevent homelessness in line with guidelines under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. The Housing (Wales) Act 2014 has prevented many people from being homeless. However, people are still at risk of becoming homeless as result of lack secure employment, welfare and limited affordable housing. Also, other personal crises such as physical and mental health problems and domestic abuse (Welsh women aid, 2018). The SPP has been a ring-fenced grant thus, the local authority had to spend their provision of the fund in line with the grant’s terms and conditions. In 2017 the Welsh government decided to make changes to the funding system. The government created seven ‘Full Flexibility Pathfinder’ local authorities, the ‘Pathfinders would be given 100% spending flexibility across five grant programmes (Support People, Family First, Flying Start, Communities for Work Plus and Communities First Legacy) during 2018/2019. Of late, this has been increased to ten grants namely; Childcare and Play, Families First, Communities First Legacy, Flying Start, Communities Work Plus, Homelessness Prevention Grant, Promoting Positive Engagement for Young People at Risk of Offending, Rent Smart Wales, St David’s Day Fund and Supporting People Programme. Across the initial five grants, 15% spending flexibility was given to the remaining 15 local authorities (Welsh women aid, 2018).

Moreover, the Welsh Government reduced the budget line for the SPP in 2019/2020 to £0. The funding was moved a new budget line-Early intervention: Prevention and Support (EIPS). To remove the ring-fence around the SPP, minsters have considered merging all the ten grants into the EIPS. The ten grants fall in line with goals outlined in the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 which contains goals for ‘A more healthier Wales’, ‘A more equal Wales’ and ‘A Wales of cohesive communities’, ‘A globally responsible Wales’, ‘A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language’, ‘A prosperous Wales’ and A resilient Wales. The aim of the ‘A more healthier wales’ goal is to ensure that Wales becomes a society where individuals mental and physical well-being are at a maximum level and in which actions and choices that have benefits to future health are understood (Welsh Government, 2018). It has been observed that mental and physical health problems are some of the underlying issues that cause individuals to become homeless. Organizations such as the AWJCG provide support for these people thus aiding in achieving the well-being goal. The goal stated as ‘A more equal Wales’ aims to create a society where individuals are able to reach their full potential regardless of their circumstance and their background (inclusive of their socio-economic background). An analysis of the socio-economic disadvantage around Wales shows that approximately a quarter of the Welsh population live in relative income poverty after they have met their housing costs between 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 (Welsh Government, 2018). Also, it was noted that ,ore than two fifths of individuls who are simgle parents were living in material deprivation and that 3% of these household were receiving food from the food banks.Single people and single parent housholds continue to face numerous challenges and are more likely to face homless as compares to other demograpics in the population. A Wales of cohesive communities aims to create a society that has well-connected communities, that are attractive and that are viably safe. Approximately half of the households in Wales that were faced with homelessness had children who are dependents. Despite the number of households that were likely to be faced with homelessness, there has been a 68% improvement rate in successful homelessness improvement prevention (Welsh Government, 2018).

The goal stated as ‘A prosperous Wales’ aims to create a society that has a low carbon emission, that is productive an innovative. A society that understands the limits that are present in the environment and therefore strives to use resources more proportionately and efficiently e.g. organization that have food share programmes reduce the amount of food that goes to waste by redistributing surplus food to charities that can turn it into meals.

Eligibility for housing support

To be eligible for housing support, factors such as an individual’s immigration status, nationality and sometimes one’s past behaviour is considered. Apart from a few exceptions majority of the people who live in the United Kingdom permanently are eligible. However, even though an individual is eligible for housing, it doesn’t mean that they are guaranteed a placement. Being eligible simple means that an individual can be considered for a home and therefore be put on the waiting list (Shelter Cymru, 2019). There is limited housing available thus there is a long waiting list and not everybody will get an offer. As along as an individual is authorised to receive help under the Allocation of Housing and homelessness (Eligibility) (Wales) Regulations 2014 and the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, they are eligible to receive support to prevent them from becoming homeless. For someone to be eligible for housing support they need to be over the age of 16 (Housing Grant, 2020). Pre-tenancy Agreements can be made with individuals under the age of 16 with the aim of building the individual’s ability to inhabit a home or to take on tenancy after they become 16 years of age. Eligibility is determined on whether a person is ‘subject to immigration control. This means that only certain people for abroad are qualified for housing support. There are different guidelines for European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, British citizens and individuals from other countries. Individuals who are subjected to immigration control are not qualified for housing support unless they are (Shelter Cymru, 2019); a refugee, under humanitarian protection, have special leave to remain in the UK, an Afghan citizen who has worked in the UK government.

Individuals from abroad who aren’t subjected to immigration control are eligible for housing support in Wales; if they are classified as a worker or if they belong to the family of worker, if they are self-employed or belong to a family of someone who is self-employed. Individuals from the EEA aren’t eligible to apply for housing support if they residing in the UK as a jobseeker or who can only reside for 3 months. Since council can only provide housing support for individuals who are classified as ‘habitually residents’, individuals who have been living outside the UK, the Channel Islands, Eire and the Isle of Man for a lengthy period may not be eligible to apply for housing support. The council determines whether you are habitually resident by looking at where you have leaved, where your friends and family are situated, where you work , the reasons you have for coming to live in that area, where you intend to reside in the future and whether you have been a habitually resident before.

Challenges facing housing support provision

It has been observed that there is growing opposition to Supporting people in Wales. Landlords, support providers and commissioners are experiencing opposition from the community towards Supporting People projects. In many areas there have been complaints, protests and opposition from the locals when it comes to planning for supported accommodation schemes for young people, people with mental health problems, people escaping domestic abuse and marginalised groups of people. The proposed EIPS grant includes services that are not related to housing-related support and homelessness. There is fear that the resulting outcomes and guidance maybe be watered down so that the wide range of services can be covered thus there is a risk that it may become meaningless (Welsh women aid, 2018). There is a risk of the housing support funding being used elsewhere. Before the merger into the proposed EIPS the ring-fence around Supporting People funding guaranteed that it was spent on housing support related problems and homelessness. However, with the merger there is fear that the EIPS grant will remove the ring-fence and that the funds will be spent on the non-housing services that are present in the grant. These services that are often considered unpopular are put in competition with services such as health visitors, childcare and early years that are popular within communities. There is fear that community opposition and budget pressures in regards to Supporting People schemes will lead to a medium to long term spending reduction on these services (Welsh women aid, 2018). Landlords and their lenders will lose confidence or certainty that funding will be available for its intended purpose. This will lead them to take drastic action such as ending or reducing their investments in support accommodation schemes. Therefore, leading to a decrease in the number support accommodations, which means that helpless people will have nowhere to go resulting in more people becoming homeless or remaining homeless.

List of references

Baptista, R., Farmer, J. D., Hinterschweiger, M., Low, K., Tang, D., & Uluc, A. (2016). Macroprudential policy in an agent-based model of the UK housing market.

Brener, A. (2020). Housing and Financial Stability: Mortgage Lending and Macroprudential Policy in the UK and US. Routledge.

Caraher, M., Cavicchi, A., Lambie-Mumford, H., & Dowler, E. (2014). Rising use of “food aid” in the United Kingdom. British Food Journal.

Heath, S. (2018). Siblings, fairness and parental support for housing in the UK. Housing Studies, 33(2), 284-298.

Nowicki, M. (2018). A Britain that everyone is proud to call home? The bedroom tax, political rhetoric and home unmaking in UK housing policy. Social & Cultural Geography, 19(5), 647-667.

Miklavec, K., Bucher, T., Hodgkins, C., Raats, M., Kušar, A., & Pravst, I. (2018). Comparison of food-related health literacy in Slovenia, United Kingdom and Australia. European Journal of Public Health, 28(suppl_4), cky213-302.

Slater, T. (2018). The invention of the ‘sink estate’: Consequential categorisation and the UK housing crisis. The Sociological Review, 66(4), 877-897.

Robinson, H. (2016). Food Banks of the United Kingdom, how effective are they at providing services for people in need, and thus are they having a positive of negative effect on food insecurity in the UK (Doctoral dissertation, Queen Margaret University).

Wakefield, J., & Bowe, M. (2018). Foodbank use and food insecurity in the United Kingdom: submission for the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

Welsh Women Aid (2018). Housing Matter:, Safeguarding the future of homelessness and housing-related suopport services in Wales. Cymru

Blood, I., Goldup, M., Peters, L., & Dulson, S. (n.d.). Implementing Housing First across England, Scotland and Wales. 60.

Reflective Review

Reflection involves a form of mental processing or a way of thinking where something is considered in more detail. It is usually applied to ideas that are relatively unstructured or complicated and which have no obvious answer. Reflection has a large basis on the additional processing of understanding and knowledge as well as possible emotions that may already be in possession. Gibbs points out that to learn, it is not enough to only have experienced because if we do not reflect, such experiences, may be easily forgotten, or the potential for learning lost (Wain, 2017). It is from the thoughts and experiences that emanate from the reflection that concepts, as well as generalizations, can be made and it is such generalizations that enable effective tackling of new situations. Reflection results in learning as it can alter one’s understanding and ideas about a situation. It can be characterized by reflection on action, which involves past experiences, reflection in action, involving incidents as they happen, as well as reflection for action, which involves actions the individual wishes to take in the future. One important aspect in reflection involves a reflective practice which is a term derived from the work of Schon and Dewey. Dewey notes that reflective practice incorporates persistent, active, and careful consideration of any form of knowledge or belief in the light of the grounds that support it. Being reflective is described as enabling the direction of thoughts with foresight as it makes it possible for us to know what we are about to do when we act. Reflective practice is considered a vital part of professional development and it requires individuals to have questioning approaches. Possessing abilities to reflect is considered vital for employability in many professions today (Wharton, 2017). It involves consideration of why things are as they are, and how they might be, as well as learning from your own experiences and that of others to effect change with the main focus being future actions and outcomes. Reflective practice is usually facilitated by various models where various reflective practice questions are applicable to professional practice. During placement reflections enable learners in identifying and developing skills that are necessary for their professions. Such discoveries enhance the professional as well as the personal development of the learner and this translates to improved confidence.

The reflective account in this paper utilizes the reflection model according to Rofle et al (2001). The model is described as a fluid process where there are no exclusions on any part of it with another and thus it involves a continuous and integrated flow that has no beginning or end. It a fairly simple model based on only three questions. Users are however advised that the reflections should not just be superficial but they should also strive to make them as comprehensive as possible. The first stage involves the question What? Here only a mere description of the experience or what happened is given in order to analyse it and take it forward in one’s own learning. The second stage involves the question So What? After the description is given in the first stage, one needs to ask themselves what the situation or experience means. In order to achieve this it is often necessary to consult with colleagues or the literature to get comprehensive insights on the matter in case one cannot gain useful insights or interpretations from their own judgments. The final stage involves Now What? Here the person reflecting asks what they need to consider with the aim of improving their learning or practice from their initial experience. Bolton and Delderfield (2018) describe the process as a single loop reflection where challenging incidents are examined and more effective strategies sought. They point out that single loop reflections enable the development of awareness as well as actions that are more appropriate while still taking into consideration the underlying theories and professional structures that influence the practitioners.

Role of AWJCG in the community

The Action with Jesus Christ Globally (AWJCG) organization is involved in offering various help and support services to anyone in the community. The organization provides practical support and help where possible and in situations where they cannot, they signpost people to other organizations that can offer it (AWJCG, 2019). Activities they are involved in include helping families have the best possible relationships and outcomes as well as supporting people in doing things they are unable to do. They offer guidance and advice in alcohol and drug issues as well as other addictions and support individuals in making the best possible solutions. They also provide transport when possible in aiding people access appointments and services that would otherwise be difficult to arrange or access. The organization is also known for helping those with physical and mental health issues in areas like getting to and from the hospital and visiting patients. They also help those who are homeless and those who are facing the threat of being homeless by providing safe housing. The service is or anyone within the community and it helps everyone and anyone to the best of its ability and it welcomes all who are needy. Their motto involves helping everyone from the cradle to the grave. Through the Fareshare charity, they are also involved in fighting food poverty. Fareshare redistributes surplus food to frontline charities as well as community groups like AWJCG. Organizations like the AWJCG that receive food from Fareshare can be considered as Community Food Members (CFMs) (Sonnino and Hanmer, 2016). There are different types of CFM’s and AWJCG can be classified under housing CFM’s which deal with providing supported housing, hostels, and residential rehabilitation services to drug and alcohol addicts, rough sleepers, and the homeless as well as people with mental health issues. As a housing professional, it may be necessary to collaborate with such organizations in the provision of housing as well as food solutions to the destitute in society. Through the reflective model outlined above, we can identify the skills that need to be developed or strengthened in a housing professional for the fulfillment of such a role.

What?

It is necessary for housing professionals to have various skills that are vital for the fulfilment of their duties. The profession places individuals in places of trust with customers, the public as well as employers who rely on them for their judgments. The housing professional’s code of ethics points out that professional competence has to be maintained by members by ensuring they keep their knowledge and skills up to date so that they can work effectively. It also points out that they have to honestly assess their development needs while committing to their own personal development. One of the aims of the module includes learning to work with other professionals in your role as a housing professional. Skills required include communicating effectively, working in teams, cultural awareness, empathy, good decision making, as well as learning how to manage their time. Mentors usually assess learners in the field during practice and performance is scored against different areas. In my case when working with the AWJCG organization it included abilities to work in a team, adapting to new changes, commitment, general conduct, social skills, reliability, work application, effective communication, how to deal with people, accuracy, self-confidence, and management of time. Score determinations are made gradually over time with the different visits conducted by supervisors and coordinators who commented on the performance. Scores and assessments made showed that I possessed some of the skills which are essential for the role even though some new ones need to be acquired and others improved upon. Some of these include managing time properly, improving communication, and becoming more organized.

So What?

From the What section, I was able to identify various skills that I need to possess in order to be successful in the intended role. One of the skills that need improvement is communication especially because I will be coordinating with various groups in the food program. Communication has been termed as the cornerstone of the relationships in the property market and it is an essential ingredient in ensuring rapport between different actors like residents, employers, and government officials as proper communication ensure professionalism. In my placement I have realized that communicating with different people requires different strategies. Sometimes it is essential to communicate in formal manners like through legal notices while at other times it is more efficient to use non-formal means. The skills are especially important when working with and alongside people who are homeless as well as other agencies and workers (Wittman et al. 2017). I realized it is important to remain sensitive and focused on their needs as well as their expectations. Time management is another area that I need to improve on in order to endure that efficiency and quality are maintained in the tasks I perform. With the many tasks involved in the collaborative role with the AWJCG organization, it is important to prioritize which areas require more focus than others to ensure the proper balance is maintained. This is in line with staying organized as I realized that some things that needed to be accomplished on time such as deliveries of food would come in late and this would have negative effects on the beneficiaries.

Now What

After identifying the areas that need improvement as well as the importance of such skills from the literature, I set out to create an action plan for achieving them. My first goal was to improve on my communication skills and I realized I needed to make communication a priority through various efforts like reading books, joining communication classes, or seeking a mentor or coach who is an expert in communication. An important aspect of improving communication involves confidence. It involves being able to clearly state what is intended while also maintaining the appropriate body language. I became more aware of negative tendencies like slouching or crossing my arms when nervous and instead tried to avoid such actions by practicing straight posters as much as I can. I also plan to focus more on listening instead of talking. This involves not just understanding the words of the speaker but the emotions they are also trying to convey. Hearing the subtle intonation in a person’s voice can tell you much about what they are trying to communicate and how they are feeling. Time management is another skill area that I need to improve on and this is coupled with becoming more organized. I plan to follow various steps in achieving this. The first involves always setting achievable and realistic goals that will aid in maintaining motivation and more efficient management of my time. One strategy I plan on utilizing is a SMART goal setting approach where the things I need to do have to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (Solutions, 2018). Ensuring I stay organized will involve setting priorities on the things that I have to get done and this will be in order from the most important to the least important. The task of prioritization should be guided by realism and honesty to avoid over-commitment in particular tasks that may be difficult to achieve in a given time frame. I also plan to continue self-evaluating in order to continue improving and developing my skills. Ensuring I continue to be a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) is part of this plan where I will continue complying with the CIH regulations on professional development and education that they may issue from time to time (Stephens et al. 2018). Additionally, maintaining respect for others as stipulated in the code of ethics is paramount and it entails ensuring that I do not disclose any privileged or confidential information that has been entrusted to me by employers, customers, or clients to third parties.

It is my belief that the achievement of the set goals through the action plan will improve my professionalism as well as my employability especially in roles that may require working as a team with outside organizations like the AWJCG in improving the lives and well-being of everyone in our community.

References

Bolton, G., & Delderfield, R. (2018). Reflective practice: Writing and professional development. Sage publications.

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., & Jasper, M. (2001). Critical Reflection for Nursing and the Helping Professions a User's Guide.

Sonnino, R., & Hanmer, O. (2016). Beyond food provision: Understanding community growing in the context of food poverty. Geoforum, 74, 213-221.

Stephens, M., Perry, J., Wilcox, S., Williams, P., & Young, G. (2018, March). UK housing review 2018. In Launch of UK Housing Review 2018. Chartered Institute of Housing.

Wharton, S. (2017). Reflection in university and the employability agenda: a discourse analysis case study. Reflective Practice, 18(4), 567-579.

Wittman, F., Polcin, D., & Sheridan, D. (2017). The architecture of recovery: Two kinds of housing assistance for chronic homeless persons with substance use disorders. Drugs and alcohol today.

Code of Conduct

A code of conduct outlines both the core guidelines that employees should follow and it is an external statement of a company’s values and commitments. The company’s core principles, mission and values that are linked to standards of professional conduct are clarified through the code of conduct. Consequently, it is often used as the benchmark to measure the organisation’s and individual’s performance (Schwartz, 2002).

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has set up a code of conduct that provides their members with the guidelines that will enable them to behave in a respectable, professional and appropriate manner. A CIH member is expected to hold the following values (CIH, 2015):

• Respect for others: members need to ensure that they treat other people and themselves with respect. They should be sensitive to beliefs, customs and culture of other people around them. They are required to be accountable for their actions, their opinions and decisions.

• Act with integrity: members must not engage in unlawful conduct nor should they allow their professional conduct to be compromised by self-interest or personal gain. They need to be honest, impartial, conscientious and objective when dealing with clients, employees, employers etc.

• Take responsibility: members are required to conduct their duties in a meticulous and diligent manner. If they happen to suspect any illegal or unprincipled behaviour, they should challenge it. They also need to be mindful of the impact of their work and ensure that they minimise harm.

• Maintain professional competence: members should conduct themselves in a professional manner and ensure that they uphold the reputation of CIH. They need to ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out their duties. Any breaches to the code of conduct should be reported to CIH in a timely manner.

Members who fail to meet their obligation to organisation are liable to a warning, suspension or expulsion for the organization in accordance with CIH rules of governance (Byelaw 18). When members don’t comply with the code of conduct and complaints are made, they will be investigated in accordance with the CIH disciplinary policy (CIH, 2015).

The Action With Jesus Christ Globally (AWJCG) staff have to abide by a similar code of conduct. Since they deal with diverse groups of people (prisoners, people dealing with substance abuse, people with special needs etc.), the ‘Respect for others’ and ‘Act with integrity’ values are key to their organisation. They need to ensure that they are sensitive to people’s cultures, customs and beliefs as their work entails them dealing with sensitive matters such as providing support too families who have been bereaved (AWJCG, 2019). They need to insure that they are professional in how they conduct themselves and that no information is leaked to third parties as they deal with very personal matters.

They need to ensure that they take responsibility in cases where they suspect any illegal or unprincipled behaviour. They need to ensure that they maintain professional competence and that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to help the different individuals (individuals with mental and physical health problems, prisoners etc.)