Bromford Support: Economic downturn has no effect on results

Bromford Support, a leading provider of support and housing, has seen huge successes in helping to change the lives of customers for the better despite the economic downturn and tightening budgets.

The 'more-than-profit' organisation, part of affordable housing provider Bromford, helps over 9,500 customers change their lives every year. In the last 12 months alone, Bromford Support has captured the outcomes for more than 2800 customers leaving services through creative, innovative and adaptable delivery. This is despite funding in many areas being cut, with providers being expected to deliver more services for less money.

In an industry working to help disadvantaged and vulnerable customers with minimum overheads, the impact of these results is significant. For example, 1,171 individuals have left Bromford's services with less debt than they started with, 215 have been supported into employment and 396 into training and education. In addition, 1,395 have secured or obtained settled accommodation including those who had been homeless, had unsettled ways of life, individuals with young children and those fleeing abusive or violent relationships.

John Wade, managing director for Bromford Support, believes the last 12 months have been fantastic for delivering high-quality service improvements and better outcomes.

He said: "Services like ours deliver massive savings to the taxpayer by avoiding the escalation of need, nipping issues in the bud and enabling our customers to break free from real or perceived constraints.

"This year alone we have helped over 97% of those needing our services to gain more independence, choice and control of their own lives.

Innovations to Bromford Support's services include greater flexibility in the frequency and duration of support visits, group work and drop-in sessions and multi-level "tiered" support.

Despite a challenging financial climate, Bromford Support is confident they have the people and processes in place to make a difference to thousands of lives every day.

"This year we helped more individuals than ever before, "explains John. "Providers know that the road ahead will be a bumpy one at times, that competition for funding will be tougher than ever and that expectations on providers will increase constantly, however within Bromford we are confident we can continue to provide services and schemes recognised as fantastic best practice examples in our field."

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