Apex provides and manages almost 5,000 homes for families and single people and supported housing for people with mental health issues, learning disabilities, people with addiction issues and older people.
Background
Apex works on the principles of social enterprise and its mission demonstrates that it wants to help tackle poverty and disadvantage and go beyond its core business objectives.
What Apex Housing Association did
With 68% of Apex tenants relying solely on social security benefits and an estimated 43% of all tenants living in poverty, Apex recognises its role in enabling the positive development of the communities it serves. The company has invested over £6 million within the past five years in community investment initiatives.
Over £6 million has been invested in community investment initiatives and this has led to the development a new business unit, Apex Living, which aims to coordinate its increasing community investment work. Employees and community representatives work together to develop achievable objectives for community involvement for the year ahead. Plans are approved by the Board of Management and outcomes and impact are measured and evaluated through the Apex Wellbeing Calculator.
With financial literacy and money management a common issue with its tenants, Apex introduced the ‘Apex Financial Inclusion Project’. The project worked with local community groups to successfully tackle the issue of loan sharks and set up a number of initiatives to support communities with accessing cheaper goods and services including an oil buying club, energy switching events and a basic bank account scheme.
The outcomes and impacts
To find out more, email t.mccloskey@apexhousing.org