EAC has entered into a Strategic Alliance with Bournemouth-based charity Help and Care to develop common agenda for information, advice and local service delivery.
The two charities, which share a common 25th birthday this year, regard the Alliance as an adult and confident approach to pursuing their missions in the fast changing world we operate in. It follows an appraisal of each partner’s strengths and identification of specific advantages to joint operations, and is intended to bring together EAC's vision of a universal information & advice offer, which underpins its FirstStop Advice initiative, and the local service delivery, volunteer involvement and social enterprise approach that Help & Care is reputed for.
The timing of the Alliance was prompted by the two charities' view that working together, and alongside Foundations, the national body for Home Improvement Agencies (HIAs), would enable them to put forward a strong 'offer' to those HIAs intent on broadening their services to include information, advice, signposting and advocacy. It was therefore appropriate that the Strategic Alliance was launched publicly at last week's HIA conference in Birmingham.
EAC's key activities
A range of national activities including:
- Established ‘housing and care options’ advice service to the public
- Promotion of partnership working with allied agencies
- Development of information & advice tools
- Promotion of housing and care options and choices
- Service innovation through web development
- Development of national information resources
- Influencing provision of housing and care services for older people
Help & Care's key activities
A range of services to local people including:
- Information gateway
- Carers services
- One-to-one support
- Home repair, maintenance, design and gardening services
- Development of sustainable ‘social enterprise’ business models
- Working closely with local communities in developing and delivering services
- Supporting research and influencing national policy
Related resources
EAC Annual Report 2009
Help and Care Newsletter
Support for choice: Information, Advice, signposting and advocacy (DCLG & Foundations, 2008)