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People First is a community based, tenant-led housing association, providing quality housing services in Hulme, Manchester and support services across four local authorities in North West England.

Our mission is to deliver services that will improve as many lives as possible.

Investor In People review

People First passed its 2008 Investor in People review with flying colours.

In their report the assessor states:

"People First exists to ensure that its service users and tenants are empowered to access opportunities and services that will improve their lives.  This commitment to equality of opportunity runs through the whole organisation and is applied to staff as well as customers." 

18 from the 52 members of staff were interviewed in May 2008. Here is one of the quotes from staff the assessor chose to put in the report:

“The whole organisation is about putting people first – whether that is through helping them with drug addiction, supporting them to maintain their tenancy or helping them to gain housing and employment after leaving prison.  We help people to help themselves.”

The assessor notes that this ethos also extends to the treatment of staff at People First:

"There is an open and relaxed approach within the business, that encourages people to try things, take ownership of their roles, and sometimes, take risks, in order to achieve the desired outcomes.  Everyone interviewed feels that they are trusted, have autonomy and decision making responsibility within their roles."

New project in partnership with Ex-Cell

People First and the Hulme-based organisation Ex-cell have joined forces to start providing support services to ex-prisoners . This broadens the spectrum of people benefiting from our services yet again and we are very excited about working with this new group of service users.

• Visit the community support page to find out more about our other projects.

10 year Anniversary Celebrations

In 2006 People First Board members, staff and special guests celebrated in style in Castlefield at an event marking the association's 10th year as a registered social landlord. People First's registration with the Housing Corporation in 1996 was the culmination of mammoth efforts by a handful of local residents and the then newly appointed Chief Executive Kulbinder Kang to secure the future of what is still one of a handful associations in the country, which are community based and governed by its tenants.

10 years later during the celebrations People First had over 40 staff (up to over 50 in 2008) working in 4 offices to provide community support services to vulnerable people, as well as managing its own properties in Hulme and managing temporary accommodation in partnership with Vale Royal Council for households presenting as homeless.

The evening's entertainment included performances from the talented Ema Black - one of the association's tenants, as well as a jazz quartet headed by People First's IT consultant, Dave Harrison.

People First tenants also joined in the celebrations. The Housing Management team put on a meal at the Sanam restaurant in Rusholme, which was attended by around 100 tenants, friends and family. Uncharacteristically of such events there were no long speeches, just a short welcome by the Chair and Chief Executive and a picture presentation of key moments in People First's history.

• Have a look at our annual report for 2005/06 and the power of 10 booklet, which celebrate our anniversary:
  

"So we asked people – tenants, service users, staff – what “ten” means to them. Their responses were honest, original, and sometimes a little quirky – but always unique."