Ann Norris
Background
I have worked within the community and voluntary sector for many years, including managing a community-based project in Knowsley for 18 years.
Throughout my career, I have managed and delivered services supporting individuals and families experiencing a wide range of challenges, including housing difficulties, financial hardship, welfare benefits, tenancy issues, advocacy and mediation.
Working directly within communities has always been important to me. I believe that services are most effective when they are accessible, approachable and based in the communities they are there to support.
Merseyside Housing & Debt Advice CIC
I am incredibly proud that Cheryl and I took the step of setting up Merseyside Housing & Debt Advice CIC (MHDA) two years ago. It was something we had spoken about for many years, having both recognised the increasing gaps in services and the difficulties people were experiencing when trying to access the right support.
Since establishing MHDA, the organisation has gone from strength to strength. What began with a shared vision of providing accessible, practical and compassionate support has developed into a growing community service supporting people with housing, welfare benefits, financial difficulties, advocacy and tenancy-related issues.
One of the most rewarding parts of our journey has been being back in the heart of the community, meeting people face-to-face and being able to support them through what can often be extremely difficult periods in their lives.
We don’t want people to feel that they are simply another referral or case number. Our approach is to listen, understand the whole situation and work alongside people to find practical solutions.
Partnership Working
A major part of MHDA’s development has been the relationships and partnerships we have built.
We are proud to have developed strong working relationships with Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (KMBC), local housing providers and a wide range of community organisations and services. These partnerships allow us to work together, share knowledge and help people access the right support at the right time.
For me, partnership working is essential. No single organisation can resolve every difficulty someone may be experiencing, particularly when housing, finances, health and family circumstances are often closely connected.
Our Community Partners
Cheryl and I are particularly grateful to the community organisations that believed in MHDA from the beginning and recognised that their communities needed the type of service we wanted to provide.
A special thank you has to go to Gary and the team at New Hutte in Halewood and Marie and the team at Southdene Community Centre.
Their support, encouragement and willingness to provide us with space to deliver our services within their communities has played an important part in helping MHDA grow.
Having trusted community venues where people already feel comfortable means we can provide support in a much more informal and accessible environment. We genuinely appreciate the faith they placed in both Cheryl and me and their continued support for the work we are doing.
Experience and Approach
My experience includes managing and delivering housing and financial support services, tenancy sustainment, advocacy, mediation and community-based projects.
I have also developed initiatives aimed at responding directly to community need, including establishing a social supermarket/food hub to support individuals and families experiencing food insecurity and financial hardship.
Throughout my career, my focus has remained the same: to help remove barriers and make services easier for people to access.
Sometimes people come to us when they feel they have exhausted every other option. Being able to sit down with someone, listen to what is happening and help them identify a way forward is one of the reasons I continue to love working within the community.
Looking to the Future
Two years into our journey, I am extremely proud of what Cheryl and I have achieved with MHDA, but we also know there is much more we want to do. As demand for our service continues to grow, our aim is to develop MHDA further, reach more communities and continue building strong partnerships with councils, housing providers, community organisations and other agencies. Most importantly, we want to remain a service that is firmly rooted within the community. Seeing MHDA grow, developing new partnerships and knowing that the service is making a genuine difference to people’s lives is incredibly rewarding. I am proud of how far we have come, grateful to everyone who has supported and believed in us, and excited about the future of Merseyside Housing & Debt Advice CIC.