Redecoration Projects

SHfH works with volunteers to redecorate accommodation belonging to charities or other not for profit organisations who work with people in housing need.

The scheme works so that corporate volunteers on the CSR programme provide a donation towards their expenses on the day. This donation will cover supervision by SHfH staff, costs, materials such as paint and protective clothing. This means in most cases the cost to the charity is free.

So far, SHfH has been able to redecorate flats and bedrooms in two women’s refuges at no cost to them. We are currently working with the YMCA in West London.

Advantages to the Charity

• Accommodation can be decorated without any cost to the charity itself.
• The redecoration is supervised by SHfH, which is a skilled and careful contractor with high standards of health and safety.

Advantages to the Volunteers

• Volunteers’ CSR day is able to make a tangible difference to a project.

Legal and Privacy Issues

Occasionally, SHfH will work with people who are considered vulnerable or in accommodation where children live.

In all cases, staff at the accommodation will be responsible for ensuring all parties are aware of their responsibilities and that the situation can be appropriately managed. SHfH will brief companies on any additional issues before volunteers are selected for the project to ensure that they are able to work within boundaries that they are given, for example, this could include a confidentiality agreement to protect the address of the property. SHfH will ensure that the on-site health and safety briefing reflects any additional legal or privacy issues.

Whilst SHfH staff have Criminal Records Bureau checks where appropriate, is it not expected that all volunteers who are working on the scheme for a day will have those checks.

Eligibility for the Scheme

SHfH is a charity whose objects enable it to help people in housing need. For the purpose of this project we would define the type of project that we could undertake in the following ways:

• The property being considered for the scheme should be owned or managed by a charity or RSL.
• The property could be either temporary or permanent.
• The property should house people who either have a high medical or welfare need.

Examples could be:

• Women’s refuge housing women who are statutory homeless due to domestic violence.
• Recently acquired accommodation for people who have been statutory homeless.
• Housing where the tenant is unable to decorate or undertake minor renovations due to health or disability issues.

If SHfH are satisfied that this is a suitable scheme to take forwards we will survey and prepare a schedule of works with the charity.