The Agency ...

Activities

Our aim is to create more opportunities for people to acquire the knowledge, and skills to build their own homes and in particular to use our efforts to help those in housing need who are unemployed, young, low income or in housing need. As a result of building their own homes, individuals acquire confidence, self-esteem, skills and a sense of achievement with which to face the future. The following paragraphs describe the work of the agency.
 
Helps those in housing need, who may or may not have building skills, to build homes:

• Encourages Local Authorities to embrace community self build as part of their local strategy
• Identifies ways in which those, without building skills, can build traditional and non-traditional housing
• Encourages training organizations to offer their services to enhance skills acquired during the life of a project.

Creates a positive climate for potential self builders to succeed:

• Promotes the concept of community self build with local organizations, which can support projects i.e. Registered Housing Associations,
• Schools of Architecture, Professional Firms, Training Organizations and Voluntary Organizations.
• Develops press and media opportunities to portray the positive benefits
• Runs exhibitions, seminars and undertakes speaking engagements

Offers independent advice and information

• Responds to ad hoc enquiries and requests to visit groups of interested individuals and organizations
• Collates information on community self build activity
• Publishes newsletter, information sheets, training manuals and reports on relevant issues
• Encourages self-help through the pooling of resources
• Promotes self builders building as a group and achieving the benefits of working as a team
• Runs regional forum meetings in the North and South of England so that experiences can be shared and information exchanged
• Provides case studies on pioneering projects in order to assist the learning curve for potential self builders and their partners

Promotes projects, which provide inspiration, an appropriate health and safety code and general good practice

• Highlights projects, which can provide models for others to follow
• Improves access to community self build projects in equal opportunity terms by highlighting positive role models for other potential self
• builders
• Uses its experience to work with local organizations to initiate projects, which incorporate good practice and achieve positive results for
• everyone involved

Explores funding opportunities to secure the future of community self build

• Liaises with the Housing Corporation so that funding for self build is made available in each of its regions
• Researches funding opportunities for future development of community self build activity
• Forms relationships with local and regional organizations who are in a position to access resources
• The Agency took its inspiration from the Zenzele project, the first self build project to involve young unemployed people. With part funding from the Housing Corporation the Agency was formed in 1989. Stella Clarke, the driving force behind the Zenzele project became Chair and continues to hold this position. The Agency works alongside other voluntary organizations, which provide other services in this field.

Achievements So Far

• Over 90 groups have finished building their homes through Community Self Build since 1989. The Community Self Build Agency has been
• Involved with many of these.
• The Agency led a consortium of organizations to launch the first UK Community Self Build Week in 2000 with support from the Community
• Fund. This is now an annual event in October.
• In 2001, nine ex-self builders were recruited as Regional Ambassadors.
• Community Self Build has been recognized as a very meaningful activity in a variety of publications by external agencies.
• In 2000, the CSBA embarked on its first Social Audit and with the help of the regional ambassadors has produced three models for social
• Auditing of projects to be piloted by groups and their partners.

Staff

• John Gillespie - National Development Director
• Fabian Wuyts - Kent Support Worker
• Nick Englefield - Marketing and Information Officer
• Alan Geffin - Part-time Finance Officer
• Stephanie Campble - Support Worker (Harold Hill Project)
• Karen Foster - Assistant CSB London Development

Committee Members

• Stella Clarke CBE – Chair (Founder member: 1989) Prime mover behind the first self build project to involve young, unemployed people (Zenzele); Former Chairman of Knightstone HA; Pro-Chancellor, Bristol University.
• Gary Chase – Vice Chair (Joined: September 1998) Principal Policy and Development Officer, London Borough of Brent; previously held a variety of housing posts in local authorities in London and outside.
• David Leibling - Treasurer (Joined: November 2002) Financial Analyst.
• Clive Holt-Bailey – Secretary (Joined: September 1998) Marketing Operations Executive, Dudley Jenkins Groups; member-Institute of Direct Marketing; member-Chartered Institute of Marketing.
• Connie Higgins – (Founder member: 1989) Corporate Affairs Director, National House Building Council.
• Claude Hendrickson – (Joined: September 1998) Manager, YES CIBA – Internet project targeted at the unemployed; Development coordinator, 10-2 Club; initiated the Frontline Self Build Project-winner of Youth and Community Award from the Voice in 1997.
• Judith Varley – (Joined: September 2001) Ex University Lecturer; founder member of Gingerbread.
• Tim Alexander – (Joined: November 2003) Marketing and Business Consultant. Former Director of Communications for RSM Robson Rhodes.