There are a number of NIs which are about the whole (local) population. Homelessness agency clients are part of that local population so achieving the specified outcomes for them is part of the local authority making progress towards their target. Most of these are within 'adult health and well-being' or 'local economy'.

To demonstrate their contribution towards targets from these NIs, agencies need to demonstrate:

• The number of people from that group they have worked with
• Achievement of the end outcomes and/or
• Evidence of progress made towards the end outcome.
  

The table below lists indicators in this category – all are for the (local) population as a whole unless otherwise specified:

NI	Outcome	Contribution of agency
119	Self reported overall health and well-being	Increase in their clients’ self reported health and well-being
134	Emergency bed days per head	Reduction in their clients' use of emergency bed days
151	Employment rate	Number of clients into employment
152/3	Out of work benefits	Number of clients taken off out of work benefits
161-165	Qualifications for learners or working age population	Qualifications for clients
8 - 11	Adult participation in sport, libraries, museums, galleries or the arts	Clients participating in these areas
1	Perceptions that people from different backgrounds get on well	Tackling discrimination against the groups that make up clients e.g. mental health, drug users and integration in the community (also somewhat tenuous)
2	% of people who feel they belong in their neighbourhood	Clients housed in the area who feel they belong – maybe especially relevant for floating support services to those in their own homes
3	Civic participation in the local area	Civic participation by clients (as above for NI2)
140	Fair treatment by local services	Fair treatment/ evidence of equality of opportunity for clients of the homelessness service

The contribution of homelessness agencies to these targets is less direct. Therefore, if demonstrating this contribution would mean time-consuming additional monitoring, agencies may choose not to gather that data but simply state that they are likely to have a positive impact towards these targets and describe the link between their work and the NI. However, if any of these NIs are within the 35 improvement targets selected within their LAA, there would be a greater incentive for homelessness agencies to make the link between their work and that target explicit and gather the relevant data.


Author: Sara Burns, Triangle Consulting
Date: 18 December 2007