CIH: housing training budgets being slashed

Learning and development activities within housing organisations has been hit by the downturn, according to research by the Chartered Institute for Housing (CIH).

The research, undertaken in November 2009 to 150 RSLs, showed training activity of 52% of surveyed housing organisations had already been affected by the recession.

Nearly 70% of housing organisations questioned expected the recession to have an impact on their training activity in 2010.

Of those participating, 62% of housing associations and 76% of ALMOs expect to be affected by the recession.

Nearly all of local authorities, 92%, expect to be affected.

By the end of last year, a quarter of respondents had reduced their externally provided training.

CIH director of professional development Martin Winn said: "Our research indicates that housing organisations are already looking closely at their learning and development activities and some budgets are already being
affected.

"We are urging housing organisations to think carefully about making short term cuts in training budgets, which may store up long-term problems for the housing sector."