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Eight million people in this country cannot read or write, and 15 million fall short of GCSE standard. Most of these people live on our social housing estates and literacy and numeracy problems often correlate with rent arrears and antisocial behaviour, so improving literacy and numeracy could help to tackle these issues. Basic skills training can be used as an intervention strategy to focus on these problems. What's more, registered social landlords that receive accreditation as a supplier of this training can access a £2bn funding pot, courtesy of the government's Learning and Skills Council.

Ardent Housing Association decided 18 months ago to develop an alternative to the blunt instruments currently used to tackle arrears and nuisance behaviour, while also reducing expenditure on consultants. Although progress has been slow, we have reduced our arrears by 0.4% and tutored 35 people, with some notable successes. All this has been done by volunteers and residents' groups but – as we were accredited by the Learning and Skills Council in February – we will next month bid for a share of the government cash to pay for two part-time tutors.

Our basic skills scheme runs 52 weeks a year, so intervention is continual – colleges are open only seven months out of 12.

As every learner is different, we start by working out a plan for each. For someone with dyslexia, the county council offers specialist support so we help ensure individuals receive attention from that source. We offer one-to-one help and take time to build people's confidence. We've also put together a "bedtime pack" so people can read to their children.

First hurdles
To get accredited, the first step is to go to the local branch of the Skills Council and ask for their survey on basic skills levels in the locality. It's also important to ask residents whether they would welcome their landlord acting as a community educator.

The next part – and the hardest – is to draw tenants in. The most difficult thing for someone with literacy and numeracy problems is admitting it. You may generate interest by pointing to positive role models: for example, inventor Thomas Edison and actress Zoe Wanamaker both overcame dyslexia on their roads to success. But above all, you should stress your independence from any government-enforced, compulsory scheme.

When and where
We've found it's best to do classes first thing in the morning, when people are fresh and the soaps aren't on yet.

We use our community centre for the classes. Many landlords have one of these expensive assets, often used only once or twice a month. Residents and tenants groups may be able to provide childcare services, allowing young women to escape their environment every week and get involved in learning.

RSLs that receive accreditation as a supplier of this training can access a £2bn funding pot

To find tutors, we went to local colleges that produce good basic skills teachers.

We give these students an opportunity to develop as tutors fresh from qualifying. We give them expenses and they provide the tutoring in their spare time, though once in receipt of the government subsidy, we'll be able to pay them the £28,000-30,000 a year that they are worth.

For more traditional recruitment, try The Times Educational Supplement and advertise either for staff with a certificate or a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE).

New beginnings
Becoming an accredited institution takes time and commitment. RSLs must show the Learning and Skills Council that they have a track record as an educational provider.

This process can take anything up to eight months. There will be two initial requests for information and an inspection investigating the governance, staffing, facilities (this is key), successes to date and finances.

It works. As the process has kicked in, we've expanded our catchment, working with the probation service to pick people up as they leave prison or young offenders' institutes.