Supporting Tenants on the Progress Housing Group Tenant Committee Blog

Our Head of Procurement, Rebecca, recently shared what inspired her to become a buddy to our tenant committee members and the role colleagues play in building strong relationships with them. 

"I recently volunteered to be a buddy to two of the Group's tenants, in their roles as tenant committee members. Julie and Tracy represent different generations, have different experiences and require different services from us so their contribution to the committee and in turn the Group is really useful.

Julie lives in one of our independent living homes and sits on some of the Group's customer voice panels. She is also involved with other regional and national social housing forums so provides valuable insights into the needs and challenges our tenants, particularly those living in our independent living scheme, are facing.

Tracy works for the Group as part of our Brighter Futures project. She was already involved in addressing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and homelessness before she joined the committee. Tracy is now keen to make a difference in the lives of those in need by joining our tenant committee.

Building relationships

One of the key aspects of being a tenant committee buddy is building strong relationships with the tenants we support. It's important that the tenants feel comfortable asking questions and seeking clarification when they need to.

Other buddies have reported that their tenants on the committee have experienced some challenges, particularly around technology. While some tenants are eager to learn and use our systems, others have found it more difficult.

For example, remembering passcodes and using new technology has been overwhelming for some. We've also noticed that we use a lot of acronyms and a lot of shortened words throughout the Group, which can be confusing for people. To address these issues, we've implemented solutions like thumb presses for easier access and provided additional training and support.

Continuous learning

I think as we move forward, there will be more questions from tenants about our work as a social housing provider. I keep saying to Julie and Tracy that no question is a bad one and that it's better to ask than not know. As a buddy I aim to be the bridge between them and the committee, ensuring they have the information and support they need to actively participate and contribute.

They have good suggestions on simplifying some of our processes and want to know more about others.

The board process

It’s been fascinating to observe how the board process works. It’s quite interesting that you have a group of very different personalities sitting around the table, but everyone shares the same aim. It’s about finding where people’s skills and expertise are to work well together.

We have a good range of diversity on our tenant committee, not only in terms of gender and age but also in what people are passionate about. This has meant that we have a range of perspectives and ideas, which is incredibly valuable.

A critical friend

Giving tenants a voice allows them to challenge us about some of the decisions we make. It’s good to have a critical friend who understands the Group’s reasons behind some of the decisions we make and provides us with constructive feedback.

Our tenant committee members are all embedded within their communities. They have their own voices, but they also bring multiple other voices to the table. They understand it isn't a forum for complaints - it’s about understanding and helping us with our processes and making meaningful change.

One of the best things for me as a buddy has been meeting the tenants. After working for the Group for 14 years in a non-tenant-facing role, I've never worked closely with the people who live in our homes. Meeting them has been a reminder that everything we do is for them.

The tenant committee members are now starting to bring up topics and themes that matter to them and their communities and I think this is great. It’s important for increasing their engagement with us and the overall success of our work.

Being a buddy has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and the feedback has been positive. The best part has been seeing Julie and Tracy have their voices heard and gaining the knowledge to help us implement changes that will benefit our tenants.”

Rebecca,

You can read more about out Progress Housing Group's Tenant Committee here - https://loom.ly/N95YjSI.