CEHL - Co-operatively Speaking June/July 2023

CO-OPERATIVELY SPEAKING

Directors Connect in Bendigo

In early July, Maintenance Directors and some Treasurers from the Bendigo region co-ops met at Peppergreen Farm for an informal coffee catch-up to connect and learn from each other.

Kim Rattray-Wood (CEHL Co-operative Development Coordinator) said it was a great success with the Directors’ trading knowledge and contacts. “It was a wonderful day; I think everyone got something out of it, including sharing details of tradespeople co-ops have found reliable.”

Sharon Scott from Dragon City CERC says, “It’s nice to know that as a Maintenance Director, you are not out there on your own. I totally enjoyed it and it was such a positive day, also fantastic meeting like-minded people who care about the program and their CERC.”

The group plans to get together again in October, when the weather is better, for an evening catch-up.

If your co-op would like to be involved in something similar, please let your CDC know or email Melissa Pope at melissa@cehl.com.au

Pictured are Trudy Boyle, Sharon Scott, Debra Hillbrick, Robyn Ryan, Julie Strawhorn, Bert Mason, Judy Eames and Kim Rattray-Wood.

IN THIS ISSUE

Message from Chairperson, Fiona Herman and Managing Director, Liz Thomas

New member selection change

July Hot Topic Session:

2023 Study Grant Recipients

Member Selection – Beyond the VHR

Common Connections June Events

August Hot Topic Session: Succession Planning for Co-op Success

Co-op DIrector Update

Member Recipe by Chantal Goss

Your favourite pieces of furniture

AGM - Save the Date

Calling for Nominations – 2023

Honour Board

Message from our CHAIRPERSON & MANAGING DIRECTOR Fiona Herman & Liz Thomas

Hello everyone,

At the April Board meeting, the Directors discussed various agenda items and made crucial organisational decisions. The meeting provided valuable insights into CEHL’s progress, strategic plans and financial reports, including:

• General Manager of Corporate Services, Stephen Yiu, outlined CEHL’s Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) strategic plan, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to improving technology, and applying tech solutions to enhance our operations and services.

• Social Ventures Australia (SVA) presented the Strategic Report, updating the Board on CEHL’s strategic planning process. The report focused on the goals and objectives CEHL aims to achieve in the coming years, emphasising the organisation’s dedication to addressing maintenance and communication.

Legal matters and the refurbishment of a property within CEHL’s portfolio were discussed, providing the

Board with updates on the project and ongoing legal proceedings.

• Liz Thomas delivered the April organisational update, offering an overview of key events and issues that transpired during the past month. This report provides Directors with a comprehensive understanding of CEHL’s activities, highlighting achievements and potential areas for improvement.

• The Board reviewed and approved the January and February 2023 Management Accounts.

• The Board also approved the 2023 Audit Plan, underscoring CEHL’s commitment to upholding solid financial practices and ensuring accountability across the organisation.

If you are considering standing for election as a Co-op Elected Director at the AGM, it’s good to know that as a CEHL Board Director, CEHL will support you in understanding and fulfilling your Director responsibilities. During June, the CEHL Board and Executive participated in a governance workshop led by specialist governance adviser, Trish Ridsdale. The agenda focused on the importance of transparent and responsible decision-making in governance and reflected CEHL’s commitment to being a well governed Community Housing Organisation (CHO).

Pictured left to right are Robyn Evans, Tony De Domenico OAM, Gordon Kieselbach, Trish Ridsdale (workshop facilitator), Keith Bayliss, Jean Nankin, Damian Dickson, Heidi Lee, and Fiona Herman (Board Chair).

More options to choose your new co-op members

Co-ops have responded very positively to the news that after almost a year of discussions with Homes Vic and the Housing Registrar, most applications for co-op membership are no longer required to be sourced only from the Victorian Housing Register. This change represents an exciting opportunity for co-ops to grow and for CEHL to continue to expand the impact of co-operative housing across Victoria. See page 4 for details.

Under 18 income consultation

Consultation continues with co-ops that could be impacted if the taxable income of minors is not included in the assessment of household income. The outcome of the consultation process will be reported to members after the August Board meeting.

Board endorses the 2023/24 - 2026/27 Strategic Plan

We are pleased to share the 2023/24 – 2026/27 CEHL Strategic Plan with you. The plan-on-a page clearly articulates CEHL’s commitment to the seven international co-operative principles and advocating for co-op housing addressing the backlog of maintenance and maintaining our housing stock meaningful communication with member co-ops, co-op members and renters

In cooperation,

Liz Thomas Fiona Herman

New member selection change represents an exciting opportunity for co-ops to grow!

A NEW WAY TO SELECT POTENTIAL MEMBERS

In a significant change to housing selection, most co-operatives are now able to move away from solely choosing new members from the Victorian Housing Register (VHR). The change allows co-operatives a better opportunity to find members who are compatible with the values of their co-ops.

Eligibility Criteria

While we are no longer obliged to use the VHR to find members for most properties, we will continue to honour our commitment to providing affordable housing to people on low incomes, and ensuring that co-op housing remains accessible to people who need affordable housing.

This means applicants will still need to meet income and asset criteria to be eligible for co-op membership and for an offer of housing to be made. The number of bedrooms potential members require will also determine the houses that are able to be offered.

Income and asset eligibility criteria are updated by the Victorian Government every six months and can be found on the CEHL website. You can also find bedroom requirements: CLICK HERE TO VIEW.

Why do some properties still need to be offered to people who are on the VHR?

Some properties have a Director of Housing (DoH) interest. This means the Victorian Government has provided partial or full funding for the building of the property. As part of the funding arrangement, CEHL has guaranteed that the property will always be available for members to be selected from the VHR. CEHL owns about 200 properties which have DoH interest. Directors of co-ops who have DoH interest homes in their portfolio have been contacted by the Co-operative Development & Strategy (CDS) team.

A new CEHL team to help

A new team called ‘Housing’ has been established to better inform applicants about co-operative housing at CEHL, and to support co-ops in keeping up to date member application lists.

The Housing team will be led by Kris Watson (pictured). Kris can be contacted through the new email address: housing@cehl.com.au.

Kris and the Housing team will work in conjunction with a co-op’s CDC.

What is the new process?

When a co-op identifies a potential new member or members, the Housing team and CDCs will invite them to an Applicant Information Session to learn more about co-ops and CEHL. Once the potential new member understands the responsibilities of being a co-op member, and meets the eligibility criteria, the co-op can offer membership and then a home.

If a co-op identifies a potential member(s), but does not have a property immediately available, the potential member(s) can still attend the Applicant Information Session with the Housing team. This allows the turnaround time for a new member to be as efficient as possible when a vacancy arises.

Co-ops will still be required to ensure good governance of decision-making relating to member section, which includes declaring and managing conflicts of interest where a potential member is known to a person or people within the co-op.

Can co-ops still use the VHR?

Yes! Co-ops may still choose to use the VHR to source co-op members but will no longer have to rely solely on VHR lists provided by CEHL. Instead, co-ops can identify and source members they feel best fit with their co-op, and once CEHL has confirmed their eligibility, make an offer of housing.

More information

CEHL understands there are many questions about this change and have set up an online HOT TOPIC session on 27th July 2023, to provide information, and to hear your questions, so that we can better support co-operatives with this change. See page 5 for details.

How does the new member selection process work?

Selecting new members for your Co-op

VIC WIDE RENTERS

VicWide Renters - what do the new changes mean for you?

Kris and the new Housing team will be helping co-ops manage their potential member lists and match approved applicants with housing as it becomes available.

If you are a VicWide renter who is interested in joining or re-joining a co-op, please email the Housing team at housing@cehl.com and one of the team will get back to you to discuss options.

JULY ONLINE INFORMATION SESSION

Member Selection – Beyond the VHR

When: Thursday 27 July 2023

Time: 6.00pm to 7.30pm (via Zoom)

This month’s Hot Topic session will provide an update and host a discussion on the recent announcement that new co-op members no longer need to be selected from the VHR. The session will cover:

• What the changes mean for co-ops

• What CEHL will do to support co-ops

• What co-ops can do to build their member applicant lists.

Please register here, or contact Laura for more information via engage@cehl.com.au or 9208 0807.

PLEASE NOTE:

Co-op advises CEHL of upcoming vacancy

CDC discusses options for filling the vacancy with the Co-op

Co-op completes the member selection process

Successful applicant is forwarded to CEHL for eligibility check

Eligible applicant is offered membership to the co-op by the co-op

Co-op makes an offer of housing to the co-op member

Property WITH Director of Housing interest

Property WITHOUT Director of Housing interest Co-op already has an established list of potential members

Common Connections June Events

Last month, the CEHL team hit the road for eight in-person events where members and renters could come together to chat and network, share stories, ideas, and a bite to eat. Events were held in Ballarat, Bendigo, Carlton, Frankston, Geelong, Morwell, Shepparton, and Noble Park. CEHL representatives and executives were in attendance for 1-on-1 and small group discussions.

The opportunity for members and renters to connect with CEHL in their region was in response to feedback from members at the 2022 Regional Consultations and through the Member Survey. Since then, different forms of regional and online engagement events have been held, and though some events were popular, most events had very few people in attendance.

We are now going to take a step back to reflect on our approach and to ensure that we are engaging with you (and you each other) in the best way possible. If you have any ideas or feedback on engagement events, please reach out to the engagement team on engage@cehl.com.au or call us on 9208 0807.

ABOVE (l to r) – Janice Stokes, Elba Martinez, Bruce Fraser, Liz Thomas, Ben Ferwerda, Glenda Marsh, Sally Fraser and Rosemary Birrell at Geelong Common Connections.

ABOVE (l to r) – Kaye Haining, Kay Griffiths, Darren Hili, Gale Carley, Taegan Hannah, Liz Barkley with her mother and Heather Wearne at Morwell

Richard Thomas, General Manager Asset & Housing Services, leading the discussion at Ballarat.

AUGUST ONLINE INFORMATION SESSION

Succession Planning for Co-op Success

When: Tuesday 15 August 2023

Time: 6.00pm to 7.30pm (via Zoom)

Succession planning is ongoing, it builds co-ops, creates future leaders, and prepares co-ops for change.

It’s important because it allows co-ops to assess member skills and qualifications, and identify potential members for Board roles. And it allows co-ops to prepare new Board members with training and development programs.

The session will cover:

• What succession planning is and how it can contribute to co-ops. How to do a skills assessment of members.

• How to create a succession plan.

• How to implement succession planning as an ongoing process.

• Tips, templates and support in succession planning for co-ops.

Please register here, or contact Laura for more information via engage@cehl.com.au or 9208

0807.

Left (l to r) – Debra Hilbrick, Robyn Ryan, Alyce Holmes, Sharon Scott, Kim Rattray-Wood, Anette Mueller , Carol Cox at Bendigo.

Bottom left: The Share and Swap saw members and renters bringing in fruit, vegetables, books and seeds to swap and share.

Bottom right (l to r) – Maria Licciardo, Jan Mirtschin, Sharon Jenkins, Tracey Bruton, Ben Ferwerda, Julie Gilchrist and Margaret Anderson at Shepparton.

Thank you Leanne!

A big shout out to Leanne Warner (Engagement Coordinator from Mangroves CERC), for hosting a great Quizzical event on 29 June Members and renters had a great time, and winners included:

• Madi Williams (Solar City Co-op) – ‘Best Coffee Cup’ Competition

• Kim-Maree Sarvary (Corio Co-op) – Round 1 Trivia

• Christine Tenney (VicWide) – Round 2 Trivia

Leanne is planning a fun online bingo session for September, including a ‘silly pen competition’. Look out for details in the next Co-operatively Speaking!

CO-OP DIRECTOR UPDATE

By Alyce Holmes General Manager Co-op Services

How to manage conflict in a co-operative meeting as a Director of a co-op

Conflict in a co-op meeting can be uncomfortable. But it’s also a natural part of any co-operative meeting, as members will have different opinions, perspectives, and interests. If its managed effectively, conflict can ultimately help build stronger co-ops where everyone feels comfortable to speak and feels heard. Here are some tips that might help to manage conflict when it arises in a co-op meeting:

1. Recognise the Signs of Conflict

The first step in managing conflict is recognising when it is occurring. Signs of conflict may include raised voices, defensive or aggressive behaviour, interruptions, or members speaking over each other. When you notice these signs, addressing the conflict directly is important.

2. Encourage Open Communication

To effectively manage conflict, encourage open communication among all members. Create a safe and respectful space where members can express their opinions and concerns without fear of judgment or retribution. Actively listen to what each member says and seek to understand their perspective.

3. Find Common Ground

When managing conflict, seeking common ground among your members is important. Find areas of agreement or shared interests that can serve as a basis for resolving the conflict. By focusing on what members have in common rather than their differences, you can help to de-escalate the conflict and move towards a resolution.

4. Explore Different Perspectives

To effectively manage conflict, explore different perspectives and understand the underlying causes of the conflict by asking questions, seeking clarification, and encouraging members to explain their viewpoints. By understanding the reasons behind the conflict, you can work towards finding a mutually beneficial solution.

5. Identify and Evaluate Options

Once you have explored different perspectives, identify and evaluate potential conflict resolution options. Consider the interests and needs of all members and find a solution that addresses these needs fairly and equitably. It may also involve compromise and negotiation to find a solution that works for everyone.

6. Follow Up

Finally, follow up on any reached agreements or resolutions to ensure all members understand their roles and responsibilities in implementing the solution, and to set clear timelines and expectations for followup actions.

Chantal’s Creamy Chicken Bacon Carbonara

Chantal Goss from Advance CERC tells us this is a recipe she loves to cook to share! Served with crusty bread this crowd pleaser can feed up to 10 people!

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg chicken, we use breast pieces, thinly sliced

• 2 x 500g fettuccine (or any pasta of your choice)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tsp garlic (more if you like it)

• 80g butter

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 500g shredded bacon

• 200g sliced mushrooms

• 600ml pure cream

• 2 cups grated cheese

• Basil or parsley (to garnish - optional)

METHOD

1. Cook the pasta to the packet instructions.

2. Cook the chicken in a fry pan and set aside.

3. In the same fry pan, add the oil, butter, bacon & mushrooms, Cook until tender.

4. Add the cream, bring it to boil, turn it down to a simmer until it thickens, then add your cheese.

5. Finally stir in your pasta & chicken.

6. Serve up and add some parsley or basil if you have some.

Do you have a recipe to share? Please email it to engage@cehl.com.au

Show us your favourite piece of furniture

Congratulations to Cate Grant of Dromana CERC who shared her favourite piece of furniture to win a Bunnings gift card!

Cate tells us, “This drinks cabinet (left and below left), I bought at an op shop 20 years ago. I stripped off the yellow paint, sanded and oiled it back to its original state. It has black glass on the surface of the door that opens down to be the drink-making shelf. Many a cocktail has been poured on that glass surface. It’s filled with knick-knacks and glasses I’ve collected over the years, including a toy from my childhood - see if you can spot it! It’s moved with me 4 times and into 2 CERCs. It’s been very co-operative.”

Dianne Delves of VicWide sent us this great photo of her very comfy looking Mimosa chair.

Dianne says, “This is my Mimosa chair on my back porch. It became my best friend during the last year of lockdown in the pandemic, where I sat with a cuppa, doing puzzles and knitting and reading, with my pets for company. It was a lifesaver, I got it and the footstool from Bunnings at the time.”

SAVE THE DATE

2023 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

FROM 11AM

SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2023

KARSTENS, 123 QUEEN STREET MELBOURNE

Get in touch!

Calling for nominations for our 2023 Honour Board recipient

The CEHL Honour Board celebrates co-op members who have made outstanding contributions to CEHL co-operative housing.

Nominations for the 2023 Honour Board Award are now open and close at 5pm Friday 29 September 2023.

You are invited to nominate a member of any CEHL co-op, including past members and members who have passed away.

To be eligible for nomination, the nominee should:

• have minimum of five years membership of a CEHL co-op

• be well regarded and an active member within their co-op and have maintained rent payments

• have made an outstanding contribution to the wider CEHL co-operative community.

Co-op Speaking is your voice! We are always keen to share your stories and photos. So please send us your stories, photos and any ideas that might encourage people to contribute.

Please contact Kristina Innes on:

Phone 9208 0807 | Freecall 1800 353 669 | Email engage@cehl.com.au | Web cehl.com.au

In the spirit of reconciliation, CEHL acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and Traditional Custodians of Country. We value their cultures and continuing connection to country, waters, kin, and community and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present. We are committed to making a positive contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s well-being by providing housing services that are welcoming, safe, and culturally appropriate.

CEHL is committed to embracing diversity and eliminating discrimination. Our workplace and housing services are inclusive, and we welcome everyone irrespective of ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation, and gender identity.