Around the Houses
June 2012
‘Around the Houses’ is published monthly to showcase the excellent work members are doing in a wide variety of different areas. If you have any stories you’d like to include in the next edition, please send them to bethan-samuel@chcymru.org.uk. All stories received will also be put up on the CHC Group’s website.
First Choice achieves double gold in Olympic year First Choice HA has achieved two gold awards - the Gold standard for Investors in People (IIP) and the Gold Standard for the Small Workplace Health Award. The Small Workplace Health Award demonstrates First Choice’s commitment through their innovative and proactive approach to encouraging staff to lead a healthy lifestyle. The Association has implemented a health and wellbeing strategy to encourage staff to take up regular exercise and eat more healthily through providing fresh fruit in the office and the opportunity to join a weight management class. Just eight months after the scheme was introduced, staff had achieved a total weight loss of nine and a half stone. Hilary Ryan, Chief Executive, said ‘Achieving two gold standards in quick succession is a testament to the commitment, motivation and passion of our staff… We are committed to the development of our staff team and are aware that encouraging a healthy lifestyle and contributing to this increases their motivation. These gold awards reflect our vision as a learning organisation and a committed employer which nurtures its staff.’
Cynon Taf CHG raises thousands for special care baby unit Over the last 12 months, Cynon Taf Community Housing Group has been raising money for the Special Care Baby Unit in Prince Charles Hospital. Through various methods, members of staff have come together and raised the cash that will help make a real difference. Bethan Hopes, Finance Assistant said: ‘As an organisation we are so proud to have raised over £4,500 since April 2011. This has been through raffles, cake sales, bring and buy events, auctions, ‘guess the baby’ competition, the Nos Galon run, staff ‘payroll giving’ and many more events.’ Maisie Morris, Unit Manager at SCBU was delighted when they arrived with the cheque for £4,911.13. ‘Thank you so much for your hard work at Cynon Taf. The money will be well spent on purchasing apnoea monitors that the babies need whilst they are in the hospital and when they return home. These monitors can sense if the baby stops breathing during the night, alerting the parents and staff of problems in vulnerable babies. Your contribution means everything, thank you.’
Take control online North Wales Housing has kick started a programme of digital inclusion, under the ‘Take Control’ initiative, supporting older residents to learn and develop essential IT skills. The housing association has teamed up with a number of other HAs and organisations to roll out the programme to thousands of residents across North Wales. Community groups involved in the project will focus on key areas of interest rather than simply browsing the internet. This may include using social media or Skype to stay in contact with family and friends, shopping and sourcing the best deals online. Residents at Taverners Court sheltered housing scheme in Llandudno have been the first to benefit with almost all residents taking part in the initial workshop. Nicky Thomas of North Wales Housing said: ‘As the digital revolution continues to gather pace and play an ever increasing role in all of our lives, we recognise that some groups, particularly older people, could easily be left behind if they’re not given the right access and support.’
Cadwyn brings tenants together through house share scheme Cadwyn has linked up with House Share Wales to help people through the Welfare Reform changes. The new levels of Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance will create a huge demand for shared accommodation. House Share Wales helps to meet this demand by linking tenants and landlords and allowing people to find rooms to rent and houses to share. Cadwyn has employed a Shared Accommodation Broker to assist tenants and landlords in 5 local authority areas: Cardiff, Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and the Vale of Glamorgan. Sue said: ‘I am very excited to be a part of this new and innovative project. This is a great opportunity to make a difference, to bring landlords and tenants together and to provide affordable and sustainable accommodation for those who need it.’
Around the Houses June 2012
West Bute Street Regeneration
United Welsh are regenerating a block of commercial units on West Bute Street, some of which have stood vacant for five years. United Welsh has an office in Caerphilly and in Cardiff Bay from where they manage their portfolio. The office in Cardiff Bay is being relocated to West Bute Street where the housing association has vacant commercial properties. The organisation has begun working on site to create one office where the five units previously stood. Their investment in regenerating the area will see the properties opened up and brought forward on the street where they now sit back. The organisation are also investing and regenerating the services which they offer from their Cardiff base. The services are to be shaped with tenants once the office is open, but following a recent tenant survey, the feedback has resulted in the planning and facilitating of drop in sessions and surgeries on a number of topics including money advice. The office aims to be a community hub for its tenants, offering access to its facilities for community groups and hosting tenant groups’ meeting facilities. As part of their investment into the area United Welsh will be working with Cardiff Council on improvements to Ship Lane at the back of the office site. The improvements could include gating the lane, restricting access to residents and local businesses, which will lead to better security and improved CCTV. Karen Thomas,Head of Neighbourhoods at United Welsh, is leading the project team. She said: ‘We are very excited to have this opportunity to grow our presence in Cardiff and provide more improved services for our tenants. These works will add to the significant investment into the bay area seen over recent years - they will greatly improve West Bute Street.’
Sport that worked for Jamie Jamie from Cwmbran has secured a full-time job with a painting and decorating business, thanks to a sports-based, employment opportunity scheme and a ‘speed dating’ event with local businesses held at Bron Afon Community Housing. Jamie was one of seven unemployed people between the ages of 18 and 24, who were referred by the Job Centre for Sport That Works, a ten week course supported by Bron Afon staff and run by local authorities in Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Torfaen. Sport That Works staff and volunteers offer coaching in writing CVs, communication skills, interview techniques and team work. Bron Afon staff followed up by inviting local businesses to meet with the young people to discuss job opportunities. It was at this event, arranged in ‘speed dating’ style, that Jamie impressed his new employer, R&M Williams. Lisa Charles, Community Investment Manager, Bron Afon, said: ‘Sport That Works… has truly transformed lives of young people who participated in a number of ways, such as securing employment, increasing life skills and confidence building. Alongside partners, Bron Afon are now exploring opportunities to develop the programme and secure further investment.’
Improvements to insulation in Blaenau Gwent Homes across Blaenau Gwent are getting a makeover as part of a scheme to improve insulation and reduce heating bills. The £6m cost is being shared between E.on and Tai Calon Community Housing. Tenants are already seeing the benefit of the scheme to replace 767 heating systems, and insulate and render the exterior of 474 properties. The work is being carried out as part of the Carbon Energy Saving Project (CESP). It has been such a success that Tai Calon is currently in talks with E.on about extending it. Paul Bevan is Tai Calon’s Community Energy Saving Project Manager. ‘E.on has been working with us to reduce fuel poverty across Blaenau Gwent. We hope through CESP to eventually replace 1,000 heating systems and externally render 770 homes across the three valleys, reducing carbon output and assisting in the reduction of fuel poverty.’
Around the Houses June 2012 Housing staff show commitment to communities Staff from RCT Homes recently volunteered over 500 hours to work on community projects as part of their commitment to Business in the Community’s Give and Gain Day. The volunteering took place across four communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The aim of the events was to make a difference to the appearance of neighbourhoods and to develop the relationship between staff from RCT Homes and residents. The volunteering took place across the park, fields and garages in Gilfach Goch, the Mission to the Deaf centre in Pontypridd, Rhydyfelin football club and Llanharry paths, play areas and flats. Volunteers painted parks, repaired garage doors, mended fences, removed graffiti, and built wooden flower planters. The make over of Rhydyfelin Football Club involved laying a patio, fitting windows and doors, painting, fitting plasterboard for internal walls and varnishing doors. Joseph Gibson, Chairman of Rhydyfelin Football Club was there on the day to help. He said, ‘So many people gave their time for a small project – we could not have done it ourselves. I myself cannot tell you how happy my community and young players will be. It was far over our expectations.’ Andrew Lycett, RCT Homes’ Chief Executive, said, ‘Enthusiasm for volunteering is something quite special at RCT Homes. Taking ourselves out of the roles we normally do and working with tenants to create something that will make such a visible improvement to the area is a no brainer – staff jumped at the chance to do it and this year has been a great success.’
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A creative financial inclusion expert used music, drama, poetry and art recently to engage young and old alike in great moneysaving ideas, thanks to an initiative by Clwyd Alyn HA working in partnership with Barnardo’s. Clwyd Alyn recently hosted two community advice sessions in Flintshire, organised by Barnardo’s, where young and old could come together and learn more about savings, budgeting and debt management. ‘Barnardo’s arranged for a specialist creative financial expert who used the arts to engage people in a really dynamic way,’ said Louise Blackwell, Community Development Officer for Clwyd Alyn. ‘The interaction between the young people and the older residents was absolutely inspirational.They really worked well together and came up with some great ideas, particularly for ‘Savvy Saving’. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Barnados for arranging these sessions and also to each person who came along and contributed so much.’
NPT Homes tenant empowerment team launches Intergenerational Art Project NPT Homes’ Tenant Empowerment team have partnered up with Dragon Arts and Learning Centre to offer NPT Homes’ tenants the chance to create artistic pieces for the new NPT Homes headquarters. In July, tenants will have the chance to try their hand at working with pottery and textiles with an additional class on mosaics in August. Tenant Empowerment Officer Kathryn Cook said: ‘We would like tenants to come along and express themselves through this artistic project; it is not only a great way of meeting likeminded people but also offers the opportunity to develop new and existing skills. I would urge our tenants to come along and be creative; pieces of artwork can then be displayed in our new offices when it is completed in spring 2013.’
Around the Houses June 2012
£27m sustainability boost for Melin Melin Homes has been selected to deliver a green homes project worth £27m stretching from the bridge in South East Wales to the beach in the South West. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, Arbed 2 is a green home improvement scheme that will install energy efficiency measures in homes on an area based approach and promote green skills and jobs. Across the next three years Melin Homes, in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust (EST), will be responsible for implementing energy efficiency measures in up to 1,000 homes each year with an annual budget of £9m. Melin, working closely with the EST, will lead the installation of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies in properties. EST will work with local authorities and other partners to engage householders (both rented and privately owned) within the target areas and encourage them to be a part of this innovative scheme. As well as providing energy help for those in areas that most need it, the project will be a much needed boost to the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry by providing contracts to installation companies from across Wales. The programme will also enable small and medium size businesses and contractors to build on their current skills, expertise and qualifications. Melin Homes’ Chief Executive Mark Gardner said: ‘This is one of the most exciting projects we’ve been involved in. It’s a chance for us to have a major impact across the whole of South Wales, saving people money on their energy bills, reducing their carbon footprints and creating local jobs. We are looking forward to moving ahead with the Energy Saving Trust on this truly sustainable project.’