Good Practice Makes Perfect! - ALMOs€¦ · Each year, the abundance of innovation ... In this...

Good Practice Makes Perfect!

Snapshots of success:a selection of best practice projects from the NFA Awards 2009

The National Federation of ALMOs Awards 2009

Each year, the abundance of innovationand excellence in the ALMO sector is celebrated at the presentation ceremony,which forms the centrepiece of the NFA Annual Conference in York.

In this special publication, we examine the outstanding examples of good practicedemonstrated by winners and finalists in four award categories – Best CommunityInitiative, Best Use of Communication, Most Effective Partnership, and MostInnovative Project.

“I am a great believer in building communities,

not just houses, and these

projects highlight a real belief and commitmentto this.”

- Wayne Hemingway MBE, Chair of Building for Life

The 2009 NFA Awards:Winners and Finalists

Most Outstanding ResidentSponsored by Wates Living Space

WinnerSouth Tyneside Homes – John and Eileen Davison

FinalistsGloucester City Homes – Mike Groom Six Town Housing – Malc Hulton

Best Use of CommunicationSponsored by 24housing

WinnerHillingdon Homes – The Bigger the Better Campaign

FinalistsSouth Essex Homes – Accessibility Strategy for Sheltered HousingNottingham City Homes – Rebranding to Achieve Two Stars

Most Innovative ProjectSponsored by Studio163

WinnerSolihull Community Housing – Broadband in High-Rise Blocks

FinalistsBolton at Home – Door to DoorSandwell Homes – Carer’s Emergency Card

Best Community InitiativeSponsored by Connaught Partnerships Ltd

WinnerThe Gateshead Housing Company – GHC Community Fund

FinalistsCityWest Homes – Winter Warmer EventsWolverhampton Homes – PIING Project

Most Effective Partnership

WinnerEast North East Homes Leeds –Michelangelo’s Mates

FinalistsCarrick Housing – Money Advice from Tenants not LandlordsSheffield Homes – Treemendous Partnership

Board Member of the YearSponsored by SOLACE Enterprises

Joint WinnersBarnet Homes – Vi BritchfieldWolverhampton Homes – Graham Dodd

FinalistBlyth Valley Housing – Maureen McAvoy

ALMO Team Member of the Year

WinnerHackney Homes – Callie Duncan

FinalistsPoole Housing Partnerships – Malcolm CrabbSalix Homes – Sarah Henderson

Most Outstanding Young Person of the YearSponsored by Morrison Facilities Services

WinnerWolverhampton Homes – Jordan Bowen

FinalistsDerby Homes – Chris DoyleWest North West Homes Leeds – Sophie Proctor

The annual National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) Awards were

established to recognise the hard work and achievements of ALMO

employees, residents and partners around the country.

Message from the Minister

Good Practice Makes Perfect! | 3

Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary,

Communities and Local Government

Through your investment programmes,ALMOs are delivering Decent Homes,building better communities and improving the day-to-day lives of yourtenants. The size and ambition of theinvestment works that you are undertakingacross the country demonstrate visiblythe strengths of the ALMO movement.And it is the enthusiasm, energy and commitment of tenants and staff whichensures these successes are sustainedand embedded.

I continue to be impressed by the innovativeapproaches shown by individual ALMOs asyou continually seek to improve your housingmanagement services. As key local players,you are also working to develop new initiativesthat can improve your communities.

There were many excellent examples of this inthe submissions for the 2009 NFA Awards. I was especially pleased to see that theawards recognised the outstanding achievements of tenants. I know that the

independent judges had a very difficult task inselecting finalists, and eventual winners, fromalmost 200 entries.

It was a clear reflection of the high quality ofthe projects put forward. Many of the schemesdisplayed original thinking and a creativeapproach to solving some challenging issues.And evidently these projects will deliver tangible benefits to some of our most vulnerable tenants, in a cost-effective manner.

ALMOs have a well deserved reputation in the wider housing sector for being inclusiveand supportive. Among your key strengths are sharing knowledge and new thinking which is key to mainstreaming success across theALMO sector. This publication will ensure that emerging best practice is effectively communicated to all.

I am sure that you will take inspiration andideas from the excellent schemes highlightedin this Best Practice Guide and continue todemonstrate by example just what an effective

job you are undertaking in your communities. We are all committed to the common goal of improving the lives of our tenants and residents. I am therefore pleased to contribute to this publication which celebratesbest practice and champions success across the sector.

• THE NEEDSolilhull Community Housing identified a ‘digital divide’ in Solihull between the residentsof more affluent areas and those living in more disadvantaged neighbourhoods with limited access to technology. To address thissituation, Solihull Community Housing devised an initiative to deliver free or subsidised broadband to residents in council-owned high-rise blocks using cuttingedge ‘leased-lines-in-the-sky’ wireless technology. Broadband was distributed to individual flats via electric plug sockets.

• THE SOLUTIONResidents of the high-rise blocks included a mixture of the long-term unemployed, low paid workers, single parent families and people with disabilities. The key technical challenge facing the project was finding a low cost, low maintenance, reliable method of providing internet connectivity, one that would require minimal engineering work and disruption to residents.

The project was delivered in conjunction with technology partner CI-Net, a specialist in Wide Area Networking (WAN). The initiative also delivers a wireless hotspot area that will help Solihull Council attract local businesses to this deprived area.

• THE RESULTSSurveys have identified an increasing willingness among tenants to embrace the Internet. Some want to use the web to develop IT literacy skills and improve their employment prospects; some to gain

greater access to social services and support organisations. Broadband also provides an educational resource for schoolchildren and allows older residents and those with mobility problems to use online banking and shopping opportunities. Solihull Community Housing is working with local charities to provide free PCs and training to residents of the blocks.

Resident Sarah King said: “Getting this computer from Solihull Community Housing has made my life a lot easier. I can do my shopping; I can pay my bills and my son can do his homework. We can just look up anything we need to… plus I have enrolled on a college course as well.”

• THE JUDGES SAID:

“You’re not on a level playing

field if you don’t get the Internet.”- Roy Irwin, Chief Inspector of Housing

at the Audit Commission

• KEY LEARNINGS

“The technical aspects of the projectwould be of interest to any organisationthat has high-rise blocks as part of its stock. We are the first landlord to take advantage of broadband over power lines technology and have learnt valuablelessons that will greatly simplify the process for any organisations.

We have also learnt valuable lessons about the issues involved in providing broadband to socially disadvantaged groups. In the first high-rise block where

we conducted the pilot scheme, over 90per cent of residents took part. We haveseen tenants from the blocks where thePCs were installed registering on IT courses, as well as tenants who have not yet had free broadband taking up the opportunity to have IT training. We believed that simply providing these tenants with a PC and broadband access would not be enough. We neededto ensure that they had training, supportand confidence that they could use the technology safely, so we worked closelywith a local charity called Sustain.

However, there were a small minority of tenants who needed additional support. We have therefore put in place a process to identify these tenants and provide extra one-to-one tuition.

One of the biggest barriers faced by disadvantaged groups is the fact that many people who might want, or indeedneed, to make use of IT are illiterate. Also Solihull faces an increased number of immigrants who may not be familiar with the English language. For such people the traditional, predominantly textual, user interface is not appropriate.Instead Solihull Community Housing is exploring voice recognition and voice synthesis technology. Even after tenantshave used the technology for a year for free, some will still choose not to continue once they have to start payingfor it themselves. This should not be seenas a failure. The objective of the projectwas not to get people permanently connected to the Internet, but to providea taste of how the technology could improve their life, and to equip them with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions.”

Winner: Most Innovative Project

4 | Good Practice Makes Perfect!

Broadband in High-Rise Blocks:Solihull Community Housing takes it to a higher level

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT:

Chris Deery, Head of ICT | T: 0121 704 6905 | [email protected]

Addressing the digital divide

Finalist: Most Innovative Project



Gaynor Cox, Housing Arts Officer | T: 01204 333632 | [email protected]

Door to Door:Bolton at Home opens the door to regeneration through art

• THE NEEDIn 2008 north-west ALMO Bolton at Homecommissioned a groundbreaking piece of public art. The Door to Door project createdhistory, becoming Bolton's biggest-ever piece of public artwork and one of the mostinnovative outdoor film projections held in the UK.

• THE SOLUTIONThe project was commissioned by Bolton at Home's Housing Percent for Art Service to celebrate ten years of pioneering creative regeneration work across Bolton's neighbourhoods through community art projects.

A fusion of light, animation and sound, Door to Door featured footage of hundreds of the town's residents fused together to create a dramatic 100-metre projection.

A cast of over 100 residents were involved during the months of preparation. Each wasfilmed individually at their front door, with the scenes later woven together into a giantpatchwork visual.

• THE RESULTSThe Door to Door launch event received substantial national media coverage, includingthe Guardian, BBC News Interactive, Inside Housing, BBC Manchester and the Manchester Evening News.

A number of celebrities from Bolton, includingTV presenter Vernon Kay, radio DJs Mark Radcliffe and Sara Cox, comedian Dave Spikey and double Olympic gold medallist Jason Kenny also attended the event.

Mark Radcliffe said: “I was delighted to take part in the Door to Door project as it celebrates the importance of bringing different people together to strengthen communities and illustrates how the arts – in their widest form – can be a good way of doing this. Being Bolton born and bred I’m proud of the fact that the town and its people have delivered such an innovative project and have championed art as a way of tackling social issues, as well as improving local environments in the town.”

The final film was seen by thousands of visitors and endorsed by some of the country's leading celebrities and sports personalities during its week-long projection.It proved to be hugely successful in raising the profile of partnership working between Bolton at Home, Bolton Council and Homes for Bolton.


“This project challenged

stereotypes of the area to

deliver high-end art.”- Janet Dean of the Dean Knight Partnership

• KEY LEARNINGS

“The Door to Door project was anexample of creatively engaging with a large and diverse number of people. Over 100 residents from across the Borough were filmed for the project and the celebratory aspect was highly successful.

The pride and enjoyment of the residentswho had participated in creating the artwork was palpable. The excitement and pleasure generated by the project was felt across the organisation, its partners and the general public.

We were particularly pleased by the teamwork demonstrated by members of staff across the organisation and its partners during the preparation and development of the project.

Although the project was initiated nearly 12 months in advance, an even longer lead-in time would have enhancedthe success of the project, allowing greater engagement and better coverage.A longer duration would benefit similar events in future, ensuring a high profile,but this would be dependent on funding.”

Creative engagement


Finalist: Most Innovative Project


Louise Butler, Project Development Officer | T: 0121 525 4290 | [email protected]

Carer’s Emergency Card:Sandwell Homes taking care of the carers

• THE NEEDCaring for a dependent person is a difficultand stressful job, and one often made worse by constant anxiety about who will care for the person if the carer is suddenly unable to do so.

Policy guidance sets out the main principleslocal authorities should follow when making emergency care provisions, but it is left to individual organisations to respond to local needs.

In general, services should give carers confidence and reassure them that alternative care can be put in place should anything happen.

• THE SOLUTIONOne of the solutions in Sandwell is the Carer’sEmergency Card. The size of a credit card, this is carried by carers participating in the scheme, clearly indicating they are a carer and that someone depends on them.

If the carer is involved in an accident or emergency, the card alerts emergency

services or other helpers that there may be a vulnerable person needing support.The card carries a unique identification code and contact telephone number for a 24-hour response centre.

On receipt of a call, the response centre identifies the carer and their vulnerable person from the ID number on the card. Without disclosing information to the caller, the response centre then takes appropriate action. This can include contacting relatives,friends or other service providers to ensure that the needs of the vulnerable person are attended to.

• THE RESULTSThe Carer’s Emergency Card provides carers with much needed reassuranceand is responsive to individual needs and circumstances. The scheme is a partnership between Sandwell Adult and Community Services, Sandwell Homes’ Community Alarms Services, Sandwell Primary Care Trust and CARES Sandwell. It was initially funded via a New Deal for Carers grant.


“Simple and sensible.”- Roy Irwin, Chief Inspector of Housing


• KEY LEARNINGS

“There is a national drive to support unpaid carers and in Sandwell alone it is estimated that there are around 35,000 unpaid carers. This sparked the idea of introducing a free emergency card to help support those who were being cared for in the event of their carer becoming ill or injured.

Since the launch we have had approximately 200 carers signing up to the service and anticipate 1,000 within the project’s first year. All of the elements could transfer to ALMOs with partnership working. The thorough consultation with carers and various support groups throughout has been a particularly effective element of this project.”

Much needed reassurance


Winner: Best Community Initiative


Ian Clarkin, Communications Manager | T: 0191 433 5382 | [email protected]

The GHC Community Fund:The Gateshead Housing Company aids worthwhile projects

• THE NEEDThe Gateshead Housing Company is alwayson the look-out for ways to improve the homes and lives of residents and customersin some of the poorer parts of this northern community.

• THE SOLUTIONWith the help of partners Gateshead Council,Frank Haslam Milan and Morrison Facilities Services, The Gateshead Housing Companyestablished a Community Fund for worthwhile projects.

The £200,000 annual fund is open to any individual or group.

Typical projects:

– Improve the lives of young people and olderresidents.

– Improve the environment.– Benefit estates and neighbourhoods.

The Community Fund offers cash and in-kind awards from £500 to £10,000 each year. The Gateshead Housing Company and its partners have pledged to support the fund until 2010.

• THE RESULTSThe fund has benefited projects acrossGateshead, including:

– A £2,000 grant to help a local group support the parents and carers of disabled children.

– A new fence and raised garden for a local nursery.

– A grant of £1,538 to help establish a new social group for people living in sheltered accommodation.


“Little bits of money make

things happen.”- Michael Gelling, Chair of the Tenants and

Residents Organisations of England

• KEY LEARNINGS

“The Community Fund was based onthe principle of giving money back to the community from any profits made.

It is a relatively simple concept, one that generates a lot of positive publicityand allows projects throughout the Borough to benefit from funding and/or work in kind. By working with partners and pooling resources you can make a real difference to smaller groups that may not normally have access to external funding or resources.”

Giving back to the community


Finalist: Best Community Initiative


Helena Shore or Susan Barber, Community Involvement team | T: 0207 245 2346

Winter Warmer Events:CityWest Homes keeps it cosy

• THE NEEDHelena Shore is Resident InvolvementOfficer for central London ALMO CityWest Homes. She says: “Given the importance ofenergy issues and the rising costs of gas and electricity bills, we thought it was important to educate and share information with our residents about how they could use their energy more efficiently and save money on their bills.”

• THE SOLUTIONCityWest Homes held 11 Winter Warmerevents, targeted at all residents aged 15 or above, and covering the length and breadth of Westminster. Energy-saving light bulbs, PowerDowns and recycling bags were all given away. Energy experts were also on hand to answer questions and provide tips on how to cut energy bills.

Residents were also given free scarves and gloves to help keep warm during the winter months. Many CityWest Homes partners donated prizes for a raffle, the proceeds of which funded the purchase of the scarves and gloves. Members of the Filipino community who live on the Lisson Green estate in Marylebone got

involved by cooking and offering samples ofhomemade soup to people. Recipes were shared with residents to encourage the cookingof healthy, warming and wholesome food.

• THE RESULTSThe events were a great success with over800 residents attending, explains Helena Shore. “Given the overwhelming success of these events, we decided to hold five larger events across the city in January, which as well as energy would also provide advice on other topical issues such as the Credit Crunch, healthy living and wider community issues. We branded these New Year Sparkle events.”


“Creative and inclusive”- Roy Irwin, Chief Inspector of Housing


• KEY LEARNINGS

“Our residents told us that they wantedto become more involved in energy matters, particularly learning about how

they could save energy and lower their bills. The use of fun activities, such as dance or giving away scarves and gloves, to get people to the table to discuss energy, debt and other important issues worked very well, and the partnership element of the project was also very successful.

In total over 30 partners attended and exhibited at the events. The topics covered were diverse. Examples includedproviding healthy winter recipes, exerciseadvice and Westminster library services.

The enthusiasm shown by many residents and the level of involvement was very heartening. We also found that involving resident associations and community groups at an early stage was important as their support helped encourage more residents to attend the events.

The projects highlighted how important residents consider energy issues to be. It also showed us that they are willing to get involved and keen to work with us to develop new initiatives around topical issues.”

Keeping warm in winter


• THE NEEDWolverhampton Homes is committed to awide range of community objectives.

Its pioneering and innovative PIING project (Promoting Inclusion and Integration among the Next Generation) was designed to tackledomestic abuse, hate crime and extremism.

• THE SOLUTIONThis community-based project is designedto raise awareness of unacceptable extremist behaviour such as hate crime and racism, encourage open discussion about relevant issues and work within effective local partnership arrangements to support vulnerable young people.

Through a targeted citizenship programme Wolverhampton Homes has held workshopsto tackle misconceptions about different cultures, norms and values, as well as new communities settling in the city.

It has also tackled extremist gang culture – targeting young people affected by this and working with Safer Wolverhampton Partnership to raise awareness of the consequences.

The PIING Project has been delivered in three high schools in areas with mixed communities and high deprivation. Problems with gangs, racism, unemploymentand low self esteem are common.

Jo Patel, a diversity officer with the Wolverhampton Homes community partnerships team, talks to pupils about the role of the team and encourages them to discuss community issues using two specially-produced DVDs.

Jo said: “Both DVDs really prompt good discussions which are very forthright and adult. This is a good way of challenging people’s views and giving out factual information.”

• THE RESULTSOver 100 young people between the ages of 11 and 16 have attended the training programme, with many going on to make significant changes to their lives.

Following her involvement, Miss X, aged 16,who came from a family suffering domestic abuse, found the confidence to report her problems to the Wolverhampton Domestic Violence Forum.

Mr X, aged 15, was a perpetrator of hate crime and member of Combat 18, but has reformed since attending the programme.


“This project tackles a really

difficult but important issue.”- Roy Irwin, Chief Inspector of Housing


Finalist: Best Community Initiative


Jo Patel, Diversity Officer | T: 01902 556789

The PIING Project:Wolverhampton Homes raising awareness

Making significant changes


Winner: Most Effective Partnership


Tony Butler | T: 0113 247 6158 | [email protected]

Michelangelo’s Mates:East North East Homes Leeds painting a future

• THE NEEDMichelangelo’s Mates is a special schemefor people with learning disabilities, providing work-based training in painting and decorating while assisting older and disabled residents, run by East North East Homes Leeds (ENEHL) in partnership with charity Avalon.

• THE SOLUTIONAvalon is a registered charity, which provides a range of services and training for people with disabilities, mental health issues and older adults. After initial training, participants in the Michelangelo’s Mates scheme work as sub-contractors to ENEHL,providing a service to tenants who are unable to do the work themselves through illness or disability. They also help to redecorate empty properties in preparation for new tenants. All completed work is quality-checked by ENEHL. As part of ENEHL’s commitment to the scheme, they have also provided an office base for the Mates.

• THE RESULTSAs well as meeting the needs of vulnerabletenants, the scheme also offers supported employment and training to people who would not normally be given that opportunity. The qualifications and training methods are tailored to the needs of each individual in the scheme.


“This is a win-win situation.”- Janet Dean of the Dean Knight Partnership

• KEY LEARNINGS

“The initiative was born at our board meeting. Director of Technical Services Tony Butler was concerned with residentfeedback regarding the Lettable Standardof properties, noting that some propertiesrequired extensive redecorating.

Angelena Fixter, the East North East Homes Leeds Board Chair, runs her own voluntary organisation called Avalon that specialises in support services for vulnerable people. She suggested setting up a scheme that could benefit disabled people by helping them to learn skills through work-based experience.

The scheme is relatively easy to set up and the premise is transferable to all ALMOs with a lettable standard and a commitment to corporate responsibility.Typically, if a house was ready to be re-let or if a resident was elderly or vulnerable and unable to decorate their property, a major contractor would be hired to do the work. With Michelangelo’sMates we can now channel our resources by providing disabled local people with work where they learn transferable skills and at the same timemeet our business targets.

Creating a partnership with a local support charity and committing a modestinitial capital outlay has helped local disabled people to learn new skills that can be used to find paid employment. Vulnerable and elderly tenants are helped and ENEHL has saved money in decoration vouchers as void propertywork is undertaken by the scheme.

The hardest part of setting up the project was finding the right person to coordinate with a specific set of trade, supervisory and people skills – but we did eventually find this in coordinatorPaul Deane.

The success of Michelangelo’s Mates has sown the seeds for the next partnership project with Avalon, to be called the Gardening Gang. This will train disabled people in horticultural skills to assist elderly and disabled tenants and make the gardens of emptyproperties ready for re-letting.”

Learning transferrable skills


• THE NEEDLow cost financial advice delivered directlyto customers via independent tenant organisations has delivered major benefits for customers of this Cornish ALMO situated in a Beacon area.

The area suffers from all the major indicators of poverty, high levels of incapacity benefit and for those lucky enough to find work, employment is often seasonal. In more recent years personal debt has been spiralling out of control and unregulated money lending has been a growing problem.

Carrick Housing already provided rent arrears management alongside traditional welfare advice work. But both Carrick and partners the Beacon Community Regeneration Partnership felt that some people would not access a service run by an “agency”. One solution was to provide a good quality but independent advice service managed by local residents themselves.

• THE SOLUTIONThe resulting service provides impartial welfare and financial advice to tenants and residents on one of the most deprived estates in Cornwall.

The service is signposted and locally advertised through newsletters and leaflets.

The results of this project have been “staggering”, reports Carrick: for a grant of only £2,000, over £55,000 of back-dated and unclaimed benefits have been recovered.

This project has been one of the factors thathas helped keep rent arrears on this estate static during the current recession.

• THE RESULTSThe service is provided weekly and has gained a reputation locally for providing good advice and for being impartial and confidential. Word of mouth success has encouraged people to come forward and created a waiting list.

Resident Pam Davies remembers: “I was looking after my very sick husband and had I not met Jenny at the Beacon Office, I don’t know what I’d have done. I did not realise that I could receive a Carer’s Allowance. Getting this extra money has turned my life around.”


“This is about delivering

advice in buildings which

people are comfortable

entering.”- Michael Gelling, Chair of the Tenants and

Residents Organisations of England

Finalist: Most Effective Partnership


The Beacon Community Regeneration Partnership | T: 01326 212784

Money Advice from Tenants not Landlords:Carrick Housing and grassroots advice

Independent advice


Finalist: Most Effective Partnership


Jez Platts | T: 0114 273 4303

The Treemendous Partnership:Sheffield Homes sets down roots

• THE NEEDIn a major new initiative for 2008, SheffieldCity Council allocated over £50,000 to plant 5,000 trees and help safeguard and improve Sheffield’s green environment. 8,521 trees were planted and there is now a residents’ requested waiting list of locations to be planted in future years. £48,000 has been allocated for next season’s planting.

This was probably the greatest single amount ever allocated specifically for tree planting in the city.

Many of Sheffield’s trees have stood for wellover 100 years, creating a healthier and moreattractive city. But many thousands of theseare fast approaching the end of their natural lifespan and a new generation is needed.

• THE SOLUTIONThe season’s tree planting started in Autumn2008, with a symbolic tree being planted in one of Sheffield’s green open spaces, Parkwood Springs. A range of different species has been planted, including native species, more exotic varieties, and fruit trees.Some are drought-resistant and were chosen in anticipation of future climatic conditions.

The planting was undertaken in partnershipwith schools, the local voluntary and commercial sectors and community groups.Sheffield Homes has involved as many people in Sheffield as possible to encouragethem to take ownership of this project.

An educational element has also been developed. Schoolchildren taking part have learnt about climate change issues and the value of trees and the ALMO has also worked to raise awareness amongst the general public of the need to plant trees.

• THE RESULTSBetween October 2007 and April 2009,Sheffield Homes allocated £130,000 (including local Board funding) and planted 990 heavy standard trees on 225 different Sheffield Homes sites and held 50 planting events. The latter featured 650 school

children and young people, as well as members of 30 Tenants and Residents Associations and the Sheffield Futures Partnership. Over 30 planting events have featured in Sheffield’s local press, including Sheffield Homes publications.

• KEY LEARNINGS

“Sheffield Homes approached theCouncil’s Trees & Woodlands Community Forestry team after noticingother tree planting schemes in SheffieldCouncil-run parks and woodlands. Besides the benefits that trees bring, Sheffield Homes were very interested in how the Council’s CommunityForestry Project engaged the local

community in deciding where the trees should be located and in actually plantingthem. All ALMOs could liaise with tree-related organisations when plantingon their sites and involve the local people who live there.

Everybody was able to take part in the project and tree-planting was a manifestopledge by the new Liberal Democrats council when they came into office, hence full councillor support for this initiative. Tree planting is related to the science and geography schemes of workin the national curriculum. Everybody is involved in tree-planting - be it school children or the elderly. Environmental issues are top of the agenda globally.”

A healthier and more attractive city


Winner: Best Use of Communication


Lisa Taylor, Acting Community Involvement Team Leader | T: 01895 250910 | [email protected]

Serena Johal, Communications Officer | T: 01895 277952 | [email protected]

The Bigger the Better Campaign:A clearer vision from Hillingdon Homes

• THE NEEDLondon ALMO Hillingdon Homes realisedthat visually-impaired customers were disadvantaged when receiving literature from the organisation.

Customers requiring information in large print were unable to enjoy the high quality presentation of the ALMO’s communications.Routine enlargement, usually on a photocopier, meant key information was often presented poorly, on cumbersome and low quality A3 size paper, in contrast to the glossy finish and carefully presented content of the regular literature.

• THE SOLUTIONHillingdon Homes staff sought a cost-effective and practical solution for the 13 per cent of its customers requiring large print publications. Highly technical aids wereexcluded as expensive and impractical.

Hillingdon Homes eventually chose a simplemagnifier reader, which allows easy enlargement of any printed material.

The Hillingdon Disabled Tenants and Residents Group (DTRG) trialled the readers. The results were unanimously positive. One customer said: “Marvellous, even with my arthritic hands I could still manage to hold it over the text – I will be throwing away my magnifying glass!”

The DTRG successfully applied to ParadigmCommunity Grants for the funding needed to give a free magnifier to all 1,400 customers requiring large print. Hillingdon Homes organised the distribution and picked up the postage costs.

• THE RESULTS– 1,400 customers have the same access

to communications as their peers with normal vision.

– Customers can read key information from the ALMO as well as from any other organisation, books or newspapers.

– A saving of around £8,000 a year from audio and large print expenditure.

• KEY LEARNINGS

“This project was initially sparked by a junior member of staff, who noted that it was a shame that customers requiringinformation in large print were unable to enjoy regular, high quality Hillingdon Homes literature.

Because it is simple and effective, the whole idea is transferable – any organisation which invests in large printversions of documents would benefit from adopting this approach. The magnifying screens are widely available,in different sizes and qualities.

By seeking grant funding to cover the costs (around £4 per screen at the A4 size we provided), ALMOs can add value to their services for visually impaired tenants and leaseholders at only the cost of postage.

Making use of our already strong links with the Hillingdon Disabled Tenants’ and Residents’ Group to pilot the magnifying readers gave us confidence that it was a useful initiative and that the product helped them. Their support in applying for grant funding enabled the screens to be provided free of charge to customers.

The fact that the screens were provided free was very well received by our visually-impaired tenants and leaseholders. We found that word spread and within a short time others, who were not registered with us as needing large print documents, were happy to get in touch and ask for a magnifying reader.

Solutions don’t have to be complicated to address a problem - simple ideas are often the best. From a service improvement point of view, giving staff the ability to find a great idea and run with it to completion empowers employees. They see the extra value their ideas have brought to the ALMO’s services and to the lives of tenants and leaseholders.

This additional motivation then feeds back into the organisation.

Using the expertise of your tenants’ and residents’ groups will also help to value-check ideas and fine tune them to squeeze maximum practical value out of every possible pound you spend.”

Equal access


• THE NEEDIn early 2008 South Essex Homes introduced an Accessibility Strategy for Sheltered Housing, in order to effectively deal with a number of sheltered accommodation premises which had been unused and empty for some time.

• THE SOLUTIONFollowing consultation with residents andother stakeholders, the ALMO launched a special marketing campaign.

Research centred on a door-knocking exercise targeting older residents. They were asked about their aspirations and the things which might prevent them from using sheltered housing services in the future. Residents in the 60-65 year age group who had registered for social housing were also asked for their views.

A variety of measures were introduced following completion of the consultation exercise, including the selection of four flats in different schemes as ‘show flats’ to highlight the positive aspects of living in sheltered accommodation. In addition, successful 360-degree virtual tours of four different schemes were created to show communal areas and the show flats. This was made available on the South Essex

Homes website. Lettings officers used these when planning visits for prospective residents without computer access.

Staff members also used their design skills to produce 22 booklets, each highlighting an individual sheltered scheme.

Advertisements and news stories were also placed in the press to promote sheltered living, and open days were held at a number of different schemes.

• THE RESULTSOne press release alone generated 55requests for more information. The open days proved very successful, with over 160 people making a visit. Since the start of this project, South Essex Homes’ sheltered housing waiting list has increased and occupancy rates are up.

• KEY LEARNINGS

“The project arose from the realisationthat the stereotypes surrounding shelteredaccommodation needed to be addressedand challenged. There was also a need to encourage new residents to apply for sheltered accommodation and so the marketing campaign addressed popularmyths about it.

The marketing campaign, involving leaflets, open days, 360 degree tours, and show flats could easily be replicated by other ALMOs. We found the show flats really successful in highlighting how the flats can be furnished and people can live in the accommodation comfortably.

A key element was ensuring that the campaign was properly targeted at the client group. We carried out a consultation exercise to begin with to ensure we responded to their needs.”

Finalist: Best Use of Communication


Lynsey Stephenson, Communication and Media Manager | T: 0170 223 6112 | [email protected]

Accessibility Strategy for Sheltered Housing:South Essex Homes and the future for sheltered living

Challenging stereotypes

Finalist: Best Use of Communication

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PROJECT:Martin Valentine, Head of Communications and Marketing | T: 0115 915 7278 | [email protected]

Rebranding to Achieve Two Stars:A new outlook for Nottingham City Homes

• THE NEEDFollowing a long period of change, in 2008Nottingham City Homes decided to create a new brand to better reflect its new mission, vision and values.

The new brand would help to improve communications and enable the organisationto better market its services and play a key part in helping the company achieve a two-star rating from the Audit Commission in November 2008.

• THE SOLUTIONThe project started in April 2008 and had to be delivered within existing budgets, with most elements needed in time for the Audit Commission’s ‘mystery shopping’ in late September, ahead of a full inspection in November 2008.

Tenants were involved throughout the development. The remit of the Customer Communications Panel was expanded to include branding issues, and all key decisions were made with their agreement.

The finished brand included a number of sub-brands, identified by different colours, in order to clearly identify Nottingham City Homes services in relation to:

– Anti-social behaviour

– Allocations

– Repairs

– Customer care

– Tenant involvement

– Rent

– Tenancy and estate management

– The Decent Homes programme (retitled ‘Secure Warm Modern’)

– Sheltered housing

– Leaseholders

The new brand was designed to work across different media – including printed publications, a new website, external office signage, internal office displays and vehicles.

• THE RESULTSNottingham City Homes:

– Designed, wrote and launched a new, fully accessible website.

– Applied its new brand to 312 new repairsand maintenance vehicles, establishing a much stronger visual presence on estates.

– Carried out an internal and external refurbishment of key offices to reflect the new brand.

– Completed a suite of more than 30 leafletsand publications designed according to the new sub-brands.

– Redesigned its monthly customer newsletterto incorporate the new brand.

As a result, the ALMO:

– Obtained a two-star Audit Commission rating in January 2009.

– Improved its rent campaigning via clearbranding, raising more than £500,000 in extra income and reducing evictions.

– Increased customer satisfaction by 15 per cent.

• KEY LEARNINGS

“In February 2007, the company was recovering from a damning Audit Commission report in 2005 that revealed a number of failings. Staff morale was low, customer satisfactionwas dwindling and the media were berating us at any given opportunity.The company not only needed to make drastic improvements to services, it also needed to improve its reputation.

So we set out to develop a new mission, vision and values for the company. This would be the basis for rebuilding theorganisation and improving its reputation.Head of Communications Martin Valentine identified an immediate need to refresh the now tired-looking branding to reflect the positive changes

taking place. A similar project could work for all organisations looking to shake off a bad reputation – not through the ‘sticking plaster’ of a new look, but by understanding how a powerful, well defined brand can affect the culture of an organisation. A brand refreshment exercise helps to cement wider developments in employee culture and procedures, so the effect is felt faster and is embeddeddeeper. We worked closely with tenantson the Customer Communications Panel to identify their key concerns.

Like many public sector organisations, there was a lack of clarity over who we are, simply because we do so many things. By involving tenants it was possible to focus our work and help give the many and various initiatives and services we offer a clear sense of purpose and direction.

This rebranding project helped us to realise that the successful delivery of such a transformation is not solely the responsibility of a marketing team, designers and web managers. It is a task for the whole organisation, from senior management to the repairs operatives visiting tenants’ homes. The new brand did not make us something we’re not – it helped to clarify what we already are.”

New values

The National Federation of ALMOs

Rockingham House | St Maurice’s Road | York YO31 7JA

T: 0845 4747008

E: [email protected] Website: www.almos.org.uk

Produced by Acceleris Marketing Communications

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