Bro Myrddin Housing Association

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Resident Involvement

Welcome to Resident Involvement

"We Beleive that offering residents the opportunity to become involved and challenge the way we provide services is paramount to the future success of the Association

At Bro Myrddin we are passionate about involving residents in our work so that together we can provide excellent services. The Association has also put together a Resident Participation Strategy that shows the commitment that will be made in the coming years to ensure that resident involvement is at the forefront of the work of the Association.

A Tenant Empowerment Grant has allowed the Association to take a good look at resident involvement. The Grant has enabled us to work with a company called Open Communities who have been looking at how the Residents Forum is operating, as well as what other opportunities there are for more people to have a say in how services are being delivered.

In 2008, a second STATUS Survey was undertaken by the National Housing Federation Feedback team. This was a follow up to the survey in 2005 and it was useful to compare progress over the three years. It was very pleasing to see that residents were very satisfied with most aspects of the service and the results had shown an increase in satisfaction in most of the key areas.

Action Plan

The Strategy has a detailed action plan that has been broken down into 6 main objectives:

  1. Promote resident participation through meaningful and worthwhile ways to create opportunities for all residents.
  2. Provide clear information in plain language and in appropriate formats that suits the need of all residents.
  3. Ensure that residents and staff are fully trained and resourced to deliver this strategy.
  4. Examine methods of increasing consultation and input of residents in all aspects of Bro Myrddin operations.
  5. Provide the widest possible scope of opportunities for all residents to play an active and meaningful role.
  6. Promote better working arrangements and closer links between residents, the Board of Management and Staff.

The Residents Forum, the staff and Board Members will be working hard in the coming years to meet the targets set in the action plan.

How can you get involved?

We recognise that people have different levels of interest in getting involved and we will be making sure that you are kept up-to-date with all opportunities. The Strategy Action Plan will be introducing new ways for you to get involved and these will be publicised in future newsletters and letters to you.

These are the main opportunities that are currently available and will be developed soon:

  • Residents Associations - The Association will continue to encourage Residents Associations through support and assistance from setting the group up, to help with the ongoing running costs.
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  • Resident Forum – The forum meets on a regular basis and it is a chance to find out what is happening within the Association. The meetings will look at new policies, important changes and there is a real opportunity to have a say. Meetings are held in the main office and transport and refreshments are provided.
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  • Consultation events – The Association will actively seek out your views in many important areas and we will try and give you many opportunities to give us your views. This could be through a questionnaire, letter, meeting or over the phone. We will shortly be carrying out an exercise to find out your preferences for future contact.
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  • Open days – We held an open day in 2008 which was an opportunity to meet staff in an informal setting and hear about future changes and important issues affecting the Association. We are planning to make this a regular event and you will receive details of when they are being held.
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  • Reader Panel – We recognise that many people want to find out more and have a say, but cannot make it to meetings. We are therefore setting up a reader panel, whereby you will be able to receive information through the post and send back your comments. Any comments will then be looked at as part of any work to implement changes.
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  • Estate Walkabouts and Local surgeries – The housing stock is spread out over many parts of Carmarthenshire and for some people getting into the office is not easy. We will be looking to hold local surgeries and have estate walkabouts in different parts of the County and would encourage residents to use the opportunity to meet staff, deal with issues and also find out more about the Association.
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  • Internet based consultations – More and more people are getting access to computers and the internet and for some it is the most convenient way to find out information and offer comments. We will be looking at improving the Association’s website and how it can be used to receive feedback about services and consultation events.
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  • Resident newsletter – We continue to receive good feedback about the newsletter and we will continue to use it to keep you informed.
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  • Residents Area – Although space is limited in the current offices, we are planning to make space available in the new offices for residents to have access to computers, up to date relevant magazines and somewhere that the Resident Forum can use as a base. We would like to make this opportunity open to all residents.
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    The Resident Forum

    "The Residents' Forum is one of the main ways in which residents’ views are taken into account. The Forum gives a voice for residents with the Association and is open to all residents. You do not need to be elected.

    All Forum members attend as individuals and do not represent other residents.

    Q.What have the Forum achieved?

    A. The Forum is proud of its achievements, including having a real say in how the Association is run. The Forum has also been awarded Welsh Assembly Government funding to work on a Tenant Empowerment Grant. The Forum has also contributed to the new Resident Participation Strategy and many other policies produced by the Association. The Forum is also represented on the Board of Management.

    Q. How can i find out more?

    A. We are always looking for new members and we can arrange for a Forum member and a member of staff to talk to you about getting involved. Tel 01267 232714

    Q. What happens at a Forum meeting?

    A. Meetings are held in the main offices and you get a chance to hear the latest news about the Association as well as having your say. The meetings are informal, with assistance with transport available and refreshments provided.

    Q. When are meetings held?

    A. Currently meetings are held during the daytime, but we regularly consult current Forum members and will change the times to suit as many as possible.

    Q. How often are meetings held?

    A. Meetings are held every 2-3 months, although you don’t have to attend every meeting.

    Getting in touch

    Any of the staff will be able to talk to you about how you can get involved and they will direct you to a member of staff who can discuss your needs in more detail.

    You can find out more information via our contact us page, or E-mail: residents@bromyrddin.co.uk

    If you would like to speak to a member of the Resident Forum, this can be arranged and they will be able to tell you about all the of the benefits of becoming a member