The Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns prompted organisations all over the world to rethink their working practices – social housing providers were no different.

The requirement to work from home heralded a new era of virtual meetings, digital engagement and online transactions. Some housing providers saw this as an opportunity to overhaul their approach – offices were closed (some permanently), evictions were halted and housing officers, repairs vans and maintenance teams disappeared from estates.

But three years on from the first lockdown, we are seeing the unintended consequences of some of the decisions taken during this unprecedented period – disrepair and damp and mould problems exacerbated by a sustained period of inactivity, the failure to join the dots on service delivery due to inadequate data and systems, the rise in anti-social behaviour, and the breakdown of relationships between tenants and staff due to the lack of face-to-face interactions.

Many social housing tenants are frustrated about the lack of visibility of housing staff. Meanwhile, staff themselves feel disconnected from residents and communities, blaming the breakdown in personal interactions for the rise in complaints, lack of trust and growing levels of disrespect.

What will be covered?

At this event we’ll get the resident perspective on the current relationship with their landlord – what is working, what isn’t and how can things be improved.

We’ll also hear from housing providers on the practical steps they are taking to rectify problems, get closer to residents and increase their visibility in neighbourhoods.

Who should attend?

• Social housing residents keen to make their voices heard
• Teams responsible for collating, analysing and reporting the Tenant Satisfaction Measures
• Everyone working in customer-facing roles, including:
• Housing management
• Resident engagement
• Customer experience and customer service.

10.30 Chair’s welcome, introduction and scene setting

• • Lydia Dlaboha, Deputy Chief Executive, HQN

10.50 A tenant’s perspective and the importance of communication

• • Brian Griffin, Tenant, Berneslai Homes

11.20 Mount Green’s experience

• • Sarah Crabb, Assistant Director of Housing Services, Mount Green Housing Association

11.50 Break

12.00 Crafting connections: Co-production and the power of resident stories

• • Dr Eve Blezard, Research Fellow and  Community Practitioner

12.30 What we’ve learnt from our surveys and feedback

• • Lewis Kinch, Co-creation & Innovation Manager, Optivo

13.00 Discussion

13.30 Closing remarks from the Chair

• • Lydia Dlaboha, Deputy Chief Executive, HQN

Lydia Dlaboha, Deputy Chief Executive, HQN

Lydia joined HQN in 2007 and is currently the Deputy CEO. Her background is in housing management – both general needs and supported. She has worked extensively as a consultant on a wide variety of performance improvement projects. In her current role, Lydia has responsibility for overseeing all of HQN’s work and for quality assurance in particular. She spends the majority of her time talking to HQN members to make sure that our service meets their needs, and on consultancy-related work.

Lewis Kinch, Co-creation & Innovation Manager, Optivo

Lewis is an experienced engagement professional with over a decade working with residents and service users to co-design new approaches. He has worked in housing for six years following a career in frontline youth work and community development. Lewis is a trustee for local mental health charity Mid-Kent Mind.

As Co-creation & Innovation Manager he played a central role in delivering Optivo’s co-creation framework that sets out how they will work as equals with residents, staff, and stakeholders to deliver user-centred services. He now leads a dedicated team that delivers co-creation across the organisation.

Dr Eve Blezard, Research Fellow and Community Practitioner

Eve is an early career researcher passionate about improving local communities’ sustainability through combined research and practice. She has recently completed her thesis at Salford University entitled: ‘Change, Loss, and Community: Residents’ narratives of life on a social housing estate’.

Brian Griffin, Tenant, Berneslai Homes

Brian is an engaged tenant on numerous groups and panels with Berneslai Homes. He is also a member of the Housing Ombudsman Panel and the Regulator of Social Housing Panel. Being an active member of his community, he is Chair of the Hoyland Community Group, and comes with experience as a Credit Controller, including legal recovery actions.

Sarah Crabb, Assistant Director of Housing Services, Mount Green Housing Association

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing.