At 2023’s Residents’ Network annual conference, we delved into transformative changes in social housing regulations, with emphasis on proactive consumer regulation, effective complaint handling and resident engagement innovations.

Whether you attended the initial conference or couldn’t make it, this event offers a deeper exploration of these topics.

The session, co-chaired by Rob Gershon and Dr. Eve Blezard, is designed to offer a practical exploration of how tenants are influencing their organisations’ approach to consumer regulation. Rob brings the perspective of a tenant, with a track record in policy influence and campaigns like SHOUT, highlighting his commitment to resident-led change. Dr. Eve Blezard compliments this with her expertise in tenant satisfaction and resident engagement and together, they plan to lead a session on how residents and providers can collaborate effectively in adapting to new regulations in social housing.

Key presentations include:

• Helen Alderson – Senior Customer Engagement Officer at Stockport Homes: Helen will discuss her work with The Building Safety Resident Panel (BSRP) at Stockport Homes Group and their role in ensuring that Stockport Homes Group are meeting the regulatory requirements as set out in the Building Safety Act 2022.
• Eastlight Community Homes: Lisa Harper, Matt Black and Karen Badenoch will share their ground-breaking approach to resident engagement and community empowerment, highlighting how personal stories and community-led initiatives are driving significant change and empowerment in social housing.

Who should attend:

• Residents of social housing seeking to understand the impact of new regulatory changes
• Housing professionals interested in engaging with residents on regulatory issues
• Community leaders or representatives aiming to facilitate better communication between residents and housing providers
• Community development volunteers and professionals seeking to better understand the impact of new regulatory changes.

What delegates will take away:

• A deeper understanding of the new regulatory regime and its implications for residents and housing providers
• Insight into effective strategies for resident engagement and empowerment within the social housing sector
• Practical approaches to navigate the complexities of the new consumer standards and complaints handling code
• Knowledge sharing and networking opportunities with peers and industry experts.

Additional highlights:

• Interactive sessions with key speakers from the annual conference
• Discussions around resident-led initiatives and their role in shaping housing policies
• Real-life examples and case studies demonstrating successful resident engagement practices.

Attendees can expect a blend of strategic insights and inspiring real-world examples, offering a unique perspective on resident involvement in shaping the future of social housing.

18.00 Welcome and introductions

• • Rob Gershon, Social Housing Tenant and Activist

  • Dr. Eve Blezard, Networks Project Manager, HQN

18.05 Putting power in the hands of residents and communities

• • Lisa Harper, Community Empowerment Officer and Resident, Eastlight Community Homes

  • Matt Black, Eastlight Community Homes

  • Karen Badenoch (FRSA), Director, Trusted Money Confidence

18.35 Stockport Homes’ approach to resident engagement in building safety

• • Helen Alderson, Senior Customer Engagement Officer, Stockport Homes

  • Michael Rogers, Stockport Homes

19.05 What matters to us: Understanding our communities

• • Toria Buzza, Head of Communities and Tenant Involvement, ForHousing

  • Annie MacLean, Community Development Officer, ForHousing

19.35 Questions and discussions

20.00 Close

Rob Gershon, Social Housing Tenant and Activist

Rob is a social housing tenant and activist and a full-time carer. Following the Welfare Reform Act of 2012, wherein policy dictated Rob and his wife had a spare room for which they would be financially penalised, Rob began blogging about the reforms – then broader housing issues and policy.

Since then, Rob has been involved in the Social Housing Under Threat (SHOUT) campaign for social housing, has previously worked as the lead associate for HQN’s Residents’ Network, and was active with the group of tenants trying to design a ‘voice for tenants’ alongside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, before ministerial inactivity and resistance brought an end to the endeavour.

Rob was one of the sixteen commissioners on Shelter’s “Vision For Social Housing” commission, a round look at what needs to change in the provision and regulation of social housing after the Grenfell Tower Fire. This led to further quiet work assisting Grenfell United and Shelter the housing ministry advice to try and drive reform through the social housing regulation bill.

Rob is also part of the advisory group working with Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s project alongside the Nationwide Foundation and the Frameworks Institute to look at ways of redefining how people talk about housing and social housing, in an attempt to inform public debate and drive policy change in an area which has arguably not produced the number of social rented homes the country needs.

Dr. Eve Blezard, Networks Project Manager, HQN

Eve is a dedicated community practitioner with a decade of experience in the social housing sector, marked by a TPAS award in 2015. Her work, underpinned by a thesis from Salford University, combines community development and customer insight, focusing on using data and storytelling for actionable research.

Specialising in Tenant Satisfaction Measures, Eve has significantly contributed to improving service delivery through her development of customer feedback frameworks, highlighted by her presentation at an international Qualitative Research conference. In her previous role, she had led resident insight strategy and frameworks, leading initiatives  in feedback, research, and data for over seven years.

Currently at HQN as the Networks Project Manager, Eve is drawing on her expertise in enhancing resident engagement and involvement to focus on supporting members on resident engagement and involvement.

Karen Badenoch (FRSA), Director, Trusted Money Confidence

Karen has been involved in the Eastlight Community Homes incubator programme, taking 4 groups of residents onto the payroll to identify solutions directly from Colchester residents. In Colchester, the team were tasked with designing a new, innovative intervention to alleviate the cost of living crisis. Trusted is now an independent company benefitting the wider community, including various housing association tenants. On each programme the average financial impact achieved by individuals is around £3,000.

Helen Alderson, Senior Customer Engagement Officer, Stockport Homes

Helen’s skills and experience is wide-ranging. As Senior Customer Engagement Officer, Helen’s work is dedicated to developing Stockport Homes’ strategic engagement approaches, focusing on customer engagement in building safety, repairs and investment and customer experience. Previously Helen has worked in roles project managing community development initiatives and Stockport Homes’ Furniture Recycling Service.

In 2017 the tragic fire happened at Grenfell Towers. This shook the housing world and at the same time amplified the importance of ensuring tenants voices and concerns are heard and acted upon. Helen represented Stockport Homes as part of the Best Practice (Social Sector) Building Safety  group set up by the then Ministry for Housing, Community and Local Government . Housing providers and tenants worked together to look at how important building safety information could be best communicated to tenants. The findings were published and used as best practice.

Stockport Homes has worked hard to be at the forefront of changes in building safety, working alongside our customers to better understand their experience of living in a high rise building, ensure they are informed in a way that meets their needs, know how to report any issues to their landlord and are kept informed of the outcomes. The Building Safety Resident Panel (BSRP) comprises residents living in one of the 22 high-rise blocks managed by Stockport Homes. The role of the panel is to provide confidence to other high-rise residents and the Board that Stockport Homes Group are meeting the regulatory requirements as set out in the Building Safety Act 2022.

Toria Buzza, Head of Communities and Tenant Involvement, ForHousing

Toria Buzza heads up communities and tenant involvement at ForHousing and has worked in the sector for 11 years. She is passionate about working alongside residents and communities. Her approach is summed up by this quote from Margaret Mead: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has’.

Annie MacLean, Community Development Officer, ForHousing

Annie MacLean is the Community Development Officer in Stockbridge for ForHousing. She has been working in housing for the past 4 years and prior to that worked for Liverpool’s leading arts organisations using creative methods as a tool for social change. The golden thread of Annie’s work is working and listening to communities/people to help effect change that is led by the people who live there.

Michael Rogers, Stockport Homes

Lisa Harper, Community Empowerment Officer and Resident, Eastlight Community Homes

Matt Black, Eastlight Community Homes

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, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited