Hello again, it’s time for an update on what the Resident Voices Group has been working on since I last wrote (and please do read my first blog, if you missed it, to learn more about the group).
The Resident Voices Group, a collaboration between residents and NHG staff, began meeting quarterly in July. We held our second meeting on Tuesday 27 October where we heard about workshops which had investigated themes that emerged from the previous Resident Voices Group meeting: customer satisfaction, communication and homeownership. Members then explored several projects that had been identified.
Customer satisfaction projects:
- How NHG gathers feedback from residents (transactional surveys)
- Recruitment and training methods of front-line staff (with a focus on communication skills and relationship building)
Communication projects:
- My Account (encouraging sign-ups to our NHG digital platform and gathering user feedback)
- Staff and resident relationship expectations/standard
- Annual visits (making the most of the process).
Homeownership projects:
- Complaints action planning (preventing escalations)
- Building safety communication
- How NHG gathers feedback from residents (including residents living in properties managed by others)
Next Steps
The Resident Voices Group have put together a detailed project list with proposed resident leads and staff sponsors (who will work collaboratively with others). This will be circulated to the group for agreement and these projects can then begin. We expect an initial progress report before Christmas.
Other items
We also looked at emerging themes and proposed ideas for future Resident Voices Group focus. These include:
- A refresh of the NHG Resident Promise
- Digital inclusion
- Building and fire safety
- Recruitment to local scrutiny groups
Considering the urgency of the topic, it was agreed our next focus will be building and fire safety.
A big thank you from me to everyone involved.
Our next Resident Voices Group meeting will be on Monday 1 February 2021.
I will continue to provide updates about the work of our Resident Voices Group here from time to time. If you would like to find out more and get involved in any opportunities, please email involvement@nhg.org.uk
Stephen Bitti
Chair
Resident Voices Group
Stephen joined the Notting Hill Genesis Group Board (as one of two resident Board members) in April 2017 and, until our recent governance review, he worked with colleagues as part of the Resident Services Committee. As part of the recent restructure, he was asked to develop and chair the Resident Voices Group. He also serves the new Operations Committee of the Board.
Stephen has been living with a long-term medical condition for almost 30 years and has been a social housing resident for over 20. He lives with his partner in a small, one bedroom flat, within a building of 38 mixed tenure homes. He is also the chair of his diverse residents' association. When he is not working with Notting Hill Genesis, he runs a Healthwatch in London where the team gathers people’s experiences of NHS and social care services. They then share these themes and insights with those who can improve the quality of these services.