I’m pleased to say that 2021 has brought around some excellent partnership working between staff and residents, showing positive results that have made some real differences to the services residents receive.
In January 2022, the Resident Voices Group (RVG) met for the first time this year. The RVG is made up of the chairs and representatives of our established resident groups, our resident group board and committee members, and senior staff across the organisation.
Resident leads gave some updates on the new projects that are beginning this year. The 2 key areas of focus over the next 6 months are:
- Our Void & Letting Standard
- Welcoming New Residents
As well as introducing these two new projects which were agreed in November 2021 based on resident feedback, the group received an update on the new resident involvement strategy, which is due to launch later this year. Residents have been heavily involved in helping to shape this strategy so far, which focuses on resident involvement being inclusive, measurable and connected. The group were keen to ensure that resident involvement opportunities are as all-encompassing as possible for residents, and that we can clearly see the difference that getting involved is making to services and to residents’ lives.
A few updates were given on the overall impact of some recent projects, such as:
- Residents using My Account more to raise queries and complaints, meaning a more streamlined, consistent process for residents.
- Residents can see clearer progress of a repair on My Account using a progress bar and clear names for each stage of the repair.
- A new Notting Hill Genesis charter has been published, which focuses on what residents can expect from the organisation and what is expected in return: We've launched the Notting Hill Genesis Charter
Finally, the group discussed the launch of the new Residents Annual Report this year, which is the first of many which highlights the group’s key focuses, challenges and successes over the past 12 months. These reports will be published at the beginning of each calendar year.
A big thank you to all residents who have been involved with projects and improvement work over the past year. Your efforts are hugely valued and have contributed to positive change.
Check out the resident involvement page to find out how you can get involved today!
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.