customer involvement strategy

Customer Involvement Strategy2009-11

www.stockporthomes.org

2 Customer Involvement Strategy 2009 - 2011

Contents

1.0 Introduction 3

2.0 Background to the strategy 5

3.0 Why we involve customers 7

4.0 The National Agenda 9

5.0 Local Context 11

6.0 Putting customers at the heart of services 14

7.0 Menu of involvement: ‘Your Home, Your Voice, Your Choice’ 16

8.0 Priorities for 2009/11 20 Involving customers to deliver continuous service improvements 21

Involving customers in strategic budget setting 22

Delivering wider community engagement 23

Engaging with young people in our communities 24

Involving vulnerable customers 25

Involving customers in Repairs and Maintenance 27

Valuing diversity and overcoming barriers to involvement 28

Building customer confidence, capacity and skills 30

Developing the Customer Resource Centre 31

Working with partners 32

9.0Service Standards for Customer Involvement 34

10 Measuring performance 36

11 Monitoring and review 37

3Customer Involvement Strategy 2009 - 2011

1.0 Introduction Contents

Stockport Homes’ mission is ‘to deliver a customer driven service providing quality homes where people want to live’.


Here at Stockport Homes we want

allcustomerstogetinvolved in

influencing how services are delivered.

Stockport Homes’ mission is ‘to deliver a customer driven service providing quality homes where people want to live’. The Customer Involvement Strategy demonstrates this commitment to involving customers in shaping the services they receive to genuinely drive through service improvements.

Whilst Stockport Homes accepts that many customers are satisfied with services or choose not to be involved, our aim is to maximise opportunities for those that do want to become involved at a level that they choose. It is recognised that the involvement of customers is vital to the success of the organisation which is why there are a variety of ways for customers to influence services, both at a local and strategic level, through a customer involvement structure. The involvement opportunities available are set out within Stockport Homes’ Partnership Agreement. The Partnership Agreement is a tri-partite agreement between Stockport Council,

Stockport Homes and its customers. It contains clear service standards for the delivery of customer involvement and the resources Stockport Homes will provide as determined by customers.

The strategy details Stockport Homes’ vision for customer involvement, where the organisation is now and where the organisation wants to be over the next two years, in particular setting out priorities for customer involvement and how they will be achieved.

1.0 Introduction


2.0 Background to the strategy


Customers who are members of the Stockport Homes’ Board.


Stockport Homes became an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) in 2005 but previously had a long history of working with tenants through local tenant and resident associations and Stockport Tenants’ Federation. Stockport Homes’ Board comprises a tenant majority group (five tenants), in addition to four Councillors and four independent professional people. Customers are engaged and empowered from the top of the organisation downwards.

‘Customer’ includes anyone who uses Stockport Homes’ services: tenants, leaseholders, people who access the Homechoice or Housing Options service, people who live in Temporary Accommodation Schemes, people with tenancy support needs who use the Resettlement Service, Carecall service users, asylum seekers and other residents who live on Stockport Homes managed estates. Stockport Homes made a conscious decision to refocus and rename the tenant participation service to ‘Customer Involvement’ to take into account the wider consultation of non-tenants and ensure that staff treat tenants as ‘customers’ of the organisation.

There has been a shift in emphasis from ‘tenant participation’ towards wider community engagement and citizen empowerment. Whilst Stockport Homes values existing traditional participation structures, since 2005 the scope of involvement has widened to make sure all customers are being provided with opportunities to influence services. This has meant looking beyond the formal process and government requirements to greater choice, regular training, increased flexibility and a more localised approach.

This strategy has been developed to provide a framework for priority actions needed in the short and medium term to develop services which not only meet current needs, but will be appropriate in the future. It covers a two year period from 2009 to 2011, but will be kept under review and updated at the end of each year.

2.0 Introduction2.0 Background to the strategy


3.0 Why we involve customers


Customers taking part inan Estate Walkabout.


“ Customers are at the forefront of these services.

By getting involved we have the chance to

make a difference for the future. ”

Keith Spurr, Chair of Stockport Tenants’ Federation

Involving customers in influencing service delivery is vital for Stockport Homes to obtain an understanding of their needs and aspirations, and also to constantly enhance and improve services. There are wider benefits to customer involvement

including improving neighbourhoods, developing individual skills for life and improving the health and wellbeing of

communities through various community projects.

By involving customers at a level they choose, there are many benefits for both customers and Stockport Homes including:

• increasing customer satisfaction; • enhancing accountability by having diverse representation on the

Board of Directors and Board Sub-Groups; • ensuring that policies meet the needs of customers; • continuous improvement in service delivery; • ensuring that customers are involved in making decisions that affect them; • improving the community and the environment, and promoting

sustainability; • customers having a better understanding of policies that affect them; and • to comply with legal requirements.

3.0 Why we involve customers


4.0 The National Agenda


Customers who are members of theTemporary Accommodation Expert Panel.


A comprehensive review of social housing was undertaken by Martin Cave in 2007. His conclusions were that there was a strong case for social housing regulation that should be based on minimum intervention and a risk based approach.

As a result, the Housing and Regeneration Bill became law on 22 July 2008 and brought into effect a range of radical changes to transform the way social housing is funded and regulated. Most notably, the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) has been established to regulate all social housing providers by April 2010 and is currently setting standards for all service areas, including a Tenant Empowerment Standard and requirements around customer-led self-regulation1. This will give customers far more control in terms of influencing the way services are delivered.

Earlier initiatives such as the introduction of Tenant Compacts in 2000 further highlights a long-standing Government aim to empower people. The current proposals arising from the Cave Review 2007, point to a Government aiming to place tenants centre-stage in decision making. The Government believes power in society is too centralised and too concentrated in government. It wants to alter the balance and empower people and argues that tenants must be able to ‘speak for themselves – nationally, regionally and locally’ 2, in influencing government and key partners like the new regulator, the TSA. The new National Tenants’ Voice (NTV) was also a key recommendation of the Cave review. The establishment of the NTV offers an historic opportunity to place tenants at the heart of government. It is central to the next phase of change and will have the effect of anchoring tenants’ interests in the new regulatory regime.

More generally, the climate for customer involvement is also changing with more and more emphasis placed on housing organisations to evidence their performance against the Audit Commission’s Key Line of Enquiry (KLOE) for Resident Involvement3. This KLOE is seen as cross-cutting across all service areas and in particular, housing organisations need to:

• clearly demonstrate how services have been influenced by customers;• have a wide range of means through which residents can participate in decision making;• ensure that involvement is an integrated part of all activities and services and this is evident in the culture and the way the organisation delivers services;• ensure involvement is an integral part of the continuous improvement process and central to the evolution of the business; and• ensure there is adequate funding and staff which demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to customer involvement.

4.0 The National Agenda

Building a new regulatory framework, TSA, June 2009.

Citizens of Equal Worth, National Tenants Voice, 2008.

Improving Services through Resident Invovlement, Audit Commission 2007.


5.0 Local Context


Customers taking part in the ‘Skills for Life’ programme.


In May 2010 the Audit Commission reported that Stockport Homes ‘Continues to deliver one of the best housing services in the country and develops innovative new services to improve the social and financial inclusion of its tenants and wider communities.

The Audit Commission identified customer involvement as an area of strength:

… We found that there is a clear focus and commitment by the ALMO to resident involvement and this is an area of strength. A consultation structure is in place with a wide range of opportunities for engagement….priorities for resident involvement and a plan to deliver them is clear. Stockport Homes sees customer involvement as fundamental to the delivery of its aim to improve estates in partnership with its customers….Stockport Homes clearly supports customer involvement at all levels...Audit Commission Inspection Report, August 2006 ...

Since that inspection Stockport Homes has strived to further embed customer involvement in all service areas and throughout the organisation there are many good examples of customers shaping and influencing the future of services. All staff are committed to customer involvement, which makes the role of the Customer Involvement Team much more effective in delivering priorities. A ‘golden thread’ runs through Stockport Homes, putting customers at the heart of everything the organisation does. This has been recognised by both customers and external bodies, as evidenced by the quote below when Stockport Homes was recognised for best practice in customer involvement by Chartermark:

The overall impression is of an organisation that has successfully developed a culture of quality which strives to make sure that its customers’ needs are at the forefront of all it does. This is demonstrated by the impressive and effective consultation and involvement strategies that have been developed. Large numbers of customers are regularly involved in a wide range of activities within the organisation. A real and effective focus on the needs of customers throughout all areas of the organisation.Chartermark Assessment Report, May 2007

Overall, customers are very satisfied with Stockport Homes’ services. Year end performance of 2008/09 demonstrates a significant increase in satisfaction across all service areas. In the STATUS survey 2008, 83% of customers were satisfied overall with the housing services provided by Stockport Homes and 71% where satisfied that their views are taken into account by their landlord.

5.0 Local Context

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Although this places Stockport Homes in the top quartile of high performing organisations, as an organisation that strives for excellence, ambitious performance targets will be continuously set to increase customer satisfaction in all service areas.

Stockport Homes works in partnership with Stockport Council (SMBC) services to deliver a number of joint objectives and priorities, including the Neighbourhood Renewal Team, Strategic Housing, Community Development Team, Leisure Services, Youth Inclusion Team, Play Development and the Local Strategic Partnerships (LSP): Housing, Environment and Community Safety. Stockport Homes’ commitment is enhanced through the development of key strategic documents such as SMBC’s Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 4, Community Engagement Strategy5, the LSP’s Stockport Strategy 20206, and arising action plans.

5.0 Local Context


SMBC’s Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and Performance Framework, Jan 2009, objective 5 - pages 16 and 24.

SMBC’s Community Engagement Strategy ‘A Stronger Voice in Stockport 2009’ - page 27.

Stockport Partnership ‘The Stockport Strategy 2020’.


6.0 Putting customers at the heart of services


Customers who are taking part inthe ‘Skills for Life’ programme.


6.0 Putting customers at the heart of services

Stockport Homes has a challenging mission statement to demonstrate it’s commitment to placing customers at the heart of Stockport Homes’ services:

“To deliver a customer driven service, providing quality homes where people want to live” and our six aims are:

1. To provide an inclusive service, which values its diverse communities, empowers its staff and makes effective use of its resources.2. To ensure that all of our homes meet the Decent Homes Standard 2010 and are then maintained to that standard, as a minimum.3. To deliver high quality housing services that continue to meet customers’ needs and aspirations.4. To deliver consistent, clear and well publicised services to tenants and leaseholders which proactively seek to improve our estates in partnership with customers.5. To provide appropriate accommodation (temporary and permanent) and support for the most vulnerable and socially excluded.6. To make a real contribution to the Council’s wider strategic and housing objectives: helping to build social inclusion and safer sustainable neighbourhoods.

The aims of the Customer Involvement Strategy are:

1. To provide a variety of ways for customers to get involved, in a way and at a level that suits them.2. For customers to regularly receive high-quality information, in appropriate formats, that makes customers aware of all decisions we make and the opportunities they have to influence how services are delivered.3. To consult and involve customers in making decisions at an early stage and have a clear accountable system for doing this.4. For customers to be satisfied with the opportunities to influence management, decision-making and service delivery and feel confident that we will value and act on their input.5. To have an active and properly supported customer involvement structure including Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs), Tenants’ Federation, Customer Action Groups (CAGS) and customer representatives.6. To involve customers in a way that achieves continuous service improvements and demonstrates Value for Money.7. To provide customers with access to high quality training and support to develop the confidence and skills not only to become involved in decision making but to equip them with skills for life and provide wider opportunities.

16 Customer Involvement Strategy 2009 - 201116 Customer Involvement Strategy 2009 - 2011

7.0 Menu of involvement: ‘Your Home, Your Voice, Your Choice’


“ There is only one way to improve your area.

Get involved and work with Stockport Homes.”

June Young, Quality Panel Representative


Stockport Homes has reviewed the various mechanisms for customers to get involved and provides an extensive ‘menu of involvement’ to enable customers to participate at a level that they choose, in turn catering for a variety of personal circumstances.

Whilst customers may not be the decision making body, their feedback strongly influences and shapes the decisions Stockport Homes makes. The different

levels and methods are detailed below:

Information – customers receive clear information about the management decisions Stockport Homes makes, how the organisation is performing and how they can get involved further:

• ‘Stockport at home’ newsletter (all customers)

• Going Places newsletter (Housing Need and Support Services customers)

• Sheltered Housing newsletter (sheltered housing residents)

• East Area and West Area newsletters (all tenants and leaseholders)

• Stockport Homes’ website

• Leaflets, flyers and posters

• Press releases and advertisements

• Minutes of meetings

• ‘You said, we did’ boards

• Welcome packs

• Customer Handbook

• Skills for Life (customer training programme)



Consultation – customers are asked for their views on how Stockport Homes can shape services, facilities and neighbourhoods to meet their needs:

• Postal and telephone surveys, and general consultation exercises

• Customer Feedback Scheme

• Customer Readers’ Group

• Customer Editorial Team

• Customer Email Consultation Group

• Focus Groups

• Open days and drop in events

• Customer choice events

• Fun days and community events

• Hot topic meetings

• Website Consultation Group

Influencing – customers challenge Stockport Homes, make recommendations for improvements and shape the direction of services:

• TRAs (informal and formal)

• CAGs for:

• Anti-Social Behaviour

• Customer Involvement

• Diversity

• Financial Inclusion

• Leaseholders

• Performance

• Stock Investment and Repairs

• Tenancy and Estate Management

• Area Forums

• Estate Walkabouts

• Youth inclusion projects

!



• Quality Panel (customer inspectors)

• Temporary Accommodation Expert Panel (TAEP)

• Temporary Accommodation residents meetings and brunch clubs

• Repairs Service Improvement Group

Decision making – Customers are involved in formal decision making arrangements about how Stockport Homes delivers its aims operationally and financially by:

• Board of Management• Board Sub-Groups• Customer Feedback Appeals Panel• Stockport Tenants’ Federation

• Stockport Homes Community Fund and Estate Improvement Budget



8.0 Priorities for 2009/11


Children take part in a communitylitter pick in Brinnington.



Involving customers to deliver continuous service improvements

Where Stockport Homes are:

Stockport Homes has a robust customer involvement structure in place that ensures a ‘golden thread’ of monitoring performance from participation in service specific CAGs that feed into an overarching Performance CAG. The Performance CAG sets and monitors the performance of all service areas, through scrutinising performance data and looking closely at customer feedback. This structure is supported by the Quality Panel, a customer inspectorate that undertakes inspections of services using a range of methods including mystery shopping, visits, reality checking, desktop auditing and surveys. Quality Panel outcomes and recommendations are reported to and monitored by the Performance Sub-Group of the Board.

Where Stockport Homes wants to be:

Stockport Homes will build on this structure by introducing a customer-led self-regulation process that will incorporate the work of the Performance CAG to work alongside a new Customer Scrutiny Panel (CSP). The CSP will place customers at the forefront of scrutiny reviews of services, the outcomes of which will be reported and monitored by the Board. Services will be identified as requiring review by the Quality Panel, Performance CAG and through customer feedback. The Partnership Agreement will be reviewed and updated to reflect new developments in the customer involvement structure. This will include a new customer-led self-regulation process which will meet requirements of the new Tenant Empowerment Standard.

Priorities for 2009/11:

• To review the role of the Performance CAG and establish a robust customer-led self-regulation process, including setting up a Customer Scrutiny Panel;• To review and update the Partnership Agreement to reflect new developments in the customer involvement structure, including customer scrutiny of the Board;• To further embed the work of the Quality Panel to become an independent body and play an important role in the scrutiny process; • To expand the customer involvement database of mystery shoppers and green inspectors to ensure customer driven service improvements; and• Record ‘you said, we did’ service improvement logs for all service areas and publicise to customers.



Involving customers in strategic budget setting Where Stockport Homes are:

Customers are engaged in all areas of service delivery through the CAGs specifically set up for each service area. They are tasked with agreeing priorities, setting and monitoring service standards, reviewing and monitoring service improvement plans and monitoring performance. The Performance CAG takes a more strategic approach and sets the performance management framework for the organisation. Customers can also set priorities through on-going events including the Customer Conference, Sheltered Housing Forum, Leaseholders Forum and Area Forums. Customers are involved in policy through Board and Board Sub-Group membership. All decisions made by the Board include consultation and feedback from customers which is detailed in Board report cover sheets. Stockport Tenants’ Federation and Board representatives are invited to the annual Strategic Housing Forum to have an input into Stockport Council’s wider housing strategy for Stockport.


Stockport Homes wants to make sure that customers can influence business planning not just operationally but also financially. Existing structures will be looked at, in particular the CAGs, to identify the most appropriate way for customers to be involved in strategic budget setting, making sure that full cost implications are assessed as part of the decision making processes. This will include looking at ways to involve customers in all stages of procurement so that they can exercise informed choices based on cost and quality.


• Review the role of the CAGs to incorporate customer involvement in strategic budget setting and find alternative methods where necessary; and• To proactively involve customers in all stages of procurement.



Delivering wider community engagement


Stockport Homes have supported and developed tenant and resident groups across the borough and carried out local consultation exercises that have resulted in more informal ways to involve customers, such as the introduction of a Block Contact scheme. Other successful initiatives include Stockport Homes’ annual garden competition and Stockport Homes’ Tribute and Recognition (STAR) customer awards. It is apparent in Stockport that many areas are reluctant to form a constituted (formal) TRA, but still want to give their views or participate in a less formal way. Whilst Stockport Homes values the important role TRAs play, less formal routes of involvement will be offered for customers to influence how services are delivered and therefore develop wider community engagement.


Neighbourhood Action Plans (NAPs) will be introduced that contain specific actions to improve neighbourhoods and a number of borough-wide consultation events will be arranged, through existing groups where available or hot topic meetings if required, on an on-going basis to involve customers in their implementation. Stockport Homes will ensure opportunities for involvement are actively promoted across neighbourhoods by targeting opportunities based on specific community demographics and customer profiling information. Some of this work will focus on working together to make existing TRAs more effective, inclusive and representative, whilst also developing customer involvement in areas where there is little or no representation. In response to customer feedback an Anti-Social Behaviour CAG will be set up to involve customers in setting priorities and reviewing policies.

Priorities will focus on developing accurate mechanisms for recording and monitoring actions from estate walkabouts, publicising the outcomes to neighbourhoods and providing regular feedback to customers to show how their involvement has led to area improvements. Through involvement in Area Forums, customers currently decide how the Estate Improvement Budget is utilised for environmental improvements. Stockport Homes wants to give customers full control over how money is spent locally on projects that benefit communities. A participatory budgeting scheme will be introduced at Area Forums so that customers can make decisions on how Stockport Homes’ Community Fund is administered to benefit communities.




• To develop more ways for customers to be involved locally, particularly in consultation on NAPs through formal and informal tenant and resident groups, consultation events and hot topic meetings;• To use customer profiling information to target involvement opportunities in areas of under-representation;• To introduce a new Anti-Social Behaviour CAG;• To ensure outcomes from Estate Walkabouts are effective, communicated to customers and publicised on a wider scale; and• For customers to have control over local spending priorities through participatory budgeting of the Stockport Homes’ Community Fund.

Engaging with young people in our communities


Stockport Homes has made efforts to engage young people under the age of 16 through various methods and has been successful in establishing a young person’s dream scheme called ‘Bring it On’ in Brinnington, which is the largest estate in Stockport. This scheme continues to be effective and involves a significant number of young people in diversionary activities through the school holidays in return for rewards. Schemes like this are resource-intensive and Stockport Homes has formed some valuable partnerships with the Neighbourhood Renewal Team and Youth Inclusion Team in order to pool resources and deliver against joint objectives. Stockport Play Partnership is another successful initiative that Stockport Homes has developed with Stockport Council. This has led to high levels of community engagement in partnership with young people to improve children and young people play on Stockport Homes managed estates. Additional projects have been undertaken including a mini Olympics event, Anti-Social Behaviour and Homeless awareness sessions in local schools and a range of competitions targeted at young people to raise general awareness of Stockport Homes’ services.


Stockport Homes recognises the importance of valuing the positive contribution that young people can make in communities provided they are given opportunities for their voices to be heard. It can in practice be difficult to encourage young people to get involved, particularly in more formal processes.



It requires time, commitment and more innovative methods of engagement. Opportunities to gain extra resources through the appointment of a Youth Involvement Worker are being explored and a proposal has been submitted to the Lottery to develop a Youth Engagement Strategy.

Over the next two years, Stockport Homes will expand the ‘Dream Scheme’ to other priority estates and in conjunction with this, establish methods to involve young people in decision making. If the lottery bid is unsuccessful efforts will be made to cover this work through existing resources. Other initiatives will also be explored including the provision of training and development opportunities targeted specifically at young people including a mentoring scheme. Some of these objectives will be met through the implementation of Stockport Homes’ Supported Employment Strategy in which young people will be targeted to take up offers of placements and apprenticeships with Stockport Homes.


• To develop a Youth Engagement Strategy through the appointment of a Youth Involvement Worker;• To increase youth reward schemes and involvement opportunities for young people;• To work with the Play Development Team to increase play schemes across our estates and implement new play projects through Play Builder and the Big Lottery; and• To continue to develop and implement effective partnerships with schools across the borough to reduce Anti-Social Behaviour and promote positive community relations.

Involving vulnerable customers


In 2006, Stockport Homes developed a whole new customer involvement structure for service users of Housing Need and Support Services consisting of: Resettlement Services, Older Persons’ Services and Rehousing Services (including Homechoice – people applying for housing, Housing Options and Temporary Accommodation). This has resulted in Temporary Accommodation Scheme residents getting involved through residents’ meetings, brunch clubs and the TAEP. This made a significant contribution to the Supporting People inspections in 2008 in which each of the Temporary Accommodation Schemes were graded ‘A’.



Service users of the Resettlement Service take part in a regular focus group called ‘Focus on You’ and through support from project workers have become involved in more formal structures such as the Quality Panel.

Older Persons’ Services has recently taken over management of sheltered housing and these customers are currently involved through a Sheltered Housing Working Group (SHWG) that looks at the development of policies and procedures. Officers also attend sheltered scheme coffee mornings to make sure residents’ day to day issues are dealt with.


Whilst customer involvement in this service area is of a high standard, Stockport Homes wants to ensure that service users have a real impact on the delivery of service areas through delivering against standards in the Supporting People Quality Assessment Framework, recognising there are currently some gaps that need to be addressed. Stockport Homes will continue to support and promote current structures whilst implementing a programme of focus groups for Re-housing Services and the Aids and Adaptations Service to identify customer priorities and develop policies and procedures. The widest methods of consultation will be used to ensure the inclusion of service users, including interactive sessions as well as the standard facilitated discussion groups. An annual event will be held for Sheltered Housing residents enabling them to discuss and set Sheltered Housing and Carecall service standards and review policies. Residents will have the opportunity to discuss their spending priorities and the future direction of the service.


• To introduce new, engaging and innovative mechanisms for consulting and involving Homechoice customers and those that use the Housing Information Centre;• To develop methods for customers of the Aids and Adaptations service to influence the way the service is delivered;• To constitute the TAEP in order to further embed their involvement and support customers in developing the service they want; and• To hold an annual Sheltered Housing Forum to enable sheltered housing residents to influence service priorities and spending.



Involving customers in Repairs and Maintenance


Repairs and Maintenance is a high profile service area that affects all tenants and Stockport Homes deals with approximately 40,000 repairs every year. It is not surprising therefore that it is the top priority for tenants over all other service areas7.The Stock Investment and Repairs CAG is a well attended and lively group where customers are involved in reviewing policy and performance, and influence service delivery and decision making. More specifically, a Repairs Service Improvement Group works with customers to identify where the day to day repairs service can be improved and has been instrumental in carrying out a recent service review.

The Investment Team involves customers through on-going contractor progress meetings and borough-wide choice events for new capital works schemes. At a more strategic level, Stockport Homes’ customers are also well represented on the Customer Advisory Panel for GM Procure which has an established track record of involving customers in procuring services and materials.


As the investment programme progresses towards completion in meeting the Decent Homes Standard in 2010, the service needs to make sure that it continues to meet the needs of customers. This means continually improving services to give customers choice over how they are delivered, such as repairs that are done to a good standard first time that are convenient to the customer and minimising waste and inconvenience. Fundamentally, Stockport Homes needs to plan for the future management of financial resources by involving customers in the procurement of efficient and effective services and new projects, such as Stockport Homes’ ambitious new build programme.

To ensure this, a robust customer involvement action plan has been developed that includes plans for customers to deliver “in depth” perceptions surveys that will analyse customers’ experiences of having major works completed. Customers will be involved in the development of a new build design brief and a 30 year Planned Maintenance Programme. In addition, customers will lead on a number of scrutiny exercises such as inspecting the quality of void properties when ready for allocation. It is generally felt that whilst some excellent work is done there is room for a greater level of publicity and publishing of outcomes that are achieved through customer involvement in this area.

STATUS Survey 2008 and feedback from the National Conversation, TSA Draft Standards framework 2009.




• To strengthen the role of customers on the Stock Investment and Repairs CAG by giving them the opportunity to decide where money should be spent;• To maximise design choices available to individual customers and continue to learn from comments and feedback;• To involve customers in a new build development design guide and more locally on specific new build schemes; • To develop methods for customers to be consulted and involved in a 30 year Planned Maintenance Programme; and • For customers to be fully involved in the procurement of efficient and effective services.

Valuing diversity and overcoming barriers to involvement


There are many barriers that can prevent people from getting involved ranging from lack of time due to personal commitments, low self esteem or confidence, apathy, lack of training or knowledge, low income, caring responsibilities, language barriers and disability. Stockport Homes has a central role to play in delivering a Customer Involvement Strategy that celebrates such diversity and meets, as far as possible, the needs of all customers who use Stockport Homes’ services.

Stockport Homes holds customer profile information on 90% of customers which provides an understanding of which customers are accessing different services and equally customers who may need further help in accessing the services they require. Disability is a significant issue for Stockport Homes as 50% of customers who responded to the Status Survey in 2008 indicated that they have a disability. 4.7% of Stockport Homes’ customers are from Black and Minority Ethnic groups which is indicative of the profile of Stockport Borough. Recent consultation with these customers indicates a lack of awareness that they can claim expenses for childcare and / or help with transport8.

For current customers, records of communication preferences are included on Stockport Homes’ housing management and customer involvement database. Home visits are arranged for any customer on request and interpreters can be arranged for meetings or home visits. Quarterly telephone calls are also made to non-English speaking customers to see if they have any issues.

Tenant Needs Survey 2009 - follow-up telephone survey results.




There are approximately 800 customers involved with Stockport Homes and the aim is to continually increase this number each year to ensure everyone can be involved if they wish to. They are registered on the Customer Involvement Database (CID) and profile information is available for all registered customers. Knowing the profile of customers will enable Stockport Homes to target involvement methods more effectively to suit personal circumstances.

Stockport Homes’ new menu of involvement ‘Your Home, Your Voice, Your Choice’ offers a wide range of opportunities to these groups to help overcome barriers to their effective involvement. In addition, Stockport Homes also offers:

• information in a variety of formats (audio tape, DVD, CD, Braille, Browse aloud on our website, large print);• child care and dependant care costs;• transport to and from meetings;• literacy and numeracy classes;• out of pocket expenses;• carer costs (child and adult);• translation services;• hearing loops and customer care kits;• meetings arranged at times and at venues to suit customers;• disabled access to all meeting rooms and venues; and• free training.

Although the number of involved customers has grown over the years, it is recognised that some customer groups are under-represented; in particular younger people aged 18-25 and customers with disabilities9. Whilst Stockport Homes has a fairly small Black and Minority Ethnic customer base, it is growing, so it is important that appropriate mechanisms are provided for these customers to influence services that are important to them. Having recently carried out a Tenant Needs Survey, Stockport Homes will use this information to target customers to set standards for their future involvement.

STATUS Survey 2008 and Customer Profile Report July 2009.




• To improve the information held about customer needs and use it to target under-represented groups, including Black and Minority Ethnic customers and customers with disabilities, and offer further opportunities to be involved either through the promotion of existing methods or by establishing new structures depending on their feedback;• To increase consultation opportunities for younger customers aged 18-25 through membership of a new group ‘The VIPs’;• To publicise the Customer Expenses Reimbursement Policy as widely as possible to encourage involvement; and• To develop an on-line customer forum and links to social networking sites.

Building customer confidence, capacity and skills


Stockport Homes has a well established and successful customer training programme ‘Skills for Life’ which provides a wide range of courses to help customers develop their skills and confidence. Attendance of courses has increased year on year and customer profile information indicates increasing access by younger people. The programme is delivered in partnership with a range of training providers, external agencies and using in-house expertise, presenting real Value for Money. In addition, Stockport Homes encourages customers to attend one-off courses and conferences to further their knowledge and skills. Further one to one training and support is provided by the Customer Involvement Team to individual customers and Board members are appointed a personal mentor.


Stockport Homes will continue over the next two years to expand the range of courses on offer to include more accredited courses, such as Governance, and practical courses to meet the objectives of Stockport Homes’ Working Communities Strategy 2009/11. This will include continuing to deliver ‘How to get a Job’ training and encouraging people to access this through Skills for Life or through employment projects delivered in partnership with Groundwork and Work Solutions, and also the promotion of job opportunities with Stockport Homes. Stockport Homes’ staff will undertake Adult Advancement Network Training to enable them to signpost customers to other agencies who can assist them with employment, training and education.



Customers’ needs will be further met by carrying out more detailed evaluation of how courses have had a direct impact on customer learning and development in the longer term. This will be done by utilising a range of consultation methods including focus groups and telephone surveys. The success of the ‘Skills for Life’ training courses has encouraged other local housing organisations to seek availability on courses for their own customers and Stockport Homes will continue to foster these arrangements.


• Explore opportunities for the accreditation of Skills for Life and develop a Learning and Development Portfolio for customers to use as their record of achievement;• Introduce a Governance Award Certificate for existing and potential Board members;• Continue to provide ‘How to get a job’ training and joint employment projects with training providers;• Promote job opportunities with Stockport Homes to customers involved in training;• Customer Involvement staff to undertake Adult Advancement Network training;• Carry out more detailed evaluation of the impact of training over the longer term; and• Promote the programme to other housing organisations.

Developing the Customer Resource Centre


Stockport Homes, in partnership with Stockport Tenants’ Federation and Stockport Council, has opened a central customer resource centre for use by all customers. Funded by both Stockport Council and Stockport Homes, the centre will be used as an office base for both the Federation and the Quality Panel, and has three computers with internet facilities for use by all customers. The Centre which had its grand opening in August 2009 will be manned by Federation members on a voluntary basis so that customers can go to the centre for advice, information and to use the free resources on offer.


It is early days to predict the success of the centre but every effort will be made to publicise the centre to customers and support the Federation to run it effectively. It is anticipated that the centre’s office facilities will also be used by the Quality Panel to enable customer inspectors to have a more independent role. Regular monitoring



will take place to assess the level of use by customers and plans are underway for customers to use the centre as a base to carry out satisfaction surveys and phone based mystery shopping exercises.


• To implement a marketing strategy for the Customer Resource Centre to publicise to all customers; • To encourage use of the centre by the Quality Panel and other customers; and• To review the effectiveness and impact of the centre on an annual basis.

Working with partners


Stockport Homes has already established a number of partnerships to deliver customer involvement objectives, and believes this is integral to delivering coordinated initiatives and maximising resources. Stockport Homes will continue to work closely with Stockport Council’s services, including the Neighbourhood Renewal Team, Strategic Housing, Leisure Services, Youth Inclusion Team, Play Development and the Local Strategic Partnerships: Housing, Environment and Community Safety. In addition, Stockport Homes works with other external agencies and services working within our neighbourhoods to deliver joint commitments including Stockport NHS, Groundwork, Work Solutions, Stockport Council for the Voluntary Sector and Greater Manchester Procure. Stockport Homes’ commitment is enhanced through the development of key strategic documents such as Stockport Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy and the Community Engagement Strategy, and arising action plans.


Stockport Homes will actively seek opportunities to undertake involvement activity together with Stockport Council through involvement on the Engaging Communities Advisory Group and by delivering agreed actions in the Community Engagement Strategy. Staff will continue to deliver projects in partnership with Council teams including fun days, the development of play schemes and multi-use games areas, and youth inclusion initiatives. Regular meetings will be held with the Social Inclusion Service and Community Development Team to ensure joint working, a sharing of knowledge and expertise and to maximise resources for local community groups.




• To play an active role on Stronger Stockport’s Community Engagement Advisory Group; • To continue to establish effective partnerships to deliver a successful and effective customer training programme; and• To hold regular joint meetings with the Council’s Social Inclusion Service and the Community Development Team to ensure partnership working.



9.0 Service Standards for Customer Involvement

Stockport Homes has developed challenging service standards for customer involvement through wide scale consultation with customers. Standards are monitored on a six monthly basis and reported in abi-annual service standards report. The standards are publicised in all reception areas and our Customer Handbook as follows:

Service standards: We will…

1. Provide a range of ways for customers to get involved at a level that suits them.

2. Consult customers on any changes that affect the management of their homes or services we provide.

3. Cover all out of pocket expenses for customers who take part in Stockport Homes’ activities, such as child care, adult care, subsistence, transport and room hire.

4. Carry out an annual health check with all TRAs to identify any support needs.

5. Provide support for an effective Customer Resource Centre to assist customers in their activities with Stockport Homes.

6. Carry out a number of consultation events targeting hard to reach groups, ensuring our involvement profile more closely reflects our customer base.

7. Arrange for the Quality Panel to carry out at least four service inspections each year and publish outcomes to customers.

Measure: How will we know we havedone this?

A menu of involvement is publicised and made available to all customers in a range of formats, and this leads to an increase in the number of involved customers.

The impact of consultation is included on Board cover sheets and reported as part of Stockport Homes’ decision making process.

The Customer Expenses Reimbursement Policyis agreed and utilised by customers as demonstrated by the Customer Involvement Budget.

Health check forms are completed and an acknowledgement letter is recorded. Actionsfrom the check are implemented.

Visitor numbers are recorded and there is aregular progress report provided on activitiesand outcomes for customers.

Diversity monitoring is recorded and activitiesand outcomes for customers are regularly reported. Action is taken to address under representation.

Outcomes are reported to customers through a six monthly Impact Assessment Report and customer newsletter, and action plans are implemented.


9.0 Service Standards for Customer Involvement


Service standards: We will…

8. Make sure that customers are aware of how they have influenced service improvements.

9. Provide opportunities for customers to develop their skills, knowledge and confidence.

10. Evaluate the impact of customer involvement on a six monthly basis and deliver any actions.

Measure: How will we know we havedone this?

A ‘You said, We did’ log for each service area is kept up-to-date and promoted to customers on a quarterly basis. As a result, there is an increase in customer satisfaction levels that their views are being taken into account by their landlord.

An end of year training evaluation report includes information on customer evaluations throughfocus groups and surveys, and improvements to future learning and development opportunities are made.

A six monthly impact assessment report is presented to customers and actions delivered.


10 Measuring Performance

The performance of the customer involvement service against priority actions will be monitored on a quarterly basis against the following key performance indicators:

Reference

New

New

Q3

Q4

Q5

Q6

Q7

Q8

Indicator

Satisfaction with opportunities to get involved

Satisfaction that views are being taken into account

Percentage of participants who rate customer training events as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’

Percentage of customers who attended customer events and rated them as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’

The number of community / consultation events targeting hard to reach groups

Percentage of customers involved in Stockport Homes through formal and informal involvement methods

Annual increase in the number of customers involved as a percentage

Percentage of Quality Panel actions delivered to timescale

Reportedwhere

Corporate scorecard

Corporate scorecard

Directorate scorecard





Directorate

How oftenreported

Annually

Annually

Quarterly

Annually

Quarterly

Quarterly

Quarterly

Annually

Target 2009/10

83%

75%

96%

96%

24

72%

1.5%

100%


11 Monitoring and review

Stockport Homes wants to ensure that involving customers genuinely delivers service improvements and drives forward services. As the first ALMO to implement customer involvement impact assessments in 2005, this process has enabled customers and the organisation to gain a balanced view of how the customer involvement budget is spent and make an assessment of whether current methods are customer driven and provide Value for Money.

The process has proved invaluable, and where it has been found that certain methods are ineffective, Stockport Homes has consulted with customers and worked with staff to make things better. A full review will be carried out to ensure the impact assessment procedure is fit for purpose, and Customer Involvement Officers will work more closely with teams to ensure customer involvement activities and consultations are fully impact assessed.

Stockport Homes will work alongside customers to implement the delivery of the Strategy through the Customer Involvement CAG (CICAG). The CICAG will drive forward actions to ensure key milestones are being met and delivered, and the Strategy Action Plan will be monitored by this group on a quarterly basis. To gauge wider customer satisfaction, a survey of all customers registered on CID will be undertaken on an annual basis in addition to on-going customer evaluations and impact assessments.

The Strategy and the Partnership Agreement will be reviewed annually by a Customer Involvement Strategy Working Group, comprising staff, customer representatives and Board members, to ensure that customer involvement is working well. Six monthly impact assessment reports will inform Stockport Homes whether activities are effective and producing demonstrable outcomes, and will provide supportive evidence to the strategy review. An annual Impact Assessment Report will be submitted to the Performance Sub-Group of the Board.


8.0 Local Context11 Monitoring and review


• Review and amend the CICAG Terms of Reference to incorporate strategy monitoring on a quarterly basis;• Review and update the impact assessment procedure;• Undertake an annual satisfaction survey of all customers involved with Stockport Homes; and• Review the Strategy and Partnership Agreement annually through a Strategy Working Group set up specifically for this purpose.



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Accessing our Services

This leaflet gives you information about the Customer Involvement Strategy. If you would like a copy in large print, Braille, on audio tape or CD, please contact the Social Inclusion Team on0161 474 2860 or email: [email protected]

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customer involvement strategy

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menu of involvement

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