homes & people september/october 2014

See pages 4 and 5

In this issue

Who’s on Board?See page 11

The annualreview See page 8 and 9

September/October 2014Bringing you all the news that matters to you

homes people&

Who are you proud to call your neighbour?

Who makes you feel positive about where you live?

Your Homes Newcastle Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Registration number 5076256.Registered offi ce: Newcastle Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8PR.A company controlled by Newcastle City Council.

Designed by: barkingdog design and layout. Printed by: Mosaic Print Management Plcpage 2

YHN Housing Services

Other numbers

YHN Housing Services @ Byker 0191 278 1555

YHN Housing Services @ East End 0191 278 1566

YHN Housing Services @ Kenton 0191 277 4360

YHN Housing Services @ Outer West 0191 277 7940

YHN Housing Services @ Walker 0191 278 8455

YHN Housing Services @ West End 0191 277 1484

Adaptations 0191 278 3842

Customer Involvement 0191 278 8720

Community Care Alarm Service 0191 278 8699

Envirocall 0191 278 7878

HASBET (Housing Anti-SocialBehaviour Enforcement Team) 0191 278 8740

Housing Advice Centre 0191 277 1711

Housing Options Centre 0191 277 2020

Leasehold 0191 278 7725

Newcastle Furniture Service (NFS) 0191 278 1888

Repairs Centre and Gas Servicing 0191 277 8888

Young People’s Service 0191 277 1190Rent 这是有关您的租金账户的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致电 0191 278

8633 索取。 Repairs 这是有关要求维修您的住房的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致电 0191

278 8633 索取。 Right to Buy 这是有关租客有权购买他们的市政房屋的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致

电 0191 278 8633 索取。 Tenancy 这是有关您作为纽卡斯尔市政租客所需要承担的责任的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语

言版本，请致电 0191 278 8633 索取。 YCH 这是有关我们的出租服务的信息。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其它语言版本，请致电 0191 278

8633 索取。 YHN general / Homes + People

这是有关代表纽卡斯尔市政府（Newcastle City Council）负责管理市政房屋的 Your Homes Newcastle（您的纽卡斯尔住房）组织的信息，内容解释了我们是如何运作。如果您需要此信息的普通话版本或其

它语言版本，请致电 0191 278 8633 索取。

Rent 這是關於您的租金賬戶的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致電 0191 278 8633 索取。

Repairs 這是關於如何要求維修您住房的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致電 0191 278 8633 索取。

Right to Buy 這是關於租客有權購買他們的市政房屋的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致

電 0191 278 8633 索取。 Tenancy 這是關於您作為紐卡素市政府租客所需要承擔的責任的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語

言版本，請致電 0191 278 8633 索取。 YCH 這是關於我們的出租服務的信息。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它語言版本，請致電 0191 278

8633 索取。 YHN general / Homes + People

這是關於 Your Homes Newcastle（您的紐卡素住房）機構的信息，內容解釋了我們代表紐卡素市政府

（Newcastle City Council）負責管理市政房屋以及如何運作。如果您需要此信息的廣東話版本或其它

語言版本，請致電 0191 278 8633 索取。

0191 278 8633 †dvb K‡i Avcwb GKwU wjwLZ Abyev‡ì Rb¨ ej‡Z cv‡ib| Newcastle Furniture service

GB Z_¨ nj BDi †nvg wbDK¨vmj- KvDwÝ‡ji dvwb©Pvi mvwf©m mg‡Ü hviv †Ubv›U‡ì Ni evox mvRv‡Z mvnv‡hï Rb¨ dvwb©Pvi mieivn K‡i| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤̂v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

Rent GB Z_¨ nj Avcbvi †i›U GKvD›U (fvovi wnmve wbKvm) m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

Repairs GB Z_¨ nj Avcbvi Ni evox †givgZ Ki‡Z PvIqv m¤^‡Ü|GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

Right to Buy GB Z_¨ nj †Ubv›U‡ì KvDwÝ‡ji Ni evox †Kbvi AwaKvi m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

Tenancy GB Z_¨ nj wbDKvm¨vj KvDwÝ‡ji †Ubv›U wnmv‡e Avcbvi `vq `vwqZ¡ m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

YCH GB Z_¨ nj Avgv‡ì †jwUs mvwf©m( fvov welqK) m¤̂‡Ü| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

YHN general/Homes + People

GB Z_¨ nj BDi †nvgm wbDK¨vmj mg‡Ü| Ges Avgiv wKfv‡e `vwqZ¡ cvjb KiwQ †m mg‡Ü| BDi †nvgm wbDK¨vmj, wbDK¨vmj wmwU KvDwÝ‡ji c‡¶ KvDwÝ‡ji Ni evox eë¯’vcbvi `vwqZ¡cÖvß| GB Z_¨ hw` <evsjvq> A_ev Ab¨ †Kvb fvlvq cÖ‡qvRb nq Zvn‡j GB bv¤^v‡i †dvb Ki“b- 0191 278 8633

YHN general / Homes + People

اسل ، نيوك شهردارى از سوى اين سازمان. عملكرد آن است و » شما در نیوکاسل هاى خانه«درباره سازمان اين اطالعات مسئوليت اداره خانه هاى دولتى را به عهده دارد. در صورت نياز به اين اطالعات به زبان فارسى يا زبان هاى ديگر با شماره تلفن

٠١٩١٢٧٨٨۶٣٣ تماس بگيريد.

téléphoner au 0191 278 8633 pour obtenir une traduction écrite.

Newcastle Furniture service

Ces informations concernent le service « mobilier » de Your Homes Newcastle, qui fournit du mobilier aux locataires pour les aider à s’installer dans leur logement. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Rent Ces informations concernent votre loyer. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Repairs Ces informations concernent les demandes de travaux pour votre logement. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Right to Buy Ces informations concernent les droits des locataires relatifs à l’acquisition de leur logement social. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

Tenancy Ces informations concernent vos responsabilités en tant que locataire de la municipalité de Newcastle. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

YCH Ces informations concernent notre service de location. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.


Ces informations concernent Your Homes Newcastle : qui est chargé de gérer les logements sociaux au nom de la municipalité de Newcastle et comment nous procédons. Si vous avez besoin de ces informations en français ou dans une autre langue, téléphonez au : 0191 278 8633.

RepairsóäbmóØòìíäb‚@ñòìóä†‹ÙØbš@üi@ðîŒaí‚a†@ðmóïäüš@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@NîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@m‹ Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó ó÷@ói@óäb

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Right to Buy òŠb’@ñaŠü’@ðäbØòìíäb‚@î‹Ø@üi@çbåï“å–‹Ø@Àbà@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@N@ói@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷@m‹ Šòì@óÜ@çbmŒóyŠó ó÷

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@ói@pòŠbió@óäbîŠbïäaŒ@ãó÷Your Homes Newcastle@òìóÝ—bØüïä@ñŠb’@ñaŠü’@çóîý@óÜ@óØ@óîóØóä†‹ØŠbØ@ðmóïäüš@ì@

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<português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633. Rent Esta informação refere-se à sua renda. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra

língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633. Repairs Esta informação refere-se ao pedido de reparações em sua casa. Se precisar desta informação em

<português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633. Right to Buy Esta informação refere-se ao direito que os inquilinos têm de comprar a sua habitação social. Se

precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633. Tenancy Esta informação refere-se às suas responsabilidades como inquilino social em Newcastle. Se

precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633. YCH Esta informação refere-se ao serviço de arrendamento. Se precisar desta informação em

<português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633. YHN general / Homes + People

Esta informação refere-se à Your Homes Newcastle, a organização responsável pela gestão da habitação social em nome do Município de Newcastle, e a nossa situação actual. Se precisar desta informação em <português> ou noutra língua, queira ligar para o 0191 278 8633.

idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. Repairs Ésta es información sobre cómo pedir que se realicen reparaciones en su casa. Si necesita esta

información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. Right to Buy Ésta es información sobre los derechos de los inquilinos a comprar su vivienda municipal. Si necesita

esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. Tenancy Ésta es información sobre sus responsabilidades como inquilino municipal de Newcastle. Si necesita

esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. YCH Ésta es información sobre nuestro servicio de adjudicación. Si necesita esta información en español

o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633. YHN general / Homes + People

Ésta es información sobre Your Homes de Newcastle, que es la responsable de gestionar las viviendas municipales en nombre del Ayuntamiento de Newcastle, y sobre nuestra manera de hacerlo. Si necesita esta información en español o en otro idioma, llame al 0191 278 8633.

This is ‘Homes & People’ the newsletter for Newcastle council tenants and leaseholders. If you want this information in your own language we will arrange for an interpreter to help you on 0191 278 8633. This information is also available in easy read, large print, Braille and audio tape. We can also arrange for you to see a British Sign Language interpreter.

Contents

you’ve got the

Round 2power

In this issue

??See page 11

???See page 12

??See page 14

Make your own money

See page 7

July/August 2014

Bringing you all the news that matters to youhomes people& • Welcome

Page 4 • Community Spirit Awards

Page 6 • National Customer Service Week 2014• What matters to you• Working together to benefi t tenants

Page 7 • Do you know your community?• “Who are you?”

Page 8 • YHN annual review• Performance Plus

Page 10 • Glorious gardens - the results• You’ve Got the Power update• Get Online Week

Page 11 • Who’s on Board?

Page 12 • Involved in investment

Page 13 • Got into gardening• Make Your Own Money latest...

Page 14 • Big Community Switch• Can you quit it?

Page 15 • £25 prize crossword

Page 16 • Our customer promises• Jobs and training Read previous editions online: www.yhn.org.uk/tenancy_services/homes_people

Everything we do is for our customers, and we need your help to provide the best services we can. We try our best, but we know that we can’t get it right all the time, and that’s where you come in – by telling us what we’re doing right (or wrong) we can make changes that will improve your experiences in future.

We offer a wide range of different opportunities for you to get involved and have your say, from something as simple as fi lling in a survey to becoming a Tenant Board Member. It all depends on how much time you have and how often you want to get involved. You can fi nd out about opportunities to get involved in this newsletter.

But involvement isn’t just about taking part in specially organised activities like these. It’s also every time you talk to a member of staff about a service or when you’ve taken part

in a community clean up or fun day in your neighbourhood.

In this issue you’ll fi nd information on the 2014 Community Spirit Awards that we’ll be launching this autumn to celebrate people living in our neighbourhoods who make a big difference. We need you to nominate people in your community who have shown outstanding community spirit – so if there’s someone who helps make your estate or community a better place, why not nominate them?!

I hope you enjoy reading our involvement issue, and if any of the articles inspire you to get involved, whether it’s with YHN or in your own neighbourhood, go for it! For YHN involvement opportunities contact our customer involvement team on 0191 278 8600.

Louise Horsefi eldHead of Business Strategy

Welcome to the involvement issue of Homes & People

page 3

We’re thrilled to launch another round of our awards scheme that proves community spirit is alive and kicking in Newcastle.

The Community Spirit Awards recognise and reward the neighbourly and community spirit that exists in the many streets, estates and communities within Newcastle. These awards are our chance to say thank you to the people who make our communities a better place to live - the ‘good neighbours’, the community groups, the drama groups, the football clubs-all the people who make a difference to your community.

Everyone at YHN is working hard to ensure our customers are part of communities they want to live in and have homes they feel proud of. But we can’t do it alone. It’s good neighbours and community groups that hold local communities together, which is why we want to recognise the selflessness and hard work of these unsung local heroes.

Now it’s your chance to pay tribute to the individuals and groups that make a real difference to your life or that of another neighbour.

Each winner will receive a fantastic £200 cash prize and a hand crafted trophy.

Our finalists and their family and friends will be invited to attend a special awards ceremony at Newcastle United Football Club, where we’ll celebrate the finalists’ achievements and announce the winners of the Community Spirit Awards.

Every person who makes a nomination will be entered into a prize draw to win a fantastic £50 Eldon Square voucher - what more of a reason do you need to tell you need to tell us about your local heroes?!

Supported by

Who are you proud to call your neighbour? Who makes you feel positive about where you live?This year we’re on the lookout for:Good neighboursSomeone who helps out others where they live, doing little things that make a real difference to the lives of others and being a supportive influence.Community championsFor those who go above and beyond for their wider community, fighting to make things better for their whole neighbourhood, selflessly thinking of many others in their community and improving lives.Community groupsFor groups who take an active role in making things better for the whole community.Health and wellbeingFor individuals and groups that are trying to increase the health and wellbeing of others.EducationFor schools as well as individuals and groups involved in education in a formal or informal way - helping others to better themselves by increasing knowledge and experience.Change makersRecognising individuals and groups who are responding to changing times in a positive way and motivating others to do the same.For individuals and groups striving to make their homes, estates, communal buildings and extended communities greener, more sustainable and more attractive for others.VolunteersThose who give their valuable time up for the good of other individuals, organisations and the wider community.Employment and trainingFor those who are doing everything they can to make the most of opportunities available to them through YHN and other outlets in order to improve their job prospects.Community safetyFor individuals, groups and organisations working to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in their communities.

How to enterNominating a person or group for the Community Spirit Awards couldn’t be easier!

• Complete the nomination form on the next page

• Visit www.yhn.org.uk and fill in the online form

• Visit any YHN Community Housing Office and pick up a nomination form

Don’t forget that every person who makes a nomination will be entered into a prize draw to win a fantastic £50 Eldon Square voucher!

Closing date 12th January 2015.

Community Spirit Awards 2015 - the search is on!

✁

Your details

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone: E-mail:

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Telephone: E-mail:

Reasons you are nominating (please continue on a separate sheet if necessary)

Person/Group you are nominating

For more information

• Call: 0191 278 8633• E-mail: [email protected]• Web: www.yhn.org.uk

Closing date for entries: 12th January 2015.Please visit www.yhn.org.uk for full terms and conditions.

Send yourcompleted form to:Community Spirit Awards,FREEPOST NAT 22311,Communications Team,Your Homes Newcastle,YHN House,Benton Park Road,NE7 7LX.

Here’s your chance to say thank you to the people who make your community a better place to live - the ‘good neighbours’, the community groups, the drama groups, the football clubs…all the people who make a difference to your community.

National Customer Service Week, 6-10 October 2014

Working together for tenants

National Customer Service Week gives employers like us an ideal opportunity to recognise the efforts and achievements of our staff working in customer service. It’s also a chance for us to show our commitment to you.

This year, National Customer Service Week has been split into themes, focusing on the key elements of customer service. The themes are:

Monday – understanding your customersTuesday – easy to do business withWednesday – dealing with problemsThursday – business impactFriday – recognition

We have taken part in National Customer Service Week for a number of years, with staff volunteering for activities such as clean ups, painting projects, gardening and football coaching! This year we are celebrating with a series of events that we’d like you to get involved with. Below, you’ll find details of a consultation session we’re holding to get your views on our customer access strategy, and opposite you can find out about the “Know Your Community” events we’re holding at the end of October.

Making sure you receive the best possible service is really important to us, so please make your opinions heard.

Why not tweet us @NewsfromYHN, visit our Facebook page (search ‘Your Homes Newcastle’) or e-mail [email protected] and tell us how we are doing?

If you want to get involved in making decisions that affect thousands of tenants across the city, why not join one of Newcastle Tenants’ and Residents’ Federation’s working groups?

There are four groups to choose from, and you can join more than one:

• Investment forum

• Living in flats

• Repairs development group

• BME forum

The groups meet quarterly with officers from YHN and Newcastle City Council to discuss service performance and improvement.

To find out more about any of the Federation’s working groups, please call 0191 285 2724, email [email protected] or visit www.newcastletenantsfed.org.uk/what-we-do

However you get in touch with us, whether it is by telephone, visiting an office or at one of our customer events, we hope you are satisfied with our service and that you feel valued as a customer.

As part of Customer Service Week, our customer involvement team is holding an event at the City Library on Thursday 9th October. ‘What Matters to You’ will give you the opportunity to tell us what good customer service means to you. Good customer service goes much further than just being polite on the telephone, so this event will have different stalls that will look at the bigger picture and you will be able to help us make sure that we get things right.

This event is also a great way to find out about

the other ways that you can get involved with YHN, so don’t miss out.

Refreshments will be provided at the event and you will receive a contribution to any travel expenses that you may require. We will also be able to provide support for any extra assistance that you may need, such as an interpreter or a hearing loop.

To attend this event you must book your place. You can do this by:

• Phone 0191 278 8600;

• Text ‘Customer Service’ followed by your name and address to 07814753088 or,

• E-mail [email protected]

What matters to youCustomers are at the heart of the services we provide so it is important that we get things right and continue to do the things that matter to you.

“Who are you?”

“What about me?” If you are already a YHN customer, don’t worry we haven’t forgotten about you. We would like to invite you to join us in celebrating National Customer Service week from Monday 6 to Friday 10 October by getting in touch on 0191 278 8600 and spending a couple of minutes giving us the information we need. At the end of the call you will be entered into a prize draw to win one of two £50 Eldon Square vouchers.

There is a genuine reason why we ask for this information, and no, it’s not because we are nosey! It is about us making sure that we know who our customers are so they have

access to services that best suit their needs. This information will allow us to prevent discrimination, plan and deliver our services to cater for all generations and help you get better value for money from our services.

The information we gather all comes together so that we can look at the overall number of customers accessing our services and identify any improvements. It is all kept confidential and it would be easy to just refuse to answer these questions, but remember…if you don’t tell us we’ll find it harder to support you.

We look forward to hearing from you!

We know it can get frustrating when we repeatedly ask for personal information about age, gender, religion and disability. That’s why we’ll only ask for this information when you apply for a property and when you sign up to a new tenancy.

We’re holding a series of devilish drop-in sessions during October half term to talk to customers about where they live. We will look at what you like, but also how we can help support you to improve your area. Make no bones about it – we want your feedback, warts and all!

There will be a chance to take part in a quiz to find out how well you know Newcastle and its rich cultural diversity, information about training and employment opportunities, children’s entertainment and a colouring competition.

Whatever it is – we’d love you to come and speak to us so we can find out more about you and your community. Drop in any time on…

• Monday 27 October, 1pm – 3pm @ West End Customer Service Centre

• Tuesday 28 October, 10am – 12pm @ Outer West Customer Service Centre

• Friday 31 October, 10am – 12pm @ Kenton Customer Service Centre

• Friday 31 October, 1pm – 3pm @ East End Customer Service Centre

You’d be ghoulish to miss out!

Do you know your community?How much do you know about the area you live in? Are there things that bug you or is there a great community spirit on your estate?

M

M

page 8

Performance PlusIf how we’re performing and how we’re spending money is important to you, why not join our Performance Plus group?

You could get involved in things like mystery shopping and customer inspections. This year the group helped develop our annual review - you can see the results above!

It’s a great way of helping us identify where we can make improvements to your overall experience instead of looking at the performance of each service individually.

To be part of the Performance Plus group call 0191 277 3663, text ‘involve’ followed by your name to 07814 753 088 or email [email protected]

Ten reasons to be proudYHN annual review 2013/14

We’vemade the

money deliverBringing in £1.107m insponsorship and grants

Making over £1.1m worth ofeffi ciency savings

Collecting 98.44%of rent

Brian Guthrie, who works at Palatine Beds, has seen his fi nances improve

alongside the business’.

We’vesupported equality

and diversityWe were ranked 30th on the Stonewall employers index

We’ve supported staff network groups to advise on equality and

diversity issues

We sponsored theNewcastle Mela

Omar Yaseen,the chair of our multi-cultural

network, is offering valuable advice.

We’vehelped tenants

into work30 unemployed tenants had six

month paid work placements with us

20 unemployed young tenants did year-long apprenticeships with us

23 disabled people wereemployed through WorkChoice at Palatine Beds

Debbie Fisher has completed several training courses

and started apaid placement

with us.

We’veimproved homesand communitiesCompleting 3,000 lifecycle

improvements

Completing106,594 repairs

Creating 14new properties

Jenny Cavanagh, a member of the

Investment Forum, has been consulted on how we should regenerate our sheltered housing.

We reached our tenth anniversary in April 2014 and this gave us a fantastic opportunity to refl ect on how far we’ve come in the last decade.

Ten years is a long time in anyone’s book and our positive position now is testament to the hard work and determination of our staff, Board members, partners and tenants.

We think there have been a lot of achievements worth celebrating since 2004 and last year was no different. So our annual review for 2013-14 showcases ten of the reasons we have to be most proud.

Here we’ve tried to give some insight into the impact our activity has on the real people behind the statistics – the tenants, staff, partners and others who benefi t from our work and who are the reason we have so much to be positive about in 2014. The full annual review for 2013-14 will be available on our website from the end of September if you’d like to read it or you can request a copy by calling 0191 278 8600 or asking at your local housing offi ce.

MHave your say

page 9

You could get involved in things like mystery shopping and customer inspections. This year the group helped develop our annual review - you can see the results above!

It’s a great way of helping us identify where we can make improvements to your overall experience instead of looking at the performance of each service individually.

To be part of the Performance Plus group call 0191 277 3663, text ‘involve’ followed by your name to 07814 753 088 or email [email protected]

Ten reasons to be proudWe’ve

provided valuablecare and support

Our advice and support service worked with over 3,000 people

Our young people’s service(16-25 year olds) worked with

over 1,000 people

We distributed over1,100 food parcels

Leanne and her daughters are spending more

time together after working with our

Family Intervention Project.

We’veresponded to

changing environmentsOur Living and Working in Walker

pilot worked with over 100 tenants to increase their job prospects

We ran 19 sessions to help tenants with computer use and increase

digital inclusion

We increased ourOwn Your Own

product range

Peter Williams benefi tted from

mutually exchanging properties and is no longer affected by

Bedroom Tax.

We’velistened to

tenantsOver 70 customers infl uencedour new approach to equality

and diversity

Over 80 customers helpeddesign our customer promises

Our tenants inspected129 estates

Matvey Cherny gave his opinions at seven separate events in 2013-14.

We’ve made communities

saferWe dealt with 685 cases of

anti-social behaviour

Over 1,500 intercoms now linkto our enquiry centre

Our community care alarmservice attended over

4,000 emergencycall outs

Our Friday Night Project, which included

activities such as football tournaments, reduced anti-social behaviour

on the jubilee estate by over half.

We’ve workedwith partners tobenefi t as many

people as possibleWe’ve provided valuable services to tenants of Leazes Homes and Byker

Community Trust

We’ve worked with severallocal charities

We’ve worked with NewcastleUnited Foundation to helptenants achieve over 150

qualifi cations

Michael Shields, who oversees

Changing Lives’ charity

furniture store, is benefi tting from

a partnership with Palatine Beds and

YHN.

We’veinvested in what

matters to tenantsOver 6,000 tenants voted for how

our You’ve Got the Power cash should be spent

We fi tted 2,000 double-glazed windows

We worked with over 250tenants to help them save

on their energy bills

Phyllis Chilton, fromThe Retreat, was one of the fi rst

tenants to benefi t from the completion of a You’ve Got the

Power scheme.

In our last edition we said that you would be receiving your voting guide with this copy of the newsletter. Due to the fantastic response we had from customers, it’s taken us longer than expected to work our way through all the suggestions. That means we’re not quite ready to send out the voting guide just yet, but you will be receiving it with the next Homes & People.

Since narrowing down the original list of suggestions, we’ve been talking to residents and partners about possible schemes. A meeting has been planned with the tenants’ panel to agree which schemes will feature in the voting guide in the new year.

Our work continues with round one schemes. We will soon be starting on site with some of our high category schemes, which will invest around £1 million across several estates in the city. These schemes will see some major improvements made to the safety and appearance of our neighbourhoods.

Thank you for your contribution, and for your patience – keep your eyes peeled for your guide arriving through your letterbox!

page 10

Glorious Gardens – the results!

Get Online Week

On Friday 20 July we reached the closing date for our Glorious Gardens competition for which we had a total of 19 entries across the Colourful Communals and Glorious Gardens categories.

After pruning the entries down to the fi nal shortlist, the winners were chosen by a panel which included two of our tenant inspectors.

Our winners, Dr Ryan House, Walker, (pictured) and Bill Taylor from Sceptre Place, Elswick, were presented with their prizes on Monday 8 September.

The prizes, which were generously donated by Wates Living Space and Walkergate and Parkside Ltd, included a selection of planters, plants and tools (Dr Ryan House) as well as a lawnmower and a £50 Eldon Square voucher (Bill Taylor).

Harry Pattinson, also from Sceptre Place, won a special prize for his efforts in maintaining a communal planter on his estate without any help or funding. He was presented with a £20 Dobbies voucher and a lavender tree.

National Get Online Week is coming! On 13-19 October 2014 the annual digital inclusion campaign will once again hit towns and cities all over the UK.

Get Online Week is all about helping people to see what they can do online - from keeping in touch with friends and family to saving money, enjoying hobbies or applying for jobs.

We’ve already been carrying out lots of training, events and activities around helping you get online as well as making more of our services available through our website, to make it easier for you to get in touch.

Why not send us a tweet @NewsfromYHN or visit our Facebook page (search Your Homes Newcastle) to tell us what you would like to do online –or just to say hi?

You can also visit the “Get Switched On” page on our website (www.yhn.org.uk) to fi nd out where you can get online for free in Newcastle, access free learning guides from Digital Unite and fi nd out about any training courses coming up.

To fi nd out more about Get Online Weekvisit www.getonlineweek.com

you’ve got the

Round 2power

SWITCHEDON

GET

Who’s on Board ?

Lisa Doherty has been a tenant board member

for just over three years. She tells us what it’s

like being on YHN’s Board.

What made you want to join the Board?

I actually joined after some issues during my

Modern Homes improvements. At the time

I didn’t realise we had a Board but about a

year later I saw an advert in Homes & People

inviting tenants to apply. I thought it would be

interesting to see how decisions about people’s

homes are made and to get involved in those

decision making processes.

What did you have to do to apply?

I fi lled in an application form, at the time YHN

were looking for people living in my area of the

city and were inviting applications from women

so it was ideal. I then had an interview with the

Board Chair, another Tenant Member and an

Independent Member.

Did you know much about being a Board

Member before you joined?

Not really – in fact I didn’t realise how strategic

some of the discussions and decision making

would be. It’s been a big learning curve and

really interesting.

As a tenant, you can also talk about your

personal experiences because it highlights issues

that other tenants face, which can be used to

improve services.

Have you had any training?

There’s been lots of training! I was given a

mentor when I was fi rst appointed – someone

who sat with me at Board meetings and

generally showed me the ropes. There was a

really comprehensive induction - I learned so

much about what YHN do, not just housing!

Regular training sessions are available, if you

want them. They’re not compulsory but if you

want to get the most out of your experience,

they’re defi nitely worth it. There’s health and

safety, how to be an effective Board Member,

employment law – really varied!

And everyone is really approachable – if I’m

reading Board papers and I’ve any questions I

can always ring or email someone.

How much time do you have to commit?

It varies depending on how fl exible you can

be around other commitments. As well as

Board meetings you’re also a member of two

committees so you have meetings for each of

these every few weeks. You also need to give

yourself time to read the Board and committee

papers before the meetings and prepare any

questions or notes.

What sort of things have you been involved in?

A range of things; from the judging panel of

the staff awards, through to the purchasing of

new intercom system for the concierge blocks

and I also attended the Chartered Institute of

Housing conference in 2012.

What have you been most proud of?

I’m proud of everything – I really enjoy what I

do on the board! But one of the best things was

the staff awards. Getting to see what goes on

behind the scenes and celebrate the great work

of YHN’s staff was really rewarding.

What would you say to any other tenants

considering joining YHN’s Board?

Be aware of the time commitment and give

some thought to how involved you want to be

before you apply. There is a lot of quite high

level strategic thinking, but it’s put across in a

straightforward way.

If you don’t understand something – ask. You’re

making some big decisions and if you don’t

understand what you’re making decisions on,

how do you know you’re making the right

choice?

Finally…are you proud to live in social housing?

I’ve never really given it much thought. It’s

my home, I like my little house and I wouldn’t

change it. To me there’s no stigma attached

to council housing any more, so if anyone is

looking for somewhere to live – try it.

Our Board is made up of a broad cross section of people, who all bring different skills

and knowledge. This means we can make unbiased decisions that are in your best

interests. It’s so important that our customers are represented on the Board, as the

services we provide are for you. Our Tenant Board Members have made some real

differences to the lives of customers by giving their views on how our services really

affect people day to day. Read on to fi nd out more…

Involved in investmentMaking sure your homes remain in good condition, and estates are safe, pleasant places to live is as important to us as it is to you. That’s why, when we’re planning where to invest money in the city, we involve you wherever we can.

There are lots of schemes either taking place, or planned to take place, where customers have had a hand in making investment decisions. Two of those are the New Mills estate in Westgate and the Blakelaw 165 estate.

New Mills Residents have been involved in deciding what environmental improvements will be made to the estate. They had raised a number of issues that were causing concern and distress including fly tipping, anti-social behaviour, poor lighting and a lack of parking facilities.

Using Monday Crescent as a pilot, we consulted with residents and have been meeting each month with a steering group of residents to identify and agree improvements to tackle the issues they’d raised.

Work started in September to revamp the courtyard – installing metal fencing at the front of the properties, timber fencing at the back and creating driveways wherever possible.

Blakelaw 165

Built in 1968, the estate was named because it was home to 165 houses and bungalows. Although the homes were a good size, the estate has become a haven for anti-social behaviour, is poorly lit and many homes open straight out onto public walkways. Some residents have also said they feel isolated because of the layout of the estate.

Residents worked with architects to develop the new design for the estate. We then consulted all residents and invited them to an event where the design was agreed.

Work should start early in the new year and improvements

will include the creation of off-street parking, moving front doors away from public walkways, creating larger living room windows and closing off alleyways.

Monday Crescent

Involved in investment

page 13

Make Your Own Money latest…In the last issue of Homes & People we featured Clare Henderson from Newburn who’s set up her own dog crèche, Paws to Play. She’s just one of a number of customers who have worked with Sustainable Enterprise Strategies (SES) and YHN to set up their own business.

If you’ve got an idea for a business, and it could be anything, why not get in touch? SES will help you from start to finish and answer any questions you may have.

Several other business have now been set up by our tenants, who include a painter and decorator, a will writer, a dog walker, an artist, and a textile worker.

To find out more call 0191 278 8600, text ‘business’ followed by your name to 07814 753 088 or email [email protected]

MAKE YOUR OWN

£

We had a great response to the Get into Gardening apprenticeship course that was advertised in the last issue. The young people were really enthusiastic about being part of the programme and keen to learn new skills.

Fourteen young people took part in the course, learning skills in customer service, health and safety, practical gardening skills and teamwork.

A celebration event took place on Friday 5 September where those who completed the course were presented with their certificates of achievement.

Brad Hope, 16, from Fenham, said: “I have had previous work doing gardening before and enjoyed it. I’ve been looking for an apprenticeship for a while but I haven’t been able to find one so this is a really good opportunity.

“I’ve enjoyed the practical side. We did a work placement with Newcastle City Council for two days, and with YHN for two days and we got to use machinery at Kirkley Hall, so we saw what it was actually like to be doing this job.”

Some of the participants from Get into Gardening at their celebration event.

Got into gardening!

Big Community SwitchDo you want to switch energy suppliers and save as much as £200 on your energy bills?Newcastle City Council has joined the Big Community Switch – a collective energy switching scheme.

It brings together lots of people to buy cheaper energy, and the more people that join, the more buying power they have.

All you need to do is register your details, and once enough people have registered, an auction is held where energy suppliers bid for your custom.

The supplier offering the best deal “wins” the auction. They will send you a personal offer and tell you how much you could save – you then have one month to accept or reject the offer.

How can I register for the Big Community Switch?

Register for free online until 13 October at the following website: www.newcastle.gov.uk/energyadvice

I don’t have internet access, can I still register?

You can use the internet for free at your local library or Customer Service Centre. If you need help using the internet call the libraries service on telephone 0191 277 4100 to book an internet taster session. For more information about registering, contact the council’s Energy Services on telephone 0191 278 3427.

Newcastle City Council is holding a couple of drop in sessions. You can come along to any session – all you need to do is bring a copy of a recent utility bill.

Sessions are being held on:

• Thursday 2 October, 1pm to 3pm at Outer West CSC (Interview room)

• Wednesday 8 October, 9.30am to 11.30am at Walker CSC (interview room)

This year Stoptober runs from Wednesday 1 to Tuesday 28 October and some of the country’s best comedians including Paddy McGuinness, Al Murray, Andi Osho and Lee Nelson will be getting the stop smoking message across in a humorous way to encourage as many people as possible to take part.

This year, Newcastle City Council is getting together with other organisations across Newcastle to support the campaign. There’ll be quit kits available as well as lots of resources offering useful information and advice on quitting.

On Friday 12 September, the Stoptober roadshow came to Newcastle with a whole host of entertainment. There were street performers, the Stoptober ‘shack’ where people could talk to someone for advice on quitting and there was even the chance to be filmed telling a joke or offering a message of support!

The Council is also holding a health day on Tuesday 7 October at the Civic Centre where there will be more Stoptober information and resources available.

Contact 0191 278 7878 for more information.

For your free Quit Kit visit www.smokefree.nhs.uk/Stoptober

Can you quit it?Stoptober is the 28-day stop smoking challenge from Public Health England that encourages and supports smokers across the country towards quitting for good. Stoptober is based on research that if you can stop smoking for 28 days, you are five times more likely to be able to quit for good.

£25 prize wordsearchComplete the wordsearch to win a £25 Eldon Square voucher to spend on whatever you fancy!

Margaret Wandless (pictured) from Etal Park was the winner of last issue’s wordsearch competition. And Mr. Joseph Taylor, of Thornley Road won our previous issue’s completion.

Congratulations to both!

Send your completed puzzle along with your name, address and a daytime telephone number to: Homes & People competition,

Communications team, Your Homes Newcastle, YHN House, Benton Park Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7LX by Friday 31 October.

Please note: competitions are only open to tenants and leaseholders with no rent arrears.

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Daytime telephone number:

Apprentices

Big Community Switch

Blakelaw

Board

City Library

Customer Service

Energy

Estates

Glorious Gardens

Investment

Neighbourhood

New Mills

On Track

Panel

Property

Schemes

Utilities

What Matters To You

page 15

Apprentices

City Library

Customer Service

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Need to get on On Track?

We have schemes in place to help our customers do just that. Our Apprenticeship and Your Homes Your Jobs programmes employ tenants, but we also work with businesses that have regular vacancies in other areas such as retail, catering, care work and hospitality.

To help you fi nd out about these opportunities, we’ve created an e-newsletter called ‘On Track’ that we send out every month to tenant’s whose e-mail address we have. The newsletter includes jobs and training opportunities that we have at YHN and also a list of current vacancies from other employers.

On Track has already helped lots of tenants into work but we can only send it to you if we have your e-mail address. So if you are out of work and looking for a job then please get in touch with us as we can help.

To register for the e-newsletter you can:• e-mail [email protected];• Text your name and e-mail address to 07814 753 088, or• Phone 0191 277 3663 and tell us what your contact e-mail address is.

Training courses are open to all Newcastle City Council tenants and leaseholders. We can offer a range of support to help you attend our courses like signers and interpreters. If you feel you need any additional support, please just ask.

Jobs & trainingGetting into work can be tough, whether you’ve never

been employed before, or are trying to get back into work.

M

M

MHave your say

If you want to fi nd out more information about our customer promises visit our website www.yhn.org.uk

Our customer promises

Support to fi nd a home

A decent home and reliable services

Supportduring your tenancy

Clear information and ways to have your say

We promise to provide you with...

Good customer service and treatyou fairly

Neighbourhoods to be proud of

homes & people september/october 2014

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