The shape of tenant participation in Wales: TPAS Cymru research report
Over the last year, TPAS Cymru has undertaken extensive research to assess the level, quality and types of tenant involvement in the management of social housing in Wales, in order to provide an overview of tenant participation activity in Wales.
Overall, the findings indicate that, since Welsh Government research published in 2004, tenants and landlords have achieved a step change in the quality and level of tenant participation practice. However, much more needs to be done to ensure enhanced tenant participation activities, with increased influence and decision making by tenants, with equality of access and funding.
Despite significant improvements in tenant participation noted in the research findings, there still remains a wide variety in quality of practice, and still some poor practice. It was noted in earlier research into the quality of tenant participation, and in our joint report with Welsh Tenants Journey of Influence, that landlords are more likely to publicise tenants’ rights and to meet them where these rights were in legislation. We believe that a Right to Participate in legislation would lead to better and more uniform practice in tenant participation, as well as giving tenants clear expectations about how they should be involved.
This issue of WHQ focuses on the benefits of added value, and in current economic times, where money and resources are in short supply, services which support participation and involvement of tenants and the wider community should be seen as adding value to service development and delivery – and a Right to Participate would ensure the continuation of the good practice that has been achieved in Wales.
TPAS Cymru will continue to work to provide support and encouragement to social landlords in order that they can continue to enable and empower people and tenant organisations to make a contribution to their communities as well as helping to improve their landlord services locally, regionally and nationally.
The report is available on our website: www.tpascymru.org.uk
For more information on the research or the Right to Participate, please contact Amanda Oliver, Policy and Communications Manager, TPAS Cymru, email Amanda.oliver@tpascymru.org.uk or tel 029 2023 7303.
People add value!
In times of plenty, the sector would have called for more money and resources to tackle the issues of disadvantage and improving service delivery. With money and resources in short supply, tenants and residents have an enormous role to play in adding value to services provided by their landlord and to wider public sector and community issues. This is not a new concept; we have long advocated the valuable contribution that involvement can bring organisations through a sharper focus on service provision, ensuring services meet the needs of both tenants and residents and the organisation.
Tenants and social landlords have benefitted from skills development as a result of involvement opportunities and key tenants are seen as valued members of the wider community – helping to shape and change attitudes on social housing and community disadvantage. More recently, skill development through involvement has meant that more tenants are gaining skills and qualifications sought by employers. From our work, we have identified three areas where ‘people add value’:
- Environmental Improvements – this is an obvious and ‘quick win’ area for involvement. It’s easy to mobilise local knowledge and ideas, with residents carrying out on the ground free research, communication and consultancy tasks to identify and shape plans to local needs. Involvement helps to develop skills in communication and project planning, as well as building confidence and motivation, ultimately leading to improved community capability and capacity
- Participatory Budgeting (PB) – PB techniques are often used to allocate funding for environmental improvement projects. However, PB has much wider scope in the housing and public service context. In addition to the usual fund allocation event, residents and communities can benefit from experience of project design, outreach to existing community organisations, linkage between organisations, budgeting and funding bid skills, presentation skills and confidence, strong feedback and motivation
- Tenant Inspection/Assessment – tenant inspection or assessment is one of the most direct ways to harness tenants’ perspectives and experience. Training for tenant inspection provides tenants with a wide range of skills and knowledge which are applicable to service standard setting, monitoring and evaluation, service planning and improvement and governance. Tenant inspection can be a way to involve under-represented or disadvantaged groups in looking at whether services meet their particular needs
The causes of disadvantage lie fundamentally with individuals’ and communities’ lack of skills, confidence and aspirations, as well as with infrastructure and service shortfalls. Tight funding may mean there are fewer resources to tackle the symptoms of disadvantage, but we can still address the causes of disadvantage by involving people more deeply in the processes of planning, monitoring and improvement of the public services that remain in place.
John Drysdale, Director, TPAS Cymru, email: john.drysdale@tpascymru.org.uk, tel 029 2023 7303