ISSUE 12 autumn 2014 Spotlight The topics that matter to you Viva la Fiesta! See page 6 Everyone's a winner Page 7 Life's a garden Page 4 Editors Comment Contents W Happy reading! Suzanne Miller from Neil Hadden Chief Executive 4 elcome to the Autumn edition of Spotlight, the quarterly magazine for Genesis residents. I am your new Editor and joined Genesis in July 2014. Each Spotlight is crammed with news and articles that affect you, our customers, as well as information about our services. We have over 30,000 customers across London and the South East of England, so while it is impossible to tell you about everything we have been doing, we try to have a good mix of stories that represent what we do. On page 10, we reveal some of the improvements we have made based on what customers have told us. Your feedback is very important and there are a number of ways that you can be involved, including taking our customer surveys (page 18), joining our resident involvement groups (page 4), or becoming a resident Board member (page 26). Several residents have recently started a new career thanks to their own hard work and the efforts of Genesis staff. On page 19, read how we supported two residents to transform their lives, while on page 5 learn how a resident for whom volunteering at Genesis led to permanent employment. Finally, on page 24, find out how a catering course found one resident working for Jamie Oliver! I hope I will get a chance to meet some of you in the future and I would love to hear your thoughts on this magazine. Welcome 11 14 15 16 19 20 22 24 27 W Community news Blooming marvellous at Moreton Getting to know you Spotlight on Sarah Improving Genesis Grahame Park Festival and awards Fun & games at Hamara Ghar You said, we did We’re absolutely determined to improve the service we provide you – so we have a new “You Said, We Did” section Care and Support Residents at Withipoll St. Food for thought at Costessy Leaseholders corner New Developments Genesis Way Changes to your repairs service Service charges Listening and acting on your feedback Enterprise, Employment and Training Welfare Reform Home Life Can we fix it? Stay warm in winter Volunteering elcome to the Autumn edition of ‘Spotlight’, the magazine for Genesis residents, where we focus on the topics that matter to you. First of all, I want to really thank those of you who have taken the time to send us feedback about how the magazine has changed. In recent months, we had a bit of a redesign and I am pleased so many of you have said you find the new look more accessible, the articles much more clearly written and that you like the balance of residents’ stories, poems and activities alongside the information that Genesis needs you to know to help you make the most of your home. There’s a lot packed into this edition: there’s some great stories of people who have been helped to get new jobs and opportunities thanks to Genesis. We’re also highlighting some of the great community activities that have recently taken place at Grahame Park in Barnet, Cannell Court near Norwich and much more besides. This edition also has a lot of information on how Genesis handles your feedback as customers. We’re absolutely determined to improve the service we provide you – so we have a new “You Said, We Did” section, information about how Repairs and Maintenance is changing and an update on Service Charges – an issue I know readers have contacted us about recently. I hope you find the magazine interesting. If you have any comments or queries, there’s a tear-off slip at the back to give us your views. We look forward to hearing from you! Neil Hadden Survey Spotlight Magazine Editor 2 Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 3 Sarah Nabirye Getting to know you Involving you! Improving Genesis! We’re currently exploring how we can involve customers in improving our services. We want to ensure that if you volunteer your time with us, it will make a difference and that we take on board your suggestions. To achieve this, we want to: • Further develop customer scrutiny so that customers’ recommendations are taken on board • Involve customers more in the recruitment of our staff and contractors • Keep track of and celebrate what is achieved from customer involvement. Dig in: Joan Mayo (left) and neighbours Our new Customer Involvement Manager, Jane Eyles, is talking to customers, existing volunteers, staff, contractors and Genesis board members to see how we can improve and develop ideas for ways that customers could work with us. Ideas so far include: Blooming marvellous at Moreton • A customer editorial panel for this magazine, Spotlight • Customer inspectors to help us identify issues with properties and neighbourhoods • Using social media to get your views. Everything’s coming up roses in Great Yarmouth, thanks to residents at Moreton Court who have transformed the communal garden. Supported by Genesis staff, residents led by Joan Mayo completely overhauled the garden (which was previously just an area of grass) and arranged donations of plants and flowers from local businesses and the MIND charity garden project. Joan said, “I started doing the garden for the other residents, and they then started helping with it.” But work didn’t stop there as not only have Joan and her neighbours managed to If you would be interested in working with us to make these improvements, please contact the Customer Involvement Team on 020 8451 8224 or email mygenesis@ genesisha.org.uk 4 secure donations of surplus plants so that the garden will continue to flourish, but they have also successfully secured funding to hold an event in the garden as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week (11th – 15th October). For more details, see: www. hatefreenorfolk.com/grants-availablenational-hate-crime-awareness-weekoctober-2014 Well done Joan! Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight There may be times when we ask you for personal information, such as your sexual orientation, your religion or whether you have a disability. You may feel that these questions are inappropriate and unnecessary but the information you provide helps us offer services that are suitable for individual needs. For instance, you may have a disability which could affect communication when we are visiting to carry out a repair. Or, by understanding faith and cultural issues, we can make sure that we do not carry out routine repairs during religious festivals or at other times that are inconvenient to you. At Genesis, we have two diversity customer forums – one for residents with disabilities and the other for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) residents. The disability forum has told us about some of the barriers they have faced when trying to talk to our staff about disability. We have taken these issues on board and communicating with disabled people now forms a standard part of staff training. On LGBT issues, customers told us that we could do better on how we responded to hate crime so an innovative buddying scheme for vulnerable LGBT residents was set up. You are not required to answer these type of questions but we do encourage you to respond. The information you provide is kept completely confidential and will only ever be used to help us improve our services. The LGBT Forum and Disability Forum each meet twice a year and both forums are open to any residents who would like to join. The LGBT facilitator is Miles Lanham who is a gay Business Manager based in London and can be contacted in confidence at: miles. [email protected]. For more information about the Disability Forum, call 033 3000 300 or email [email protected] Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 Community News SPOTLIGHT Office Move: Our Willesden office has now re-opened: 192-196 High Road, Willesden, London, NW10 2PB This is Genesis resident, Sarah Nabirye. Amazingly, Sarah found time to volunteer with Genesis while also studying for a degree and bringing up a very young family (a two year old and an 18 month old), and has now gained employment. Sarah joined Genesis’s volunteering programme in April this year, working one day a week in the Enterprise, Employment and Training (EET) Team and helping other residents find jobs, training or volunteering opportunities. Over the past few months, she provided invaluable support which included helping out at a jobs fair in Kilburn and assisting with organising and running the Genesis staff conference. In August, as a result of her experience as a volunteer, Sarah was offered not one but two jobs! She was offered a full-time administration position, which she was unable to accept due to the hours clashing with her university course, but was also offered and accepted a part time job working for Catalyst housing association as a Health Care Assistant. Sarah is truly an inspiration to many and plans to still volunteer with Genesis when she can to help other residents. Well done, Sarah! Volunteers are a huge benefit to Genesis and joining our volunteer programme can be successful route to paid employment. For more information, see page 24. 5 Community News Care & Support: To find out more about Care & Support, turn to page 11 Awards all round as Grahame Park Summer Programme draws to a close Children enjoying the day. The RAF Museum showing their support Grahame Park anniversary festival draws crowds Music, games and a bouncy castle kept the crowds entertained at a family fun day. Hundreds of people gathered in Heybourne Park on Saturday 5 July to celebrate more than ten years of the Grahame Park Festival. Festival-goers were also treated to a dance stage and face-painting sessions at the free event, which was coordinated by Genesis Housing Association. Genesis Housing took the opportunity to tell people living in the area about opportunities and services on offer in Colindale, such as training and childcare, as well as a residents’ association. Sherine McFarlane, head of social and 6 economic regeneration at Genesis, said: “The festival was a great success - it was wonderful to see so many residents getting together to have some fun and find out what’s available in their community. “The day is always a major highlight in the Grahame Park calendar. It’s a chance for us to give something back to the community and celebrate the long-term transformation of the area.” Grahame Park is one of Barnet’s largest regeneration schemes, and will provide 3,000 new homes when all phases of the 18-year project are completed in 2028. The regeneration project is led by Genesis in partnership with Barnet Borough Council and Countryside Properties PLC. Other organisations that took part at the festival included Barnet Homes, Colindale Community Trust, the RAF Museum, Barnet and Southgate College and Nutmeg Community. MP for Hendon Matthew Offord and London Assembly Member for Barnet and Hendon Andrew Dismore, also dropped by to speak to festival-goers. Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight 50 local youngsters celebrated after successfully completing an exciting programme of summer activities in and around Barnet. The young people, who are all aged between 8 and 14 years old, marked the end of the three-week Grahame Park Summer Programme with an awards ceremony held at the St James Catholic High School in Colindale. Family turned up to cheer them on as certificates and medals were handed out to everyone who took part, along with trophies in categories including ‘Best Team Player’ and ‘Most Positive Attitude’. Participants had the chance to get involved with a wide range of fun activities including dance, drama and go-karting, as well as a VIP visit to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. They also got clued up on solving mysteries and investigative techniques thanks to a special workshop run by the Detective Project. The Grahame Park Summer Programme is funded by Genesis Housing Association, with the majority of activities run by the voluntary organisation Excellence Through Sports. Genesis is one of the lead partners in the regeneration of the Grahame Park estate, which will offer 3,000 new homes when all phases of the 18 year project are completed in 2028. Polly Boardman, Commissioning Manager at Genesis Housing Association, said: “The Grahame Park Summer Programme has been a calendar highlight for many years, and it’s great to see that it continues to capture the imaginations of children and young people in the local community. Feedback has been fantastic; we’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who made this year’s programme the biggest and best yet, and congratulations to the participants, whose awards today were very well deserved!” Junior Taylor, Director of Operations at Excellence Through Sports, said: “I’m really pleased that there’s been so much enthusiasm and such a high level of demand for this service – the programme was actually oversubscribed. The kids voted with their feet and really enjoyed engaging with the activities every day.” Chika Ogakwu, who won the ‘Ideal Participant’ trophy, said: “This is the first time I’ve taken part in the programme and I had a great time. My favourite part was being able to learn new skills like communications and leadership, making new friends and trying out lots of different games. I’m surprised but really pleased that I won a trophy.” Does surfing the net leave you all at sea? Are you baffled by emails, floored by Facebook and stumped by Skype? Then Get online week is for you. Now in its eighth year, Get online week is a national campaign to bring digital skills and know-how to everyone. Events take place across Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 the country during October - from post offices to mosques, cafes to community centres, supermarkets to town halls - challenging thousands of people to see what they could do online. Keep an eye out in your local area for UK Online events that will help you improve your digital skills. If you already have some IT skills but want to improve them, you can visit www.learnmyway.com 7 Rajpal Singh, Services Manager Is it an emergency? What about a suggestion for an event to celebrate your area or the people who live there? Or perhaps a venue that could be improved for community use? The Genesis Community Foundation is a new grants scheme that aims to: • Create great places; • Empower residents and; • Sustain better neighbourhoods. Residents to the rescue! Residents at a supported housing scheme in East London have been taught skills that could help them to save a life. The ‘Everyday First Aid Workshop’ sessions were arranged by Genesis Housing Association staff and taught free of charge by the British Red Cross to residents at Kina House, a supported living scheme for older people and people with learning difficulties in Newham, East London. The skills covered in the sessions included how to treat bleeding, choking and burns. Rajpal Singh, Services Manager at Genesis Housing Association, said: “The first aid sessions were designed to give residents the confidence that they would know what to do in a life threatening situation. 8 “At Kina House we have a diverse range of customers but there is no reason why any of them could not be taught and apply the skills to help a person in need, and we encourage customers to live as independently as possible. “15 residents attended and all of them said that they found the first aid course really useful. I would love to arrange this training for some of our other schemes as well and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the British Red Cross for all their help.” Well done Grove Road residents and to the Support team. It’s all fun and games at Hamara Ghar Board games, bingo and a tea party were just some of the activities on offer at a fun day at a sheltered housing scheme in East London in July Staff at Hamara Ghar, a supported scheme for older people in Newham, teamed up with leading charity The Challenge to lay on a variety of fun and games for residents and raise funds to help maintain Hamara Ghar’s community garden which is tended by residents. Rajpal Singh, Services Manager at Genesis, said: “The Challenge is a great charity that aims to bring together diverse groups of people in order to create a more integrated society and culture. We enjoyed working with them to promote the great work that our customers do with the community garden.” For more information about The Challenge, see www.the-challenge.org Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight If you need to contact us to report a repair or for any other reason, our Contact Centre will be happy to help. You can speak to a member of the team between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, by dialling 033 3000 3000. At all other times, we would ask that you only call us in an emergency, such as: • danger to life or a serious injury • loss of heating and hot water between the months of October and April • complete loss of electricity • property is unsecured. Remember, you can also report repairs online via www.interfinder.net/cgibin/ghgdif_launch.pl or by email at: [email protected] Community News Do you have an idea to make your community better? First Aid at Kina House: "We encourage customers to live as independently as possible" Although Genesis has offered community grants for a number of years, the Genesis Community Foundation is an enhanced scheme which will award ‘small grants’ of up to £5,000 and larger grants of up to £50,000 to help residents improve their local areas. The Foundation will disperse grants by theme, all of which are in line with how Genesis carries out its work as a leading social housing provider. So, applicants will need to make clear which of the following themes their individual project supports: Applications will be judged on how well the idea matches with one – or more – of the above themes and will need to offer clear evidence of the positive difference the grant would make and its legacy. We are keen for as many residents as possible to benefit from the Genesis Community Foundation. To find out more, including the date from which applications can be made, contact Victoria Labeodan on 0330 3000 3000 or at: Victoria. [email protected] • Financial inclusion; • Enterprise, Employment & Training; • Volunteering; • Social research and • Health and well-being. Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 9 You said We did Improvements made to Grand Union Close, Westminster You asked us to investigate a number of problems, including damp and mould in the property and issues with vermin. Our Markets and Portfolios team carried out a stock condition survey to investigate the cause of the damp. We called in pest control and Neighbourhood Assistant Keisha Chin worked with the local authority to replace all the bins for ones from lids. We’ve jet-washed the block and are keeping a more regular eye on the gardens with increased visits. Weaver Walk, Tulse Hill, Lambeth You told us that the bin storage area was untidy and that bins were not stored properly. You also said that the hall and stairway carpet was threadbare and needed replacing We tidied, swept and washed down the bins area and replaced the carpet. Neighbourhood Assistant Talatu Badejo now visits South London several times a week to ensure we offer an improved service south of the river. Thanks to those residents for your feedback! Great Western Road, West London You let us know that there was a lot of dumped waste and dirt in the courtyard of a scheme shared with supported housing. Neighbourhood Assistant Hajanee Gnanentherin took ownership of the problem across the whole site and had all the bulk items removed, and the courtyard thoroughly cleaned. We now make regular visits to maintain the standard of cleanliness. Again, thanks to residents for working with us 10 Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight Care & Support Community News Here are just some of the areas of work that residents have been involved with over the last few months Having a quiet space where residents can relax and reflect is really helpful. Kim Organ, Service Coordinator Residents chill out at Withipoll Street The attic of a women’s only hostel in Ipswich is now a haven of calm thanks to funding from Genesis’s minor improvements budget. Withipoll Street offers a safe, stable and homely environment to women aged 16-24 years and encourages residents to develop the skills they need to live independently. Previously there was no designated ‘quiet area’ in the hostel where residents could go to relax and reflect, and both staff and residents felt that such a place would be beneficial. Kim Organ, Service Coordinator at Withipoll Street said: “The women who live here have often experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse or family breakdown. We encourage residents to rebuild their lives and try to give them the support they need to do this, but tensions do rise occasionally. We believed strongly that having a quiet space where residents could go to chill out and relax would be really helpful and prevent residents from simply shutting themselves in their rooms.” With space for 10 residents, Withipoll Street is not a large hostel but Kim and her colleagues identified the attic as having the potential to be transformed into a designated quiet area. Kim continues, “We didn’t really use the attic much and the items stored there could be easily moved elsewhere. It is a good size, it had a skylight so there was ample natural daylight and being at the top of the Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 house where it is quieter, it was ideal really.” In October 2013, the residents along with Kim and her colleagues applied for money from Genesis’ small minor improvements budget which funds projects that benefit – either directly or indirectly - residents, properties and their surroundings, or both. The application was successful and Withipoll Street received £7,000 to carry out the work which was finished in May this year. This included moving the door to the attic to create more space, building cupboards for storage, fitting new lights and completely redecorating the room. Kim said: “Everything about the quiet room is designed to encourage peace and relaxation. The room was painted and carpeted in neutral colours, there is no TV or stereo and the giant beanbags and cushions really do make you want to sit or lie down and just think or reflect for a while. Even staff have been known to use this room occasionally and residents have told us that it really does work as a place to chill out and get away from it all. “We’re really pleased with how it’s turned out and we’re very grateful to residents for all their help and support.” For more information about Withipoll Street, contact Kim Organ on 0208 451 8180 or at: kim.organ@ genesisha.org.uk 11 Care & Support Welfare Reform: Your guide to the new changes, turn to page 9 for more information. : www.genesisha.org.uk/reformguide.co.uk Appointments at Harrow Road Top left: Anthony Wicker mans the barbeque. Food for thought at Costessey A Genesis hostel is working to overcome fears and preconceptions among the local community, and build ongoing relationships with neighbours and local residents. Cannell Court in Costessey near Norwich, which houses vulnerable single adults of any age, held an open day in August and invited friends and neighbours to meet residents, have a tour of the scheme, and enjoy tasty barbecued food prepared by local chef – and former resident – Anthony 12 Events like these are so important as they give the local community the chance to meet residents face-to-face and hear for themselves what the residents have achieved and their aspirations for the future. Wicker. Over 30 people attended, including members of the community, and a number of Cannell Court residents helped out on the day. Residents at Cannell Court, many of whom are homeless or have suffered personal tragedy, are given support to help them live independently and find training and employment opportunities. Genesis Support Worker, Lynne Morton, said: “Because many of the adults we work with have criminal convictions and/or issues with substance addiction, we as a hostel are sometimes regarded with a degree of uncertainty by the neighbourhood. This is one reason why events like these are so important as they give the local community the chance to meet residents face-to-face and hear for themselves what the residents have achieved and their aspirations for the future. “Many of our neighbours came along to support us, along with a number of current and former residents of Cannell Court. These included Anthony Wicker, who did a great job of manning the barbecue and much of the food was his own recipes! Well done to him.” “A big thank you to everyone who came along to support this event. We’re already looking forward to the next one!” From 31 October 2014, we will no longer be able to see residents at Genesis offices without an appointment. To make an appointment or for any other enquiries, please contact us on 033 3000 3000 or at: [email protected] We apologise for any inconvenience. Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 13 “Zenith House offers sustainable living in a spectacular setting” 8 [email protected] The Leasehold Services Team deal with a wide range of enquiries, including: • • • • • • • • Purchasing the Freehold Lease Extensions Presales Packs Right to Manage Re-mortgage Subletting Alterations and improvements Adding and Transferring a Lease • • • • • • • Probate Lease variations Retirement Sales Sale of Loft Space Breaches of the Lease Ground Rent First Tier Tribunal (formerly LVT) Leasehold Advisor Regions Contact Details Ophelia Smith Brent & Barnet 0208 451 8216 07590 962164 [email protected] Joyce Bridge North London Hackney Hertfordshire 0207 563 0329 07824 134479 [email protected] Barry Khan Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Cambridge Essex North East London South East London 0208 548 2122 07825 273870 [email protected] West London Surrey Sussex South East London South West London 0208 451 8257 07740 022 471 [email protected] Marlene Nwaokolo Leasehold Assistant Contact Details Tim Johnson 0208 451 8161 [email protected] If you have any queries, the Team will be happy to hear from you. 14 New Developments Leaseholders Corner Introducing the Leasehold Services Team Florence Chomba, Leasehold Services Manager Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight Zenith House, Colindale, London NW9 6BR Newly-constructed Zenith House is a modern and spectacular tower, in a prime position on the Edgware Road which makes it one of the most sought-after addresses in the area. Completed in March 2014, this mixed tenure scheme consists of 308 new apartments and mews homes for affordable rent, shared ownership and outright sale and commercial space. Six months on, Zenith House is now an integral part of a vibrant and growing community. The shared ownership and outright sale homes have proved popular and are selling well. There is a choice of supermarkets, shopping areas and eateries within walking distance, while Brent Cross and its 100-plus stores are just a few minutes’ drive away. Green open spaces, like Colindale Park and the Montrose Playing Fields, are plentiful. In addition to using state-of-the-art Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 materials and building techniques, Genesis has created landscaped courtyards, tree-lined walkways and living garden roofs on each apartment building. Sustainability is key and the carbon footprint at Zenith House is being reduced by including community heating and solar panels to generate electricity. For more information about Zenith House, see www.genesisha.org.uk/ regeneration/zenith_house.aspx 15 In partnership with We are changing our service but you don’t have to change anything. Report your repair to our Customer Contact Centre and we’ll direct you to the right area. Telephone: 033 3000 3000. Genesis Way – Our Improvement Programme Reporting your repair 033 3000 3000 www.genesisha.org.uk Building Better Futures Changes to your repairs & maintenance service From now on, our new partner, Kier, will be working alongside our Genesis Property Maintenance Service team to look after your home. The new partnership is shaped by what you’ve told us you want from your repairs and maintenance service. Website: www.genesisha.org.uk select the ‘report a repair’ option. E-mail: [email protected] Any questions? If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. You can speak to any Genesis or Kier staff on site, or you can contact us through the contact centre and we would be happy to help you. For more information, including a list of frequently asked questions, see www.genesisha.org.uk Further updates will be in a future edition of Spotlight. 16 We will give you advance notice of any work and tell you what is happening and when. We’ll also coordinate planned works so you experience fewer interruptions, and work with you to minimise any inconvenience whenever we need to access your home. How the partnership will work Genesis Property Maintenance Services and Kier will work together to manage your repairs service, with Kier working in East London and the East of England, and Genesis Property Maintenance Services looking after most of the rest of our London properties. Kier will also manage all of our: • planned investment works, such as kitchen and bathroom replacements etc. • cyclical works, such as painting and decorating of external and communal areas • compliance works, such as electrical testing, lift maintanance and other work to comply with our landlord requirements and keep you safe in your home. We are rolling out the partnership carefully, starting with a small number of works. The full partnership will be in place by the end of 2014. Working in partnership to support our community A key focus of the partnership will be to work with customers to build opportunities and support the communities in which we work. In July, we held a joint employment and training fair to showcase opportunities available through our two organisations. 50 people attended and everyone signed up to participate, whether it was applying for training opportunities or getting further information about volunteering or job vacancies. We are also working together to launch various apprenticeship opportunities and a work experience package, which will provide two weeks of on-the-job work experience with qualified Kier professionals. Participants will also be paid to get their first aid and health and safety certificates. To find out more, please contact the Genesis Employment and Training team by calling the Contact Centre on 033 3000 3000. Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight Service Charges A lot done, a lot more to do We know from what many of you have told us that Service Charges are a major concern. We are aware that this area of our work is not as good as it could be, and we are absolutely committed to improving this. A lot of work has happened during the past year to ensure that Service Charge statements and bills are accurate. We’ve received nearly 1,000 queries about Service Charges and have also reviewed over 2,000 individual customer accounts and taken a lot of action to correct data held in our systems so that we will be able to get the benefits from our new Service Charge software. This process that has involved a lot of careful scrutiny to make sure we bill you correctly for the services you actually receive, and that any disputes are resolved quickly and Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 efficiently. To help us carry out this important work, we recruited new members of staff who have been really helpful at supporting the team to clear the backlog of queries and answering your questions. We have also set up a page on the Genesis website of the most common queries along with a guide to the process. You can access the page at: www.genesisha.org.uk So what’s next? In Autumn, all residents will receive their ‘actuals’ statement which describes the services your Service Charge covers. Any queries or comments we receive in response to these statements will be handled in October, when we may make adjustments or changes depending on what you tell us and when we have jointly agreed that a change is needed. This is important because we want to make sure the bills you receive are accurate. By November, we will have a good, up-to-date position on service charges which will mean we can accurately budget for the year ahead in terms of what repairs need to be paid for, what levels of investment can happen and so on. How do I get in touch? We will be only too pleased to hear from you if you have any queries relating to your Service Charge. You can contact us via our Customer Contact Centre on 033 3000 3000 or via email at: servicecharges@ genesisha.org.uk 17 Listening to and acting on your feedback Since July 2014, Genesis has surveyed over 500 customers as part of a brand new approach to obtaining feedback from customers to help us improve the services you receive. The feedback we’ve received so far has helped us identify and prioritise areas for improvement and how we can start to put these in place. Baysiti Yaasin Chris is a STAR! A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush A If you receive a call asking you to complete a survey, please do take the time to tell us what you think of our services. The surveys are anonymous and customers are selected at random. There are two types of survey; 1. One is about your overall satisfaction with Genesis, and the other is about a particular service you received on a specific occasion. For the first survey, if you are selected, an independent market research company – The Leadership Factor – will call you and ask you to rate how satisfied you are with different aspects of your home and the services provided by 18 Chris Hickling Genesis. Calls should last around 15 to 20 minutes and you will be guided through each step of the process. 2. For the second survey, if you have spoken to our contact centre for any reason, you may receive an automated call back shortly afterwards to ask how you felt we performed on that particular occasion. You will be asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 how satisfied you are with the service you received. The call will last less than five minutes, and you will be asked to make selections using your telephone keypad. Your feedback will be anonymous but will be made available to us immediately, including the contact centre operative you spoke to. You do not have to take part in either survey if you do not want to, but we do encourage you to do so as your feedback will have a direct influence on the services we provide, including staff training and development. We will start to publicise the outcomes of both surveys, including the changes we are making as a result of your feedback, in future editions of Spotlight magazine. In the meantime, if you would like more information, please contact our contact centre on 033 3000 3000. Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight repeat offender with more than 30 convictions has turned his life around with support from the Genesis STARS project. Chris Hickling had problems in the past with drugs and alcohol. He had worked periodically and been in and out of prison for long periods of time. Chris was living adjacent to one of Genesis’ supported housing schemes, where he was given advice and support to help him live independently for two years. Supporting Treatment, Accommodation and Recovery in Suffolk (STARS) is a recovery programme from Genesis to help prolific offenders improve their quality of life. It provides tailored support to assist offenders with finding accommodation, employment, to recover from any substance addictions, and build a settled lifestyle to help them avoid re-offending. Chris also spent six months at a treatment centre - Passmores House - and eight more as a volunteer at the centre. As a result of all this support, Chris began to transform his life – and then some! Having successfully overcome his own drug addictions, he began volunteering as a mentor at the Westminster Drug Project Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 to help others do the same. He also started doing other voluntary work to help improve his employment prospects, and took it upon himself to organise projects and activities at Bromfield Hostel, a Genesis homeless project in Saffron Walden, including arranging for a local hairdresser to offer residents cheap haircuts! Chris’s hard work paid off. Not only is he now living independently in a rented property at Hastoe Housing Association, he has also been offered – and has accepted – paid employment as a Support Assistant for Genesis. Chris said: “I am very grateful for all the support I have received and to the staff at the Genesis hostel. Without their help, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here now.” Gary Spiers, Genesis STARS Recovery Scheme Service Coordinator, said: “We’re all really proud of Chris and it’s been so encouraging to see how far he’s come since we first met him. He worked really hard and was determined to change his life. He’s a real inspiration.” For more information about the Genesis STARS project, call 01284 732550 or email starsref@ genesisha.org.uk Enterprise, Employment and Training Genesis Way – Our Improvement Programme Your feedback will have direct influence on the services we provide and training for staff. A t least that’s the philosophy of resident Baysiti Yaasin. A single mother with four young children all under eight years old, Baysiti enrolled on to Genesis’s Teaching Assistant Level Two course in April this year. Although childcare was a real issue, Baysiti commuted from Barnet to Lawrence Hall in East London two days a week for three months to complete the course. She applied to various schools for a paid job as a teaching assistant but instead has been offered a part-time role as a dinner lady at Dangrove School. Baysiti says “Being a dinner lady is not my dream job but it is a step to achieving my dreams. I left school with low GCSEs and now I am NVQ level 2 qualified. I hope working in a school will give me the opportunity to connect with the right people and develop a career in Teaching." “A big thank you to Genesis for giving me the opportunity and supporting me to complete the course. My children and I do not only have a home, we also have a steady income. Life can only get better”. 19 The benefit system is changing. As a responsible landlord, we will keep you informed and updated through direct contact and information here in Spotlight. Welfare Reform Welfare Reform Credit unions can provide you with a loan at a repayment rate you can afford. Spare Room Subsidy (or Bedroom Tax) If you have one or more spare rooms your housing benefit may be reduced by 14% for one spare room or 25% for two or more spare rooms. 14% ne spare room O benefit reduced by 14% 25% Two or more spare rooms benefit reduced by 25% Crediting you with success Genesis is working with leading credit expert company Experian to help residents in social housing improve their credit score. Having a good credit history makes it easier to open or change bank accounts, shop online, get better deals on mobile phone, gas and electricity rates or apply for credit at a cheaper rate. Residents who have a mortgage already have their details shared with Experian, and these payments count towards their credit score. At Genesis, we believe regular rent payers should be able to do the same. Experian is the UK’s biggest credit reference agency and a highly respected and trusted custodian of personal data. If you rent from us, this partnership could help you build up a good credit history and – as a result improve your financial situation. Sharing your rental payment history will also help you prove that you are who you say you are and live where you say you live. To help with this, Experian has developed the ‘Rental Exchange’ and has liaised with regulators and consumer groups to make sure that we fully comply with all relevant laws, including the Data Protection Act. Your information will be secure and confidential. Information about your tenancy will only be made available to a company or organisation when relevant and strictly necessary, and only when you have agreed to them doing a check. Keep an eye out for more information in your next rent statement or a future edition of Spotlight. Avoid the ‘sharks’ with Credit Unions Universal Credit Universal Credit will replace a range of benefits such as Housing Benefit, Income Support, Working Tax Credits into a monthly single benefit. Payments will be paid monthly rather than fortnightly, and residents will need a bank or building society to receive the payment. In April, Universal Credit will be rolled out to couples making a new claim for out of work benefits in W6, and W14 postcodes of Hammersmith and Fulham. Benefit Cap For more information on welfare reform: Visit: www.genesisha.org.uk Call: 033 3000 3000 Email: [email protected] 20 The government has applied a limit to the amount of benefits you can claim per week: • £350 per week for single people • £500 per week for single parent • £500 per week for couples with or without children The Benefit Cap affects people of working age. If you’re a pensioner, receiving certain disability benefits or qualify for Working Tax Credit , the Benefit Cap won’t affect you. Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight When money is tight, it can be tempting to turn to pay day loan companies or unofficial money lenders (‘loan sharks’) to help make ends meet. However, many of these lenders charge very high interest rates – so much so that you could end up paying back at least double the amount you borrowed! Credit Unions are different; they are not out to make a profit as their primary aim is to better the lives of members/customers, and most can provide you with a loan at a repayment rate that you can afford, even if you have limited income or no credit history. Credit Unions operate across the UK and loans can often be provided against child benefit, where there is little or no other income. Not all Credit Unions use credit scoring to help them make lending decisions but many report all regular loan payments to Experian. This allows members to use their repayments to build a credit history, which will help when applying for other finance i.e. phone contract or new rent agreement. Hillingdon Credit Union, for example, can offer Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 a prepaid Visa card for members that gives access to in-store and online purchases. The card also provides a budgeting facility and cashback on purchases in a variety of major high street stores (see www.hillingdoncu. co.uk for more details or call Debbie on 01895 25958). In addition, a loan from London Capital Credit Union Ltd, which operates in Barnet, Camden, City of London, Hackney, Haringey & Islington, can help members buy lowcost electrical goods (see www.credit-union.coop). To find your local Credit Union, visit www.abcul.org/home or call 0161 832 3694. 21 Can we fix it? At Genesis, we are responsible for keeping your home in good condition. While we will carry out most repairs to gas, central heating and repairs in the home caused by normal wear and tear, there are certain repairs that you are responsible for yourself, even if the damage has not been caused by you. These include: • Repairs to any damage caused by you, your family or visitors • Repairs to any criminal damage. While we can visit to make your property safe, you are responsible for any repairs or replacements needed • Repair and/or replacement of fences separating your property from another (unless your property borders a public highway, footpath or communal garage area) • Clearing blocked sink/bath/basin and replacing missing or broken plugs and chains • Clearing blocked toilets, including toys or anything else that has been put down the toilet by accident • Changing lightbulbs • Bleeding radiators • Replacing lost keys or providing additional keys, changing locks • Keeping your garden tidy, including cutting grass and hedges • Pest control • Clearing rubbish. A full list of the repairs you are responsible for is in your individual tenancy agreement or resident handbook. If you are an older resident with mobility issues, we can sometimes help with repairs and decorations. Please speak to your Neighbourhood Manager for more information, or call us on 033 3000 3000. 22 Home Life Home Life Enterprise, Employment and Training: Turn to page 19 for more information. Tackling tenancy fraud Tenancy fraud is when someone rents out their council or housing association home without the knowledge of their landlord, or gains possession of a council or housing association property through deception e.g. lies about their income or already has an existing property. This type of criminal activity prevents someone who really needs a home from having one. In 2012, the Audit Commission reported that at least 98,000 social homes in England were subject to some form of tenancy fraud . Our dedicated tenancy fraud team makes sure that our properties are only occupied by those that should be living there. Last month, the team seized back two properties that were being illegally sublet, and more cases are currently being investigated. Several cases were reported to us by customers and we would like to thank those of you who helped us in this way as we really do need your assistance. As well as investigating individual reports, the tenancy fraud team also carries out ‘block audits’; visiting each property in an area to verify that the legal resident is still living at the property. We may be visiting your area soon. Tenancy fraud is a criminal offence and if found guilty you could receive a prison sentence of up to two years and a £5,000 fine. We also have the right to try to recover lost profits. If you suspect that a property is being illegally sublet, you can contact the Tenancy Fraud Team on 020 7563 0064 or at: [email protected] Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight Stay warm this winter top tips to keep your boiler going With summer drawing to a close, many of us will be turning up the heat for the first time in a while as the weather gets colder. To help make sure your boiler is still fully functional, here are a few top tips: While there may still be times when we will need to send an engineer, this checklist is a good place for you to start and hopefully get your boiler up and running again quickly. Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 1 Make sure the power supply is on and check that the fuse is working (burn marks around the fuse could indicate that it has blown). 2 Check the gas supply - if the gas stopcock is open but no gas is coming through, contact your gas supplier. 3 Make sure your programmer or timer is switched back on. You may need to adjust it so that the heating comes on earlier in the mornings or evenings. If you can’t switch the timer on, you may have a flat battery or problem with the power source. 4 Is the thermostat turned up high enough? The heating will only come on when the thermostat is set higher than room temperature. 5 Check that the pilot light is lit. If it is out, re-light it by following the instructions in the manufacturer’s manual or on your boiler. 6 Radiators not heating up properly? Try bleeding them to release any air pockets in the system. 7 If you live in a block of flats served by a communal boiler, check if any of your neighbours are having the same problem, or speak to the on-site concierge (if there is one). 23 Want to help create this magazine? We are currently looking for people to join our editorial team to assist with the content and design of Spotlight and make sure it has a customer focus. If you are interested, please contact the Customer Involvement Team on 020 8451 8224 or email [email protected] Cooking up success A I feel as if my situation has improved as I now feel I have the skills required to work in the world of catering. Having graduated two years ago, I had had little luck with finding a job or vocational opportunity. I now feel more positive and optimistic about the future. Dorrell Merritt Well done Dorrell! For more information about volunteering opportunities, see www.genesisha.org.uk/genesis_community/volunteering 24 Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight This is an emotional poem written by one of our residents who attends creative writing classes at the Hope Centre in Northampton, which helps homeless people to develop life skills. The poem tells her story. Can you see that lonely girl sat at the back of the church? I can! And as I look closer I can see her tears; then I realise it’s me. dorrell merritt on being positive ‘What are the tears for?’ I ask myself Pain and anger, loss and sadness. Readers' Corner resident who had been unemployed for two years has landed a job as a chef at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant after attending a training course facilitated by Genesis. 22 year old graduate Dorrell Merritt from Brent had been struggling to find employment due to his lack of skills and work experience. Earlier this year, Dorrell’s Mum saw an advert in this magazine for Recipe to Work, a catering course run in partnership with the Jamie Oliver Foundation, and urged Dorrell to sign up. Along with nine other Genesis residents and supported by Genesis’s Volunteering Programme, Dorrell completed all parts of Recipe to Work, learning key cookery skills (including butchery, fishmongery and bread and pasta making) and gaining accredited qualifications (Level 2 Food Hygiene and First Aid). All the course attendees did one week of chef training at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, Fifteen (near Old Street in London), and a one week work placement at Union Jacks restaurant in Covent Garden, but Dorrell made such a good impression during his placement that he was offered a job as Assistant Chef at Jamie’s Italian with immediate effect. Dorrell said: “I feel as if my situation has improved as I now feel I have the skills required to work in the world of catering. Having graduated two years ago, I had had little luck with finding a job or vocational opportunity. I now feel more positive and optimistic about the future.” Poem What did you think? Volunteering Home Life: Get ready for the winter. Turn to page 23 for details. Spotlight | Autumn 2014 | Issue 12 ‘Why all the emotions?’ Well I’ll tell you now - my life has hit an all-time low. I’m always at the bottom of a bottle of cider Feeling lost and alone as my house is gone My children too, through no fault of my own, for the sake of another. All of a sudden I wake with a jump And realise that today I see my children as I do every week And remember that all this pain is actually reality but now in the past As slowly but surely I’m climbing back up the ladder and into the light. Thank you God for your strength to help overcome this bad past. I now go to church and I sit not at the back but now at the front As I can see a positive future. Emma 25 What did you think? Resident Board member wanted Disagree Please tick the appropriate response Unsure Agree Let us know your thoughts on the W issue of Genesis Magazine What did you think? What did you think? New Developments: Turn to page 15 for more information. I like the design of this issue I like the articles in this issue I have visited the Genesis website in the last month We currently have two members of our Board who are Genesis residents - Brian Ansell and Imani Douglas-Walker. Brian’s term of office ends in July 2015 and we are looking for someone to take his place. Board members are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of Genesis Housing Association, and developing the organisation’s aims, objectives and goals according to governing document, legal and regulatory guidelines. This role is open to all residents in line with our Board recruitment policy. If you are interested, please contact Doug Wynne, Head of Compliance on 020 7563 0363 or at: [email protected] for more information. Should you wish to apply, Doug will send you an application form, role profile and information sheet from Brian and Imani about their experience as resident board members. Complete the survey and send to: Spotlight Magazine, Genesis Housing Association, Atelier House, 64 Pratt Street, London, NW1 0DL If you prefer, you can email your feedback to residentsmagazine@ genesisha.org.uk The closing date for applications is 3 November 2014 and applicants that are shortlisted will be invited to an interview on Monday 1 December with members of the People Committee (Charles Gurassa, Chair of GHA, Genie Turton, board member of GHA, and Neil Hadden, chief executive). I follow Genesis on Twitter or Facebook What was your favourite article in this issue? What would you like to see more of? How do you get the most useful information from Genesis? Your Property Manager Genesis magazine Letters in the post Genesis website Posters Would you prefer to recieve Spotlight by email? The successful candidate will be given training over six months to allow them to assume this role in July 2015. Yes ( please supply us with your email address below) No Contact details NAME: PHONE NUMBER: EMAIL: @GenesisHousing www.facebook.com/ GenesisHousingAssociation 26 Issue 12 | Autumn 2014 | Spotlight SpotlightMagazine Genesis | Winter Autumn2013 |2014 Autumn | Issue | Issue 2013 10 12| Issue 9 27 If you need any part of this information in large print, Braille, on audio tape or explained in your own language please contact us on the number below. Albanian Arabic Bengali Farsi French Somali 033 3000 3000 Turkish [email protected] www.genesisha.org.uk Genesis Housing Association, Atelier House, 64 Pratt Street, London, NW1 0DL www.genesisha.org.uk
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