Giving something back

As I sit down and write this blog entry I have to admit I’m aching a bit, I’ve got a few blisters and, I have to say – I feel great!

Today I’ve not been ‘Lesley Roberts, Chief Executive of Wolverhampton Homes’ – I’ve been ‘Lesley, getting my hands dirty (literally!) and mucking in’ to help bring a piece of overgrown waste land back to life as a wonderful community garden.

Later this month, we’re going to be officially opening a brand new community garden and play area at Poet’s Corner in Fordhouses. It’ll bring to a wonderful close a project which we kick-started last year.

Last year, some colleagues brought to me an idea which they said would help the company give something back to the community. It really got me thinking. I came into social housing many years ago to do just that – make a difference and give something back. And when I speak to colleagues and ask them what motivates them, time after time I hear the same answers – ‘I want to make a difference’ and ‘I want to give something back’.

Sue Roberts MBE, Chair of our Board and two of the team before we started work

We’re one of the biggest employers in Wolverhampton with just over 700 members of staff, responsible for more than 23,000 homes across the city. We’ve got a responsibility to leave a legacy for future generations. That’s why we’re involved with really exciting apprenticeship programmes – and that’s why we’ve embarked on this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project.

Poet’s Corner is about more than just the day job. It’s a project thought up by staff at Wolverhampton Homes and built by staff at Wolverhampton Homes. And when I say built by staff – I can vouch for that – I’ve just spent seven hours planting shrubs and moving concrete slabs!

I’ve seen the photos of what the site looked like before we started - and it, if I’m honest, it was grim; overgrown grass and weeds, needles, a hive of anti-social behaviour and blot on the scenery which residents had to live next to. So when I arrived this morning (hard hat, high-vis jacket and steel toe-cap boots aren’t my normal attire!) I was taken aback by how remarkable the site now looks.

Now things are really starting to take shape...

Over the past few months more than 80 members of staff have volunteered to be part of the project. It’s been wonderful to see colleagues from across the company working together, some of them having never met each other before. From housing managers to brick layers, from the Director of Finance to plasterers, from the Chief Executive to customer service advisers – we’ve all mucked in and the fruits of our labours are nearly there for all to see.

So not only can you literally feel the beaming pride amongst everyone who’s been involved, but with some hard work, some determination and some exceptionally talented people, Wolverhampton Homes has helped give something back. We’ve made a difference – and there’s something quite humbling about that.

We're a happy bunch...and we even managed to build a pirate ship out of some left over timber

In spite of the blisters and the aching back I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved at Poet’s Corner. It’s the first time we’ve done a CSR project like this and will it be our last? You bet it won’t.

I have to finish by thanking all of the staff who have helped make this project a reality, the contractors who have kindly donated materials and, of course, the local residents who have welcomed us so warmly over the past few months and some of whom have even been out helping us along the way too!

Let's Do It Online

You can’t go anywhere right now without being reminded about how much money you can save by doing things online. For some it’s a double-edged sword. We’ve seen this week that in some circles they’re predicting that one fifth of high street shops could disappear in the next five years – and analysts are putting that down, largely, to the impact of online shopping.

Whether it’s cuddly meerkats or opera singing Welshmen offering to save you money on your car insurance or downloading music –it seems cheaper and far less hassle when you do things online. They say that doing more and more via the internet could save a household more than £500 a year which, in this financial climate, and in the wake of welfare reform, is a really significant sum.

I guess the reality is that people’s habits and customer service expectations are changing. Of course, it’s not for everyone, but we know there’s a sizeable number of out tenants who have, for want of a better phrase, gone digital. For example, our figures show that around 6,500 people visit our website every month whilst more and more people have got access to the internet through smart phones and tablets and are contacting and engaging with us through Twitter and Facebook.



Our Web Wizards are helping to get tenants online



So as our customers’ habits change, we need to change too. Long gone are the days when people have to call us during working hours on Monday-Friday – or, dare I say, write us a letter! We’re investing in online technologies so tenants can report repairs, pay their rent and check their accounts whenever, and wherever they want. It also frees up our phone lines so we can help those who can’t use, or who don’t have access to, the internet. It’s better customer service, simples!



But it’s not just about offering better customer service. With the introduction of Universal Credit on the horizon, the stark reality is people are going to have to get online because for most people, the Universal Credit will mean having to apply online and manage their claim through an online account.

That’s why we’ve got a team of dedicated ‘Web Wizards’ who are working with tenants to help get them online. They’re in our one-stop shops across the city showing people who are queuing up to pay their bills that there’s another way to pay and it doesn’t involve standing in queues!

If you’re reading this already then the chances are you’re already part of the digital revolution. In which case, don’t forget to sign up and register for your ‘Do-it-Online’ account. But if you know someone who’s a tenant or leaseholder of ours and you think they need help to get online then ask them to get in touch with our Web Wizards who’d be more than happy to help.

The times they-are a-changin’ – we need to make sure we do too.

Celebrating LGBT rights

When I worked in a local authority housing department in north London over 15 years ago there was a culture of openness and acceptance around gay and lesbian issues. Two senior management team members were in stable same sex relationships. It was no big deal. Generally most LGBT colleagues seemed comfortable being out. They chatted openly about their partners and their lives (or not, depending on personal preference). I suppose, through this experience, I gained some insight into some of the issues faced by same sex couples; one of whom had a boy at school who was bullied because he had “two mummies”.

I somehow expected all quasi-local government workplaces to be the same until I came to Wolverhampton. Don’t get me wrong:  I have never seen or had reported to me any discrimination or harassment, no unsympathetic behaviour, in fact: no issues have come to my attention.  Our policies on housing appear to be LGBT aware. And that’s what I mean really – everything was okay but there seemed to be a culture of invisibility around LGBT issues. So I am left doubting whether LGBT tenants and applicants feel comfortable in discussing issues with us which could reveal/highlight their sexuality. Similarly, I wonder whether colleagues are not mentioning their sexuality because they feel there might not be an understanding response and whether managers are sufficiently comfortable and can deal appropriately with LGBT human resource questions. No reason to suppose negatives in these areas, but important that I ensure the overall climate is welcoming, supportive, understanding and positive.

So we are working with Stonewall on a campaign to support more LBGT awareness and I am pleased to already feel the climate is changing. This month we’re celebrating LGBT history month. Our offices and shops are decorated with rainbow flags, we’re celebrating the LGBT movement’s history in our internal publications and next Friday we’ve got a rainbow dress down day for staff.

You’ll see from the picture above I’ve also been keen to give this campaign my lead and personal support (I'm in the middle!). This week has seen a fantastic (and long overdue) landmark for the LGBT movement but there is still much further to go. I am proud to support this campaign and for Wolverhampton Homes to be contributing towards moving this agenda forwards in our city.