Making a Difference: Building a better neighbourhood model
We've been redesigning our neighbourhood model, making sure we remain a truly place-based organisation in a rapidly changing world.
Our communities have faced many challenges in recent years, from the aftermath of COVID-19 to rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
Against this backdrop, we began redesigning our neighbourhood model in 2021. We wanted to strengthen our community offer while making sure we remained a truly place-based organisation in a rapidly changing world.
That's where you came in
We asked you to tell us what you thought of our neighbourhood model. Your feedback, alongside other data, highlighted some key issues:
- We had too many points of contact and a lack of flexibility to respond to your different needs
- Our process wasn’t very efficient, meaning too much time was spent on activities that added little value for you
- Our systems did not support ‘right first time’ solutions, leading to poor-quality service and frequent revisits
- We had limited customer insight. Gaps in our data meant we didn’t know you well enough, and weren’t able to engage with you as meaningfully as we could
- Many of our neighbourhood services were not being delivered in person, making it harder to connect and provide personalised support
It was clear we needed to change. So, we set about creating a neighbourhood model built around stronger relationships and better service.
Change 1: more Neighbourhood Officers
To support the new model, we increased the number of Neighbourhood Officers from 9 to 27.
Your Neighbourhood Officer can support you with things including repairs, rent, rehousing, funding and support, and anti-social behaviour.
Your Neighbourhood Officer can provide you with support in areas such as repairs, paying rent, rehousing, funding and support, and anti-social behaviour.
Change 2: Tenancy Experience Visits
A key part of our new neighbourhood model is building stronger, more personal relationships with our customers.
That’s why our Neighbourhood Officers carry out annual Tenancy Experience Visits (TEVs). These visits give officers the opportunity to spend time with you in your home, get to know you and understand more about your individual circumstances, as well as the home and neighbourhood you live in.
By seeing your home first-hand and talking to you face-to-face, our officers can better understand what matters to you and identify any issues or support you may need – whether that’s a repair, adaptation, financial support or help with something happening in your community.
This more personalised approach helps us provide the right support at the right time, while building the stronger local relationships that are at the heart of our new neighbourhood model.
Find out more about these visits and other Neighbourhood services here, and log into your Customer Portal to find your Neighbourhood Officer.
Change 3: Training Academy
More officers meant we also needed to make sure they had the right skills and knowledge.
Launching our dedicated Training Academy gave new and existing officers two weeks of specialist training, covering skills, knowledge and behavioural development.
Each officer received 70 hours of training, helping them feel more confident and better equipped to meet your needs.
Change 4: new Neighbourhood Hubs
We’ve also been busy introducing Neighbourhood Hubs across our communities, including our latest hub in Clayton.
Our hubs give you a local place to access advice, support and help with:
- Your home or tenancy
- ASB and community issues
- Financial concerns
- Employment, skills and CV support
- Much more
We’re working towards making sure every customer has access to a local Neighbourhood Hub, with more locations being explored.
This couldn't have happened without you
Your voice is at the heart of our improvement as an organisation. From sharing your feedback to getting involved in our centres and events, you’ve helped bring our new neighbourhood model to life.
You can continue to have your say by joining one of our panels, groups or committees, or by sharing your views through surveys.
