WayAheadTHE Spring 2013 Rhonnda Housing Association | Cymdeithas Tai Rhondda

RHA A Decade of Tenancy Support p 10 WELFARE REFORM Your Benefits are Changing p 14 Find your Future goes Green p 08 RHA Award Winners Welsh Housing Triple Win! We are thrilled to have won the Chartered Institute of Housing Welsh Housing Award 2012 for their Action For Change project. Winning the EMPOWERING AND INVOLVING COMMUNITIES award is a humbling credit borne from our understanding of the communities in which we work.

RHA also won in partnership with Greenstream Flooring CIC at the CIH Cymru awards. Making us triple winners! The partnership programme won first in the ’INNOVATION OF THE YEAR category, and secondly, Greenstream and its partners were awarded ‘The People’s Choice Award’ chosen by the audience attending the event as ‘WINNER OF THE WINNERS’, i.e. the favourite winner out of all the winners in the twelve categories.

RHA Finalists at the UK Promoting Independence Housing Awards 2013 Award – Cymorth Cymru

We are also delighted that our Action for Change programme also won the Cymorth We are delighted to have been shortlisted as a Cymru Promoting Independence Award – finalist in the category ‘UK Small Social Landlord Improving Access to Employment, Training and of the Year’ as part of the 2013 UK Housing Skills. Director of Regeneration and Support Awards! It was a credit to Welsh Housing Services Shelagh Iles picked up the award at Associations that three reached the final six in the wonderful awards ceremony in December this category. 2012. This is the third prestigious award the Big Lottery funded programme has won. The We would sincerely like to take this opportunity winning streak for this project began in June to thank all our colleagues, partners, tenants, 2012 when they first won the inspirational customers, voluntary board members and local Business In The Community Working Links communities for all their continued support. ‘Ready for Work’ Award. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries, partners and staff involved.

02 spring 2013 01443 424 200 community Residents Group The Tonypandy Group consists of residents from St Andrews Court, Watkin Rhys Court and Compton Court, Tonypandy.

Once a month the Tonypandy Residents Group and they welcome new group members to their meet for a coffee morning and get together. coffee mornings which are held at the RHA They are an active friendly group who organise offices in Tonypandy monthly. lovely events such as Christmas meals and coach trips to places like Swansea, Mumbles and Cheltenham. New events are being organised If you would like to join this group please contact Housing Officer Tracey Heron on 01443 424213. In this issue COMMUNITY Ty Bethania 03 Tonypandy Residents Group 04 Rent Account Winner HOUSING Christmas Lunch 05 Annual Gas Service 06 Compliments & Complaints YOUTH ZONE 07 Our Rights, Our Health ENVIRONMENT 08 Find Your Future goes Green HEALTH & WELLBEING 10 A Decade of Supported Housing MONEY 12 Count Me In 14 Your Benefits are Changing Ty Bethania residents celebrated Christmas with a get together festive lunch at the Lion Hotel on December 4th 2012. A big thank you to everyone that This newsletter is printed on environmentally helped on the day to make it successful. friendly sustainable paper. When you have finished reading, please recycle it. If you are interested in setting up a tenants or volunteer recycle group then you can contact Bev John Davies on Tel: 01443 424211 or you can also contact Jonathan on Tel: 01443 424210. [email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 03 community Super Attender Winners! Super Attender swooped into the six local primary schools within the Ferndale cluster area recently to celebrate the top attendance record of its pupils.

take place at the end of the school term in July. At the end of each term the primary school that Super Attender swooped into the six local primary has improved the most on last year’s attendance schools within the Ferndale cluster area recently to will also receive £300 for an end-of-year party. celebrate the top attendance record of its pupils. Lesley Davies, Chief Executive of Rhondda As a socially responsible housing association we Housing Association explained, decided to organise the competition because the Ferndale Cluster includes the largest percentage “We are passionate to sustain the communities our of our tenants and properties and we used a customers live in. We wanted to be proactive and specific budget designed to support community work with children at a young age to help increase initiatives. The aim was to incentivise pupils for excellent attendance. All six primary schools have their educational achievement”. been involved in the challenge which offers a “There is a known link between attendance and wide variety of prizes including a family holiday to the pupils from Year One to Six. educational achievement that paves the way for future employment. The increase in attendance we There was an individual prize for 100% attenders have seen to date is really positive and we are with a draw for Argos vouchers worth £50 for very pleased to be involved in this initiative. We each school, these have already been awarded. would like to thank Council and The most improved pupils will be entered into a schools for their support”. draw to win a DSi games console; the highest attenders (over 95% and above) will be entered in If you would like to find out more about this initiative to a family holiday draw worth £500. This will then please contact Bev on 01443 424233 Rent Account Winner At regular intervals throughout In order to ensure that you take the year RHA has a prize draw part in the next prize draw for all tenants with a clear rent please make sure that your rent account. account is not in arrears.

The first draw of 2013 was won by Mr Andrew Gillard of 1 Clos Ioan, . Congratulations Andrew! 04 spring 2013 01443 424 200 housing Annual Gas Service & Safety Checks

April sees the start of the new programme of gas safety checks which means arranging for our engineers to access nearly 1500 homes We’re Changing within RCT. Contractors An annual gas service is not only a legal requirement for us as landlords but it is vitally We have a new gas contractor, Liberty Gas Group important for the safety of you and your family. A fault with your gas appliance can The procedure for maintenance cause carbon monoxide poisoning which can be fatal. of your gas service is still the same. But now you will need to In order to help this process run as smoothly as possible you can help by co-operating fully call 0800 323 4322 from a and responding to letters you will receive from landline and 0330 123 9622 LIBERTY GAS or from us. from a mobile phone. Please help us to carry out these checks by keeping any appointments made or contacting Liberty Gas Group will contact you to arrange LIBERTY to rearrange if it is inconvenient. Their your annual gas service. telephone number is 0800 328 4322 (free phone from landline) or ring 0330 123 9622

New Development De Winton Fields

Rhondda Housing Association would like to announce the allocation of sixteen new homes (14 houses and 2 flats) in De Winton Fields in Tonypandy, which were handed over on 27th February 2013.

We would like to wish this new community the best of luck and we hope they enjoy their new homes.

[email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 05 Housing You said... How We Perform December 2012 Welcome to our quarterly update of how we are doing and performing against the targets that TARGET ACTUAL we set ourselves at the beginning of last year. In % of customers satisfied with RHA each Newsletter you will now see these figures to show you how we are doing in these key areas of our service. As time goes on the information 97% 97% will build up and you will be able to see how these figures change on a quarterly basis. % of customers satisfied with responsive repairs This list is not exhaustive and you might see it change over the year to give you a selection of information – if there is anything that you would 98% 100% like to see here or if you have any comments about it please let us know. We value your % of customers satisfied with comments and would like to know what you planned maintenance think about how we are performing. Compliments and Complaints 95% 98% Here is a taste of some of the compliments we % of emergency repairs have received over the last couple of months. completed within time Tenants sometimes put comments on surveys forms that they return to us or maybe mention to a member of staff how happy they are with a 100% 100% particular element of our service. This is always welcomed and we encourage staff to log these % of urgent repairs completed nice comments as they get them. Thank you to within time all those people who have already told us how happy they are with something we have done. 98% 100% “I had a lovely service from the Customer Service Team” Average turnaround time it took (Mrs Davies, Tonypandy) us to carry out any maintenance work required and then allocate to “Tenant rang to say she can’t praise the contractors 25.9 a new tenant was slightly higher highly enough – quick, clean and polite” (tenant, than we would have liked – we are working hard to streamline this ) DAYS process and ensure properties are not empty any longer than they need to be. Complaints: During the period October – December 2012 we received 10 complaints about % of rent collected our service. Of these, 5 were about repairs/ contractors, 4 were about members of staff and 1 was about a housing process. 97% 95% Compliments: During the months October – December 2012 we received 23 compliments If you would like to give us a compliment or from our tenants. 14 of these were generally report a complaint then contact us on: 01443 about staff and our services and 9 were 424200 or visit www.rhondda.org and submit specifically about contractors. via the web. 06 spring 2013 01443 424 200 young people Young People Our Rights, Our Health During February half term as reward for things to discuss around health, and what all their hard efforts. the Youth the current organisations are doing to Empowerment panel participated in the help, and to enable them to learn about ‘Our rights, Our Health’ project. This health issues which may affect them. included two exciting days of ‘Health’ related workshops at Cardiff Bays Urdd As part of the project the group met up centre, along with a range of fun activities with other young people across , to such as speed boating and bowling. share ideas and discuss their views on Health Provision, and what they feel can be In December 2012 Youth Cymru implemented to change what is happening. received funding from The Participation Unit at Save the Children as part of the The group also made a visit to the Sennedd Welsh Government's Reach the Heights and met with the Health Minister Mark initiative. The funding was aimed at Drakeford. They had the opportunity to running a project with young people raise concerns and highlight issues in aged 14-18. It aimed to engage with 30 regard to young people’s health. They young people who are not currently in also discussed their active rights and education, employment or training on entitlements and what they thought a participative and innovative project needed to be changed. promoting the rights of children and young people in Wales. The ‘Our Rights, Our Health’ project has given the young people the opportunity During the two days of workshops, to take part in something positive, develop the young people engaged in a range self-confidence and to work with their of different workshops which were peers to help shape an important piece of run by Shelter Cymru, Women’s Aid, work on the rights of young people. Ash Wales, and a Sexual Health nurse, to give them a variety of If you would like to join the Youth Forum, or would like more information regarding the project please call Liam on 01443 424 242

[email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 07 education Excelling in the Environment – Find your Future goes Green

Over the past 12 weeks, the Find your Future project (FYF) has run an eco-outdoor environmental project delivered by Ceri Nicholas from Valleys Kids and the Coed Lleol Project. The project has been attended regularly by 10 male beneficiaries who have developed in confidence, self-esteem, which has had a positive impact on their social, physical and mental wellbeing within their peer group and as individuals. LANTRA bush cutting course – During the last 12 weeks the activities within the programme have included: Trimming their way to the top

• Woodland work • Bush craft skills Six men from the Find your Future • Eco outdoor gym sessions environmental programme have successfully • Grass and Brush Cutting (LANTRA) qualifications passed and gained their LANTRA Bush cutting • Healthy cooking & eating in the woodlands qualifications over a 2 day period in February. • Team building During the course the Find your Future Along with all the exciting opportunities above, beneficiaries covered elements including the environmental project aims to get people preparing, maintaining, operating a trimmer and out and about visiting woodlands for health and bush cutter. The LANTRA qualification was part of well-being benefits. Below is one quote from a participant on the project.

“My aim when joining the programme was to meet new people, to get out of the house and increase my confidence, physical and mental health. Over the weeks I have done this and really enjoyed the course. I feel I have come on so much, and visiting the woodland defiantly de‐stresses you and I love being in the outdoors”.

08 spring 2013 01443 424 200 education

Up skilling for the Future In the last 10 weeks in partnership with Coleg Morgannwg the Find your Future project has delivered a basic skills course. The course has given tenants the chance to develop and increase their basic skills in a fun and relaxed environment.

The sessions have been all focused on increasing health and wellbeing through a positive and balanced eating plan. Throughout the 10 weeks the group of 9 tenants have only enjoyed the course but built a friendship while supporting each other through the course.

On behalf of the Find your Future project and its members, we would like to thank Lindsey from Coleg Morgannwg for delivering and making the sessions so the environmental programme and now enjoyable. has given beneficiaries a professional qualification that is needed and employers look for when employing in the garden and landscaping industry.

One participant said “This course was brilliant, I gained so many new skills and it’s the first qualification I have gained in many years. Hopefully now I can look into getting into the garden and landscaping trade”.

[email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 09 community support A Decade of Supported Housing at Rhondda Include 2003 – 2013 10 years ago Rhondda Housing Association recognised that there was a need to support vulnerable individuals, to maintain their tenancies. Homes were being lost as a result of individuals not having the essential skills and knowledge, to deal and address issues that could threaten their tenancy.

This led to the formation of a tenancy support During the past decade the Rhondda Include scheme, of which the main aim is to support team have made tremendous impacts within individuals to successfully maintain their tenancy. approximately 1150 individual’s lives, for example, The scheme was named Rhondda Include the title tenancies being saved at eviction point, accessing Include standing for: grants to help people afford essential items for their home, increasing income and identifying benefits to help individuals budget and manage Involvement their income and outgoings, work with agencies Needs Mapping to address any issues that may affect their tenancy. Communication EngAGE work with Rhondda Housing Association Listening tenants aged 55 plus within sheltered schemes, Understanding and with tenants aged 60 plus within Rhondda Development Housing Associations general housing stock. Empowerment The teams have also undertaken tenant involvement day trips to St Fagan’s, Rhondda All of these attributes are essential in providing Heritage Park, Rhondda Cynon Taff safety unit. an overall support plan, from crisis to independence. Events have also been held at Rhondda Housing Association Offices to celebrate the Queens The original team were made of 4 Housing Golden Jubilee, Royal Wedding along with Easter Support Officers and 1 manager and located in a and Christmas events. small satellite office in . Rhondda Include has experienced a number of changes with staff increased to 6 Housing Support Officers 1 EngAGE Support Officer 1 Manager and a part time administration assistant. The team are now located in a modern office with Rhondda Housing Association and an additional branch of support has been developed, to support older people via the support scheme EngAGE.

10 spring 2013 01443 424 200 community support ‘A home we can share’ As a response to the restrictions on Benefits brought in by the Welfare Reform, the Association has been working with support providers to assist with the ‘move on’ of their clients into more permanent accommodation.

This has led to the development of the ‘Cyfran’ shared housing project.

The Association has provided good quality The Rhondda Include/EngAGE team have also furnished, shared accommodation and raised funds to pay for these events with bag Gwalia Housing Society has selected packing at Asda in Tonypandy and a sponsored tenants and will be providing a level of walk up Pen Y Fan. The team have also received on-going support. regular donations from Rhondda Housing Association staff to help with Easter egg The first property has just been donations each year. completed and let. During the summer of 2011 the Include/EngAGE The Association is looking to partner support teams worked in conjunction with RCT with other support providers in the Communities First, RCT Adult Education and future to let other properties in this Bridges into work to hold a 15 week training way. For more information contact us course to educate and promote independent living on 01443 424200 and ask your skills. The course was a great success enabling Housing Officer about Cyfran. eleven tenants to build social skills, promote independence whilst gaining a recognised qualification.

Rhondda Include and EngAGE support teams have provided a high quality level of support, ensuring that individuals have benefitted from the support, by increasing independence and successfully maintaining tenancies. Support would not have been as effective without the help of multiple outside agencies who have provided specialist advice and all who have worked in the teams over the ten years would like to thank those agencies for their assistance. Both the Rhondda Include and EngAGE teams hope to build upon the successes already achieved and continue to support those who benefit from the service to gain the skills and confidence to gain independence and sustain their tenancies in the future.

[email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 11 money ‘Count Me in’ Count Me In Event – Financial Inclusion Taff Ely Area Support Service

In late 2012, the CMI team organised an event at The ‘Count me In’ Team aims to help RFC, to raise awareness of the changes to Rhondda Housing Association tenants the Welfare Benefit System. We were kindly and their families, to be able to budget supported by various local organisations including effectively and give them support in RCT Rhyscycle, Too Good to Waste, Greensteam debt management, with the overall Carpets, RCT Community Coach and C J Thomas vision of reducing debt and improving Recycling Ltd – Cash for clothes. their financial capability. We hope The event was a success and a good time was had this service will empower our tenants by all those who attended. Mark Richards our to successfully manage their finances Financial Advisor carried out a presentation about with confidence. the up and coming changes to the benefit system. This was supported by Mike Church, a local We have a small team of people, who work entertainer who also did a performance to in partnership with other local organisations, demonstrate awareness of how debt can ruin to support our tenants where required. lives and how this can be avoided.

Winners of the ʻToo Good to wasteʼ Competition, Mr & Mrs Ways to Duncan, along with customer Service Volunteer Annette Carson Pay – Your collecting their £25 Voucher to spend, after correctly guessing ʻhow much it would cost to Views! furnish a room at toogoodtowaste. We are reviewing the way we collect Well Done Both!!! income from tenants and former tenants. Our performance in this area hasn’t improved over a number of years and for RHA to continue to thrive RHA Staff, with we need to collect as much of this RCT Rhyscycle money as possible. This is particularly important in view of the changes being made to Housing Benefits.

We would like to thank Pontyclun RFC for So, we are keen to hear your views on preparing the lovely refreshments and to all the some of the changes we are staff, tenants, volunteers and supporting considering. These are listed below agencies for all their support on the day. and range from simple things we If you do have any financial issues or need want to implement quickly to more advice/help with your benefits you can call our complex changes which would come ‘Count Me In’ Team on 01443 424200. in over a longer period.

12 spring 2013 01443 424 200 money

Financial Inclusion Advisor: Youth Worker Mark Richards – 01443 424246 Liam Way – 01443 424242 Delivering financial advice and assistance with; • Works with young people 14+ • All welfare reform issues • Supports living skills • Budgeting skills • One to one support • Form filling • Help develop financial awareness • Money management • Debt advice If you think you will benefit from our help then contact us: Affordable Warmth Advisor Leighton Hughes – 01443 424234 WE ARE ONLY A • Delivering workshops PHONE CALL • Personal home visit advice AWAY! • Information on switching suppliers • Money saving tips on your energy usage • Using your heating system efficiently

Financial Inclusion Administrator Emma Jones – 01443 424209 • Supports advisors • Booking calls/visits • Referrals to other organisations/departments

In a nutshell, we are looking to adopt a ‘firm but fair’ approach which clearly sets out the rights and responsibilities of all tenants. We want to make it easy for tenants to pay and difficult for them to fall behind and to act quickly to help people avoid mounting debts. This includes taking prompt action in cases where people • Making better use of technology, including ‘won’t’ pay and providing help and advice for our website and texting those who ‘can’t’ pay. • Promoting the use of Direct Debit payments, especially once Housing Benefit payments are The key changes we are considering are: made direct to tenants of a working age • Improving the advice and information • Providing only a basic service to those who regarding rent that we give before a new are persistently in rent arrears (but ensuring tenant moves in we carry out essential maintenance work). • Changing the information we provide to let • Making sure we act quickly when someone you know your account balance, especially moves out of a property if they owe us the way we send out rent statements and the way they look • Contacting people who miss rent payments immediately to provide help and advice. We If you have any views on these changes we also want to focus on meeting and talking to would love to hear from you. Please contact people rather than relying on letters either Steve Evans on 01443 424207 or Steve • Helping tenants to gradually reach a point Jones on 01443 424226. where they pay in advance so there is a buffer in case of hardship

[email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 13 money Welfare Reform – Your Benefits are Changing

In 2010 the Government announced a ‘’Bedroom Tax’’ number of changes in the Welfare Welfare reforms will cut the amount of benefit Benefit Budget and this could affect you! that people can get if they are deemed to have a spare bedroom in their council or housing The changes include: association home. This will happen from April • capping household benefit payments so that 2013 to tenants of working age. families do not receive more in benefits than after-tax earnings for working households; The size criteria in the social rented sector will • withdrawing Child Benefit from households restrict housing benefit to allow for one bedroom with a higher rate taxpayer; for each person or couple living as part of the • measures to control the cost of Tax Credits; household, with the following exceptions: • measures to control the cost Housing Benefit, • Children under 16 of same gender expected to what’s known as ‘’The Bedroom Tax;’’ share • measures to control the cost Council Tax • Children under 10 expected to share regardless Benefit; and of gender • time-limiting contributory Employment and (A disabled tenant or partner who needs non Support Allowance for those in the Work resident overnight carer will be allowed an extra Related Activity Group. bedroom)

The introduction of Universal Credit in October Who will be affected? 2013 will mean that people will be better off for All claimants who are deemed to have at least each hour they work and every pound they earn. one spare bedroom will be affected. This includes It will cut through the complexity of the existing parents whose children visit but are not part of benefit system to make it easier for people to get the household. the help they need and when they need it.

14 spring 2013 01443 424 200 money How much will people lose? The Government has said that this will be set at 14% for one extra bedroom and 25% for two or more extra bedrooms. This is a percentage of your eligible rent. What does The governments impact assessment shows that Housing it mean for association tenants are expected to lose £16 a week on average. residents? How many people will see their Do you have a spare benefit cut? bedroom? The proposal will affect an estimated 660,000 working- If so, you will be affected age social tenants – 31% of existing working-age housing benefit claimants in the social sector. The majority of by the welfare reform. these people have only one extra bedroom. But don’t lose sleep, we can help. What about lodgers? From April 2013 lodgers will count as occupying a room For more information on the under the size criteria rules. Any income from a lodger welfare reform, “Bedroom Tax” will be taken into account and deducted pound for and other aspects of the reform pound from benefit apart from the first £20. and what this all means for you please contact Natasha on the What about students studying away details below; from home? Households where there is a room kept for a student Natasha McCarthy studying away from home will not be deemed to be Financial Inclusion Officer under-occupying if the student is away for less than 52 Telephone: 01443 424 231 weeks. Fax: 01443 437 366 Personal Independent Payment Mobile: 07889 068 043 From 8 April 2013 the Government is introducing a Email: [email protected] new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for eligible working age people aged 16 to 64.

PIP helps with some of the extra costs caused by ill- health or a disability. What you’ll get is not based on your condition but on how your condition affects you.

You may need an assessment to work out the level of help you get. Your needs will be regularly reassessed to make sure you’re getting the right support. Most people already getting DLA won’t be affected by PIP until 2015 or later.

[email protected] www.rhondda.org spring 2013 15 Are you a Rhondda Housing Association tenant?

Are you claiming Job Seekers Allowance? Do you need support to use Universal Job Match or to access a computer? We are able to support you!

Rhondda Housing Associations offices at 9 Compton Road in Tonypandy are open to tenants Monday 20th May starting from between 9.30am – 11.00am

For more information contact Rhondda Housing Association on 01443 424218 or email: [email protected]