Summer Newsletter
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Summer 2016 THE Rhondda Housing Association | Cymdeithas Tai Rhondda p 06 WTea, Talka yAhead and Tech Combatting social isolation & developing digital skills community news Keeping In Touch We want to make sure that if we need to contact you with important information, we are able to do so. r out of ed any Has anyone moved in o ve chang If you ha bers your home, since you last hone num of your p our spoke to us? If so then please s know y ase let u know, so that we can ple mbers let us urrent nu cords c H update our re ave you c n hanged y ame sinc our e you star tenancy ted your ? This mig ex ht be, fo ample, if r you have married o r divorced Please l et us know In this issue your curr ent email COMMUNITY address 04 Get Involved 06 Tea, Talk, Tech 11 Homelessness Prevention Please contact our Customer MONEY Services team on 01443 424200 12 Income Advice Team 13 Moneyline Cymru and they will be happy to help. HOUSING 15 Condensation 18 Award Winners 20 Homes for Sale Ways To Contact Us This newsletter is printed on environmentally 01443 424200 friendly sustainable paper. When you have finished reading, please recycle it. [email protected] recycle www.rhondda.org @rhahousing [email protected] www.rhondda.org 01443 424 200 community Make It Work e it Work Mak ce rk experien o week wo is a tw r offices in unity at ou u opport ng part yo rough taki ypandy. Th ared for Ton ls, be prep n new skil T. & can gai omplete I. lace and c the workp ining. Service tra Customer So far: participants have 55 taken part over: ent will c gained employment r placem 23 You ills phone sk • Tele e public are now long term with th 15 volunteering • Dealing ration Administ • skills omputer rience • C vice expe omer ser orkplace • Cust y in the w and safet • Health These skills can enhance confidence in both your personal life and in your future career. Participants can choose the department they want to gain experience in and will be supported by a For m Make It Work staff mentor. ore information em ail: GetInvolved@ The placement runs alongside ‘Customer Service rhondda.org or telephon and Business Administration’ training, delivered e 01443 424200 via Learn Direct, so you get experience and a qualification. Great for your CV! [email protected] www.rhondda.org summer 2016 03 Ge tting Involved with RHA can be as simple as responding to an e mail we send, to gi ving your time and attending our te nants groups. We understand that as tenants you can help us improve our services by telling us what is important to you and how we can change things for the better. There are many ways to Get Involved: oining or setting up local er J Becoming a Tenant Board Memb tenant/community groups services Becoming a me ng feedback on mber of our Tenant Providi e Asses nd maintenanc sors group or Social Inclusion group like repairs a Attending tenants events Completing questionnaires We have lots going in and one of our groups is looking at the way we communicate with tenants digitally. Whether that’s our website, social media, mobile phone apps, emails or text messages. We want to make it easier for you to get in touch with us. o help people “I helps me get out, I get t el really good” cant and that makes me fe ribute we on’t cont work “If we d ange and “I get involved gs to ch now to help the pect thin doesn’t k Assoc ex sociation iation better understand , the As p” for us speak u what tenants really n unless we eed” “I got invo lved because bette I want to fe r; more conf el m ident and pro yself.II want t ud of hings to chan how ge I shape services can improve” If you are interested in getting more involved or would like more information please speak to your Neighbourhood Officers, call us on 01443 424218 or email [email protected] [email protected] www.rhondda.org summer 2016 05 community Tea, Talk & Tech! During April & May we organised special events for our older tenants to get involved in. Our Tea, Talk, Tech events have been organised in partnership with Interlink, Phoenix Initiative & Wales & West Housing and provided an informal atmosphere where they could learn computer skills and meet new friends. The events created the perfect opportunity for local community members to come together and get to know each other. They all enjoyed delicious afternoon tea with us and received support & advice on the Universal Credit changes. Our partners, Phoenix initiative are running computer classes in Treorchy every Tuesday morning. The sessions are suitable for all abilities so Get Involved! Please ring your neighbourhood officer Liam on 01443 424217 for details. 06 summer 2016 01443 424 200 community If you would like to get involved in forthcoming events, learn I.T. skills or would like support then contact Simone on 01443 424218 or email [email protected] [email protected] www.rhondda.org summer 2016 07 general news What’s oing On G a In Your Are • The Hive – Men’s & Women’s Sheds: This wonderful group provide woodwork skills, sewing, walking football, free golf coaching and a place to meet new friends. Contact Paul, Diane or Eric on 01443 682312 for details or Email: [email protected] • Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain : Each Wednesday between 2.00-3.30pm at Alec Jones Day Centre, Station Street in Porth. Please call prior to attending by contacting 01685 353919 or email [email protected] • Health Checks : Drink Wise Age Well host events offering blood pressure testing, diabetes screening, lung capacity testing, smoking cessation service, alcohol direct engagement and can meet their support team. Please contact: 0800 161 5780 or 07958 162 061 or email: [email protected] for more info. • Welsh Hearts – Community Classes: The Welsh Hearts charity shop in Tonypandy welcomes you to join their community classes. Card & craft classes, beauty treatments, sewing, and patchwork are just a few of the classes they offer. For more information please contact [email protected] or call 02920 647735 or visit welshhearts.org/RCT100 08 summer 2016 01443 424 200 community Llys Catwg Tenants & Residents Association This successful tenant & community group had a wonderful 2015 and isnt letting up this year! The group have seen Beauty & the Beast pantomime in Porthcawl’s Grand Pavilion and neighbours, family and friends had a fantastic day out. They also had a trip to Banbury Market which proved very popular. The group are planning some fundraising at the Cancer Research Fun Run in Cardiff. And have a fantastic day out to Weymouth planned for 14th August 2016. Anyone wishing to join please contact Mr & Mrs Jones on 07480378516 or 01443 226862 [email protected] www.rhondda.org summer 2016 09 community Homelessness Prevention Project Rhondda Include was very pleased to welcome local Councillor Joel James to RHA earlier this year. We invited Councillor James to meet with us to With support, he was able to look at what learn more about the support we offer to people income he had, budget and manage his bills living throughout Rhondda Cynon Taff, how better. He had more money to buy things for his much it means to people who have used the flat which made it feel more like his home. Mr O service and the benefits of receiving support at has stopped drinking, his health has improved the time it is needed. Councillor James met with dramatically, he has re-applied for his driving somebody who had received support from our license, and is looking at volunteering. His service, Mr O spoke at length about when things relationships with his family are much better had started to go wrong in his life and how and he has re-established contact with his support had helped him to turn a corner and get children. Mr O feels he is now able to look back on track. forward to a future. Mr O’s relationship broke down about ten years Councillor James was able to gain a very open ago and he became very depressed. He started and honest picture about some of the to drink heavily but has since realised that this difficulties faced by residents in the community caused as many problems as it solved; he lost his and how important support is to people to help driving licence and his health was affected them overcome barriers and obstacles to make badly. During this time he was living in a private positive changes in their life. rented flat, which was damp and costing him £125 per month to keep up with his rent He was also very keen to learn more about issues payments. Mr O moved into a new property, such as welfare reform and universal credit and which was much better than his previous flat, asked questions about the effect these may have but away from family and friends. He felt lonely on tenants and services in the local community. which led to his depression and drinking becoming worse. [email protected] www.rhondda.org summer 2016 11 money Our ‘NEW’ Income Advice Team We understand the benefit changes and cost of living can be challenging for our tenants and we want to support you.