Freephone: 0800 107 2204

Run by Metropolitan Support Trust (MST), part of Metropolitan Housing Partnership, Golden Age provides access to lots of affordable activities, including coffee mornings, bingo, chair-based exercises, quizzes, competitions, reminiscence activities and outings. Discounts on handyperson and gardening services are also part of the package, as well as a specialist telephone service providing advice ranging from financial matters, to home security and details of vetted and approved building contractors.

Tottenham resident and Golden Age member Merle Roberts said: “I worked as a carer myself for over 20 years so I know first-hand how important it is for people to have access to this kind of service. There’s a feeling of togetherness and the staff are fantastic. I’ve been telling lots of people about Golden Age and really encouraging them to join in.”

As part of MST’s special offer residents can sign up between now and 30 June 2012 and pay just £4.99 per month. This is an excellent opportunity as the subscription is usually £9.95 per month. Payment can be made through personalised care budgets or by family members and it could even make a great gift!

Joyce Springer, Support Manager at MST, added: “Golden Age provides the essential activities and support that older people tell us are important to them. They want to stay active, maintain their independence and continue to live in their own homes. As a not-for-profit organisation, MST is committed to providing this service at an affordable rate and is passionate about providing much needed support to older people.”

Joyce continued: “We hope that more older residents in Haringey will contact us and use the service, however, the offer is also open to current subscribers so they too can benefit from our short-term offer. What’s more, if existing members introduce a friend who goes on to become a member, we’ll also give them one month’s membership for free!”

More information is available at: www.mst-online.org.uk/goldenage. To discuss the benefits of Golden Age please contact: 020 3535 4760 or email goldenage@mst-online.org.uk

 The qualification means he has been trained to carry out inspections of MHP services to the same standards of scrutiny as former Audit Commission inspectors.

Terry (centre) is welcomed by the other MHP Resident Inspectors

 This fantastic achievement was celebrated at a recent graduation attended by MHP’s former Chief Executive Bill Payne and fellow resident inspectors.

Terry, who lives in Hackney, said: “I had a lack of confidence when I started the training and I wanted to leave but the team wouldn’t let me. I really do enjoy being involved and I hope my contribution makes a difference.”

MHP’s inspection programme has been designed jointly with the Housing Quality Network (HQN) to help drive service improvements. It assesses services as they are experienced by residents against the benchmark of an excellent performing housing association. The resident inspectors are required to complete at least a year of rigorous training, covering areas such as housing regulation, voids standards and gas safety.

Bill Payne, who presented the certificate said,: “Well done Terry you are a great role model for others. A lot of graft and experience has gone into this qualification and you should hang on to all the confidence and knowledge you have gained. I am so proud of everyone around the table. You put so much work into getting to the route of issues within the organisation and finding solutions which help make improvements for all.”

Sue Farrant, HQN Associate, commented: “Terry, you bring a huge amount to the team. We enjoy your quiet good humour and we are thrilled you made it to the end.”

Sue continued: “The standards maintained by Resident Inspectors at MHP are extremely high and promote the flagship resident inspector model within the sector. MHP is fortunate enough to have residents of such a high calibre and committed staff.  These factors, along with professionalism and good humour, are what make the programme work so well.”

Gill Stead, Director – Performance Improvement, Housing Quality Network (HQN) added: “MHP’s Resident Inspector programme still leads the way as there are no other programmes which reflect the same amount of rigour. Other parts of the organisation are asking inspectors to assess them as they recognise the process can make a real difference.”

Any housing associations who would like to know more about setting up a resident auditor programme, or  arranging taster days for  staff and residents,  should contact Pat Goldfeather on 0203 535 3411 or email pat.goldfeather@mhp-online.co.uk

This isn’t just a lick of paint. We are rebranding as part of the key changes we are making to improve our services, some of which we’ve spoken to customers about under the Services to Suit You campaign. Moving to one brand will also save money in the long run.

Involving our customers

Before we could decide what Metropolitan would look like, we talked to our customers and staff to understand the key qualities or ‘attributes’ that they thought our organisation should be, and our new brand should reflect.

We spoke to our staff and customers about the three visual identities, designed by our in-house team, to find out which said ‘Metropolitan’ to them. A series of ten customer focus groups, which included residents and service users, and customer groups such as the National Residents Group members and our Scrutiny Panel, took place in early December. In addition, 85 customers gave us their views through an online survey, identifying the key attributes that they saw as most important and the visual identity that best reflected them.

The key qualities our customers said were important to them was that we are:

• Caring
• Reliable
• Trustworthy
• Listening
• Professional
• Consistent.

The wide range of feedback and comments from our customers and staff, were key in choosing what the information we provide you with will look like and sound like in the future.

Our customers will get a sneak preview of our new identity in their next resident newsletters, and we’ll be updating our websites and other information in April 2012.

MHP has been ranked in the top 100 of the Index since it was launched, but this is its highest ever ranking and a significant improvement from last year’s position of 21.  It is also the highest ever ranking for a housing provider.

Peter Cleland, MHP’s interim CEO, comments: “This is a marvellous achievement for MHP, and testament to our overall approach to diversity, in both the workplace and the way that we deliver our services.  It is also a wonderful tribute to Bill’s exceptional leadership, which has left a lasting mark on MHP.  Bill is a passionate believer in equality, and in his time with us put it at the centre of our business agenda to ensure that we recruit exceptional staff, regardless of their background, and provide the best possible services and opportunities to our diverse customers and communities.”

Barbara Roche, MHP Chair, added: “It is excellent that we have been ranked at number 5. This demonstrates our commitment to equality and social justice even during difficult economic times. It is important that we hold onto our values and do not get complacent in this area.”
The Index, which has been running since 2006, recognises those employers who make a positive commitment to developing an inclusive and welcoming workplace for LGB staff.  Organisations are judged on a wide range of criteria including their employment and recruitment policies, support for employee network groups, leadership on diversity issues, supply chain management, communication, services to LGB customers, and wider engagement with the gay community.

In recent years, MHP has published ground-breaking research on the housing experiences of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) asylum seekers and co-sponsored the Chartered Institute of Housing’s Practice Brief, ‘Providing Housing Services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Customers’.  It also runs what is believed to be the only service of its kind in Europe for gay and bi men escaping domestic violence and abuse, which was a finalist in the Guardian Public Services Awards in 2011.  MHP was also a finalist in the European Diversity Award last year, in recognition of the marketing of its affordable home ownership products to the gay community.

Bill Payne comments: “I am thrilled and proud for MHP to have done so well in the Workplace Equality Index, and very honoured to be recognised by Stonewall in this way.  But it’s really an award for the gay staff at MHP, and the other terrific colleagues that I worked with.  METRO, MHP’s staff network group, provided a great model for the way that employers can work with their staff to understand the issues facing specific groups, and improve their business and services as a result.  I’ve learned from them, and so has MHP.”

Ben Summerskill, Stonewall Chief Executive remarks:  “We are very pleased to recognise Bill Payne’s commitment and achievements, which have brought MHP to a leading position in the housing sector.  Bill has provided real leadership and inspiration not just to lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, but to everyone committed to delivering the very best quality service to all of MHP’s customers.’

Pamela Sinnott, Chair of METRO, MHP’s LGB staff group adds: “We’re delighted by this news, which recognises the work staff have done with MHP,  to improve the work environment for LGBT  people and ensure awareness and responsiveness to the  needs of our LBGT customers.  Bill is an inspirational leader, and has contributed enormously to making MHP a great place to work.  We’re very proud of his personal achievement, and for the unfailing support he has always shown.”

The new heating controls tool, called ‘Set It Right’, aims to simplify the science of setting heating controls to maximise savings through the use of interactive illustrations.  With over 60% of the average household energy bill attributed to heat and hot water, it is a really important part of the energy saving puzzle. However, heating controls are notoriously confusing and not enough people understand how best to set them.

MHP’s latest report, Homes of Our Times, confirms that only half of the residents sampled knew how to set their heating controls. These findings reinforce the urgent need to look for new ways to help residents make cost-effective use of their heating systems and save on their energy bills.

London resident Victoria Robinson commented on the module saying; “I think it’s great MHP has produced this module. For complex information such as this, pictures can appeal more than text. I think it should be referenced in welcome packs for new residents so they are aware of it from the beginning. It will also be a useful resource for residents who call up with gas or money problems.”

Matt Bush, Sustainability Manager for MHP, said: “Our residents have a huge variety of different heating systems, so making an accessible information guide that accommodates that range of need was challenging. However, we have come up with an engaging on-line solution that takes heating control beyond just telling customers to turn down the thermostat by one degree.

“The module is particularly timely with the government announcing its green deal initiative where residents are offered incentives for investing in energy saving technology, however, if residents do not understand how to use existing technology then it will be largely ineffective.”

Susan Jones, Energy Efficiency Advice Manager, for the Energy Saving Trust, commented: “Understanding how to control your heating and hot water can make a really big difference to energy bills.  After all, why pay to heat your home when you are out?  This new heating control module is great as it provides clear instructions for residents to follow and is something that everyone can do regardless of the type of heating they have in their home.”

MHP’s heating control module, Set it Right, can be viewed at:
http://www.mhp-online.co.uk/setitright

Victoria (28) is as an Assistant Management Accountant for the Philharmonia Orchestra in Waterloo and Stuart (34) works as an Elite Operator for Coral in Barking.  The couple, who have been married for six-and-a-half years, once thought it would be impossible for them to buy a home but they are now living in a place they can call their own.

Victoria and Stuart previously rented a one bedroom housing association flat in a nearby area where the lack of space and surrounding environment meant that they were put off from starting a family.  Financial issues prevented them from getting a joint mortgage and Victoria could not afford to buy a place in Dagenham.

However, Victoria and Stuart found themselves in the right place at the right time when they helped their friends move into their new apartment at the Lymington Place development, which transformed the site of what was once Barking Technical College (which closed back in the 1980’s). Their friends had been allocated an apartment through MHO’s intermediate rent scheme.

Victoria said: “I was telling my friends about how we really wanted to move and they suggested we contacted MHO to see if they had any vacant properties at the development. I called MHO on the Monday and was told that they didn’t have any rental properties left but did have homes available to buy.”

Still adamant during the initial conversations that buying a property was not a possibility for them Victoria and Stuart learnt more about the options available and were then offered a home just 10 days later through FIRST STEPS Shared Ownership.

Shared Ownership is a flexible part buy part rent option that enables first time buyers to buy what they can afford now without over-stretching themselves financially.  Each month, the home buyer pays off some of the mortgage on the proportion of the home they are buying, and pay MHO a rent on the remainder.

In Victoria and Stuart’s case they bought a 30% share for £57,000 based on their home’s full market value of £190,000, they did this using a deposit and mortgage. Their monthly housing costs are less than £700 per month – more than they were previously paying for their housing association flat but now they have a brand new home of their own and they have invested in their future.

The buying process began in June 2011 and the couple were delighted to move in just four months later in early October.

“I can’t praise MHO enough,” said Victoria. “This was my first time of buying a property and yet they made the process seem so easy as they supported us every step of the way. It all happened so quickly!”

Their two bedroom house has a front and back garden and a driveway. It is just half a mile away from Chadwell Heath station, which has trains that take as little as 25 minutes to get into Liverpool Street.  There is also a supermarket and a leisure centre within walking distance and a major shopping centre just a short drive away, Stratford, the Olympic Park and Westfield Centre are also a short journey away by rail from Chadwell Heath station.

Victoria is very happy to be enjoying the benefits of living in a brand new house. She said: “It’s so nice to have brand new appliances in the kitchen. Gas and electricity bills are a bit lower than we expected and on the whole the house seems very well insulated as the outside noise is cut out and the heat is kept in.”

In buying a new home in Lymington Place, the couple have made their previous flat rented from Barking and Dagenham council available to local people who are in more urgent housing need.

Victoria continued, “We are just 100 steps from the same friends we helped to move in the summer! There is a great sense of community in the area as most of us moved in around the same time.”

“The best thing about the move is the prospect of a future with a baby. We have our own front door and there is no one above us or below. We can also invest money in decorating the house to our taste as it is ours.”

“I urge anyone who doesn’t think they are able to buy to look into the options available and not to give up. Shared Ownership is a simple solution and with the support of MHO it was a smooth and easy process for us.”

“We were in our new home in time for Christmas and we can honestly say that MHO has made our dreams come true.”

Fiona Hopkins, Regional Sales Manager at MHO said:

“We’ve been able to offer great affordability and a great product through close working with our partners at Countryside Properties and the local authority. Affordable, family sized housing is always in high demand and we’re delighted to have been able to offer it at Lymington Place, helping to free-up much needed social rented housing and contributing to the regeneration of the area.”

MHO will be soon launching further releases of new FIRST STEPS Shared Ownership homes at Lymington Place, visit www.mho.co.uk for more details.

As Heartlands is a specialist visual arts and media school the students leapt at the chance to show their creative skills and be in with the chance of winning a prize. A number of entries were received ranging from photos taken at school, people at home and outings with the family. The photos were also displayed at Wood Green Shopping City Mall for 2 weeks.The idea for the competition came up as MHP’s Head of Facilities, Tanem Mehmet, was looking for artwork to decorate the MHP head offices just a short walk away from the school. She said: “MHP is always looking for opportunities to work closely with young people in the community so the photo competition seemed like the perfect opportunity to do this and get new and original artwork for our offices.”

“It’s been so nice being involved with the school and we were really impressed with the creative and thoughtful photos received. We can’t wait to put them up in our offices.”

The winner and runner up were announced at presentation in front of the school. The winner, Jodie Bulmer, won an iPod shuffle donated by one of MHP’s suppliers. Her photo was taken in the art room at school to represent the fact she is creative person and loves drawing.
Beya Khaldi was the runner up and she received a voucher for HMV. Beya chose the seaside as her happy place as she has very fond memories of the seaside from when she was little.
Heather Denny, Assistant Head Teacher and Head of Arts said: “Being part of a specialist school in visual arts and media it’s important for the students to experience how their specialism can be used to benefit the wider community. The competition was great as it required them to utilise their creative and literacy skills and it also boosted their confidence. It is also good that they learnt a bit about what Metropolitan Housing Partnership does as an organisation.”

The visit, which was arranged out of a partnership between Metropolitan Housing Partnership, Rushcliffe Borough Council and Positive Futures, provided an opportunity for the young people to showcase and sell their work. Whilst in London, the young people also visited the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum to attend a workshop to learn more about the process of jewellery making. They went on to visit an exhibition of jewellery that has been designed and made by award-winning St Martin’s College in London so they can get inspiration from the best young talent in the country.

Emily Gilbert, aged 18, got involved with jewellery making through Positive Futures. “If we weren’t involved in this, there wouldn’t be a lot to do. Some of us would be involved in drinking out on the street or just hanging around, others would stay at home and not do much. We’ve really enjoyed making the jewellery and we all got quite good at it. Now we have the chance to run a business it would be silly not to take up the opportunity, and the best lessons we have learned are to work hard at sourcing stock and also be punctual and organised.”

Deena, 13, moved house in January and got involved because she thought it would be a good way to get to know other people of her age in the area. “The other girls who are part of the project are like a family to me now.
“The trip to London was great. We got to see what other people are doing at the V&A museum and on the other stalls at Brick Lane market. It gave us some ideas and maybe gave other people a few once they’ve looked at our work!”

Sandra Ferguson, Head of Communities and Regeneration, from Metropolitan Housing Partnership said: “We arranged for the young people to visit London to both learn new skills in jewellery making and also try selling their handiwork in a busy marketplace. This new venture with Rushcliffe is part of our commitment to support young people living in Cotgrave to see the opportunities that are available to them.

Allen Graham, chief executive at Rushcliffe said: “I saw the young people’s jewellery at the Positive Future’s celebration evening in the summer and thought how great it would be if we could help them gain some experience in selling as well as making their jewellery. Thanks to the brilliant partnership with Metropolitan Housing Partnership and the dedicated support of the Positive Futures Team I am delighted that they have had the opportunity to break into the London market. Who knows what they could go on to do in the future?”

Commissioned by The Hyde Group, Does debt advice pay? A business case for social landlords was written by the Financial Inclusion Centre and funded by Friends Provident Foundation. The report was launched on Wednesday 30 November at the House of Commons and includes the first ever toolkit for measuring the cost benefit of financial inclusion services.

The research, which involved close working between all partners, studied the practices of Hyde and six other leading housing associations: Affinity Sutton, AmicusHorizon, Circle, Metropolitan Housing Partnership, Southern Housing Group and Wandle.

The report demonstrates clear benefits to the government, housing providers and social housing tenants for investing in early intervention debt advice particularly in the context of the recession, high cost of living and welfare reforms such as universal credit.

The Does debt advice pay? report recommends that housing providers:

• Urgently start or maintain their investment in debt advice, to help people manage their finances. This is a crucial move as future benefit reforms could lead to an increase in rent arrears.
•  Directly fund specialist debt advice but to also increase their investment to ensure more residents access services, and at an earlier stage.
• Review their own approach to debt advice delivery and make more informed and longer-term investment decisions.

The report found that debt advice, when given in the early stages of the debt build up, could potentially prevent over 7,000  evictions due to rent arrears every year. Research also revealed that each prevented eviction saves associated eviction costs of up to £8k. This means potentially 2000 new homes could be built instead from the accumulated costs of evictions per year, according to the Homes and Communities Agency’s new funding system.

There is a financial gain for social landlords through reductions in rent arrears which can be invested back into resident services. For every tenant who receives debt advice there is on average a rent arrears reduction of £360. After debt advice was given, rent arrears reduced for 71% of residents.

Debt advice has wider and long-lasting benefits for tenants. It empowers them to not slip back into debt. It can be considered a one-off investment for life, breaking the vicious circle of debt by changing tenants’ behaviour and attitude towards the management of their debt and arrears. Debt advice supports tenants to manage their finances better and seek jobs and training, which increases their life skills and opportunities.

Key Statistics:

• For every £100 a social landlord invests in direct debt services, a financial net return of £122 is achieved, representing a 22% return on investment
• Over the 12 months following a referral to debt advice services, a rent arrears reduction of 37% or £550 per resident was achieved
• There is a £239 financial gain to social landlords for every supported resident, compared to those who received non specialist advice
• Debt advice is currently considered part of a social landlord’s corporate social responsibility; it should become part of core services
• 90% of residents accessing debt advice had rent arrears

Steve White, Hyde Group Chief Executive, said: “With the launch of Does debt advice pay? A business case for social landlords we, as a partnership of seven housing associations are calling for the Government and Local Authorities to recognise, through the eyes of social landlords, the importance of debt advice and early intervention and to fund where appropriate.

“Now is the time to invest in debt advice, and this report describes exactly how this can be achieved: by providing our residents with the financial confidence and knowledge to enable them to stabilise their financial situation.

“The timing of this report couldn’t be better, with the introduction of universal credit; social housing tenants will need to manage their finances more independently than ever before. Social landlords preparing for the challenges of universal credit must promote financial well-being, provide earlier support and take early and decisive action when escalating problems are identified. Social landlords should be encouraged by the Government and Local Authorities to step in and help society’s most vulnerable people with in-house debt advice.”