Big Win for BIG Community Voice Initiative

17 June 2015
View more in Awards, Residents, Tenant Participation

A community engagement initiative backed by three local housing associations has won a national ‘Tenant Participation’ Award, presented in Cardiff.

Cartrefi Conwy, Clwyd Alyn Housing Association and North Wales Housing Association have been working in partnership since May 2013, as part of the ‘Conwy Together’ Project and last week their Conwy BIG Community Voice initiative won the prestigious award for annual Tenant Participation covering the whole of Wales awarded by TPAS Cymru, the Tenant Participation and Advisory.

The ‘Conwy BIG Community Voice’ initiative is coordinated by Conwy Voluntary Services Council, (CVSC) and funded by Big Lottery Funding.

Under the scheme the three housing associations have worked together providing a wide variety of events and activities to creatively to engage residents with Conwy empowering them to have a great say on services and issues affecting their daily lives.

Events ranged from family fun days and silent-cinema events to a regular community a forum with a wide range of visiting speakers.

I really enjoyed meeting councillors and politicians at the forums – I think they were surprised how much we had to say!” said Anne Rothwell, a resident at Pentre Mawr in Abergele.

Mr S. (Mitch) Mitchell also praised the forum events, saying that the relaxed atmosphere really encouraged residents’ participation in discussions.

Iwan Evans, Tenant Participation Co-ordinator at North Wales Housing said:

North Wales Housing is extremely pleased that the project has won this important award. The project has undoubtedly been a success; it has been instrumental in ensuring hard to reach tenants a voice and opinion regarding public body activity and services. North Wales Housing tenants have enjoyed the many activities and found them useful.”

David Lloyd, Director of TPAS Cymru said:

Our annual Participation Awards give us an opportunity to recognise that tenant participation changes housing services and communities for the better. The awards provide a showcase for best practice across Wales in ensuring that tenants are at the heart of housing services. It’s been great to celebrate the achievements of participation and we’ve seen some inspiring and motivational winning entries once again this year.”