Attended a nationwide housing particiation event

Please Note: Due to confidentiality and privacy, I will not feature any names or the change of the housing organisation I am represented with.

I was invited to a housing conference on the importance of representation of voices as an housing resident.

I was joined by a member of the local scrutiny group and a participation staff member from housing association

Event Information

National Tenants Scrutiny conference is a day long event, organised by the housing organisation "Tpas" (Tenant Participation Advisory Service) is a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving tenant engagement nationwide.

It took place at Holywell Park Conference Centre, located the science campus of the University of Loughborough with the attendance from housing residents from scrutiny groups from all regions of England including housing associations, charities and local authorities.

The event includes schedules of presentation talks and features with some of the schedules were optional.

General schedule
This part of the event for all the visitors of the event

Keynote panel scrutiny from all sides
A panelist discussions which enables to address ideas specific matters and Solutions which encourages residents to use as for the thinking ideas in their communities.

Jack Smith, Assistant Director Assessment and Tenant Engagement at the Regulator of Social Housing - a regulation body from the HM Government
Jack has developed and presented an information structure from a report related to standards and enables a tenant voice.
The guidelines from the reports should be used on engagement to make sure the standards are met.

Explain the department's functions related to housing organizations and local authorities. This includes inspections, developing reports and analysis and assessing the tenancy so it's factory measures. Discover questions related to it working and how it benefits you.


Alicia Matlock, an housing participant as developed a family of independent information and Solutions on tenant participation
She presented her insight how we must from a situation with the Tennant's voices are not also listened to taken into consideration. Also she addresses matters related to engagement with the whole truth isn't always realised. Emphasising more needs to be done to remove the barriers between the perception and reality.

Adrian Foster, independent councillor and scrutiny expert for Tpas
He addresses the kind of development he has done with this organisation Aspire Housing to improve tenants engagement.

Councillor Caritas Charles
Emphasise the importance that tenancy should be a compliment not as a competition to the management and key decision-makers.

Specialised schedules
This was aspects of the event which was optional to attend for all delegate

No nonsense guide to scrutiny for newbies
During the first customised schedule it started with an interactive question and answer exploring different aspects of scrutiny.
Doing this presentation we explore different aspects of scrutiny including: Principal, process & people.

This includes to ensure standards regulatory judgments. A review of engagement should happen every three years.
Also it covers areas such as building safety competency and standards it is related to real changes.

Top tips for effective scrutiny
With the second customised schedule, focuses on how we can engage the standards of scrutiny.
Throughout the event it addressed a number of questions for everyone to ideas within smaller groups.

Some examples covered including such as what does what are the good and bad aspects
Write the governance and transparency this also includes the good and bad areas of tenancy.

The overall conclusion leads to ideas including opportunities when issues are addressed and increasing opportunities for Communities to have their say including pop-up participation events
 in the community. Also suggest that any decisions and the structure of Voices must be tenants and not managerial lead. Is it not only related to participation and scrutiny but also this related to decision making. In addition to this, not making the approach should be harmonized.

Showcase event
The event concludes with a special awards event with five finalists on representative of housing organizations and residents present their specific achievement or development within five minutes. The audience votes for the overall winner to win the scrutiny impact act trophy.
The winner was a housing organisation Anchor focusing on their strategy related to anti-social behaviour.

Final conclusion

The event is a starting point to enable engement and postive development between the residents along with the hosuing provider staff and management



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Notice to editors

Keith Mckenzie
Keith is an awareness campaigner, a creative designer (Graphic design and digital art) and a salsa dancing participant
With a background in Art & Design (including Graphic Design & Digital art) and a participant in music-related film documentaries, events & record label project King Of the Beats including filming and behind the scene preparations.
Keith was educated at Hereford College of the Arts, the University of Northampton, Birmingham City University and Google's Digital Garage. Since 2000 , he has developed over twenty years in providing awareness projects, campaigns and activities with the Awareness brand Plus Value Awareness along with Differences Originals. Also am involved with salsa classes in the local community
as an assistant. I also have participated in major dancing conventions in Birmingham's, including Motion City (created by Birmingham Latinmotion and London's ManboCity) during the summer and Latinmotion's NYE Fest during the New Year public holiday.
In 2022. Keith became a featured community participant for Birmingham who became part of special projects and campaigns to promote a positive legacy beyond hosting the Commonwealth Games