ARK and Birmingham City Council SHDF Tenant Engagement Project

At ARK Consultancy, we have more than 30 years’ experience in housing consultancy solutions. Our Tenant Engagement experts have helped Birmingham City Council to enhance tenant participation and address several critical aspects affecting residents with retrofitting work that the council is undertaking .

Background

The UK Government is set to launch the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 3, focusing on enhancing energy efficiency in social homes across England and Wales. This initiative aims to combat fuel poverty, improve tenant well-being, and support the green economy. By targeting social housing with measures to raise energy performance, SHDF Wave 3 seeks to substantially improve living conditions and contribute to the UK’s Net Zero 2050 goals.

Tenant engagement is critical to the success of this initiative, as it ensures residents are informed, involved, and supportive of retrofit works that may impact their homes. By actively involving tenants, housing providers can address concerns, foster trust, and ensure that energy efficiency measures are successfully implemented, delivering long-term benefits like lower energy bills, improved comfort, and environmental sustainability. Engaged tenants are more likely to adopt energy-saving behaviours, further enhancing the overall impact of SHDF Wave 3 on both individual households and the wider community.

Building on this approach, the ARK team sought to actively encourage and enhance tenant participation about retrofitting work, ensuring tenant voices were heard while keeping Birmingham City Council informed of key learnings throughout the process. The project was guided by key objectives, outlined below:

Project Objectives

Tenant Engagement: Engage with tenants occupying the 2,076 homes and the wider community to shape the retrofit project approach, capture lessons learned, and identify needs for skills training and employment opportunities.
Information and Guidance: Provide tenants with advice on energy-efficiency, addressing myths and fears, as well as working with Citizen Advice and Act On Energy to provide support on issues damp and mould, and how to saving money on their energy bills.
Understanding Tenant Needs: Making tenant engagement, and communication available and using different methods and modes of communication so that the engagement process is inclusive to all.
Promote Retrofit Benefits: Raise awareness and encourage participation in activities related to the benefits of retrofit projects.
Skills Training and Employment: Increase awareness of educational, employment, and training opportunities in the retrofit sector, and assess the level of interest among residents in skill enhancement and qualifications.

Approach and Activities

The ARK Team employed a multifaceted approach to achieve these objectives:

Meetings and Networking: Established connections with various voluntary agencies and charities, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS), and Act on Energy, to support fuel poverty and other related issues.
Events and Activities: Conducted multiple community engagement events in various locations, including Tile Cross, Ward End, Bromford, and Sheldon. These events aimed to directly engage with residents and provide information and support.
Communications Plan: Implemented a comprehensive communications strategy that included completing over 200 surveys, targeted texting, newsletters, social media outreach, and website updates. This approach resulted in over 600 website visits and updated FAQs to address common tenant concerns.

Outcomes

Tenant Engagement: Successfully engaged with a significant portion of the community, gathering valuable insights into tenant needs and concerns.
Information Dissemination: Provided crucial guidance to tenants on energy efficiency, contributing to efforts to reduce fuel poverty.
Community Awareness: Raised awareness of the broader benefits of retrofitting homes through active participation and engagement activities.
Skills and Employment Interest: Identified interest in skills development and employment opportunities in the retrofit sector, with over 45 individuals expressing interest in training programs.
Enhanced Communication: Effectively utilised various communication channels to keep tenants informed and engaged, addressing their queries and concerns promptly.

Future Priorities

The ARK Team has outlined several future priorities to build on the project’s success. They plan to continue engaging with the community by organising additional events and online sessions that focus on critical issues such as fuel poverty, damp and mould problems, and financial management.

We understand that not all residents are able to attend the resident engagement events. To enhance engagement efforts, the team will further telephone calls to residents, particularly targeting those who have been difficult to engage, and and unable to attend any of the engagement events. Maintaining and strengthening relationships with voluntary agencies, training providers, and community organisations is also a key priority. This ongoing collaboration aims to support tenant needs and ensure the continuous achievement of the project.

The Birmingham City Council SHDF Tenant Engagement Project has demonstrated a comprehensive approach to tenant engagement, providing essential support and information to improve the lives of social housing residents while promoting energy efficiency and skills development.

For organisations seeking solutions to tenant engagement, ARK Consultancy stands ready to be your trusted partner.