CCHA Lets Tenants Create New Local Playpark

Case Study

True Tenant Engagement: Thoughtful English Housing Association Lets Tenants Create New Local Playpark

Castles and Coasts Housing Association (CCHA), a 7,000+ unit social housing provider in the North of England, were in the process of deciding on upgrades for a new playpark. Their drive for improved tenant engagement and participation led them to do something many associations would never have dreamed of; they let their residents design the playpark.

We know the best way to understand what tenants want to see is via tenant consultations

As one of the most innovative social housing providers in the UK, CCHA know the value of strong tenant engagement. Every day they see the positive effects of engaging with tenants and consulting with them on things which are relevant to them and their families. In one neighbourhood, CCHA had some funding to upgrade a tired local playpark, with the aim of giving local children somewhere to socialise and play safely.

Most associations in this position would be happy to plan the playpark, its equipment, and all aspects of it themselves without engaging tenants on the details, knowing that most tenants would be happy that they were getting a new playpark. But CCHA wanted to do more than that. They wanted to involve residents and allow them to choose what they wanted for their children.

CCHA’s Solution

CCHA took an innovative approach to achieving this within their timescales and budget constraints. Rather than give tenants an open-ended questionnaire, CCHA presented tenants with two fully costed options, both of which would be suitable for the park, and allowed them to vote on their preference. Tenants were given pictures showing the two options so they were easy to understand, and the survey was distributed to those who lived within a certain range of the playpark - those who would get most use out of it.

Client:

Ben Chilvers
SENIOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OFFICER

“Improving our services to tenants is our number one priority at CCHA. We know the best way to understand what tenants want to see is via tenant consultations. By involving our tenants in our decision-making process, even in such a controlled way, we let tenants know that we care, that we’re listening, and that we’re willing to take action on their suggestions.”

CCHA’s Results

Tenants were over the moon to be given the opportunity to choose what improvements were made to the playpark. Some residents even expressed that they had let their children pick which playpark they wanted. While CCHA maintained control over the options presented to the tenants, they still gave tenants a say in the matter, so much so that tenants repeatedly expressed how happy they were to have been consulted on the project.

The park voted for by residents was built, and the residents of the neighbourhood were able to take real pride in it, as they had had a say in its creation. The park stands now as a testament to what true tenant engagement can achieve, and how the simple act of consulting with tenants on things that are relevant to them can make such an enormous difference in the perception of their views being listened to and acted upon.

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