PR Network minutes, 24 March 2015, CHC Offices

Come on Board – recruiting board members

Bethan Davies, CHC

Beth gave brief overview of the new Come on Board campaign and it’s progression since its launch in 2008. Some key things covered were-

  • Launch of the new site and overview layout
  • Around 15 candidates have been signed up since the launch of the new site
  • Stressed importance that any housing associations that haven’t signed up to do so and to push the marketing locally.
  • Stressed the importance of a bigger push from North Wales and Mid Wales HA’s in order for the campaign to draw a more diverse pool
  • The idea going forward is to stress in our communications what potential candidates can gain from this and to emphasise what we can gain from their involvement
  • Twitter has been the most popular form of drawing potential candidates to the campaign – use of tweeting segments from case studies
  • Use of hashtag #comeonboard

Action – CHC to send out Social Media Images and web banner.

Action – CHC to provide HAs with organisation list of who CHC is communicating with regarding this outside of the housing sector.

Welsh Language Standards and the implications for the Sector – an update

Sioned Hughes, Director of Policy and Regeneration, CHC

Update on the new standards coming into place and the implications for housing sector covering aspects of why the standards are coming into place

  • English and Welsh to be treated equally
  • Reasonableness and Proportionality
  • Out of 5 points in previous report, 4 are relevant to us in the housing sector
  • Any HA organisation that receive over £4,000 from Welsh Government have to abide by these standards going forward
  • 3 briefing sessions in March – 24th March in Cardiff and 31st March in Aberystwyth which will be more relevant to us in the housing sector
  • In May housing associations need to respond to questionnaire regarding current practice
  • 12 week formal consultation report will be submitted by September , then issued in Spring 2016
  • Each HA will be issued with a compliance notice regarding which standards apply to the association
  • CHC have volunteered to comply themselves – going through the same process
  • CHC want to be the buffer between the Welsh Language Commissioner and the sector
  • Following questions regarding the implications and translation worries were told to refer to Aled Eurig report to gain understanding on an equality basis
  • Importance of promoting Welsh speaking in other areas – positive stories that are relevant but aren’t related to processes or the report

Action – CHC to provide report to HAs.

All queries to be forwarded to Sioned [

An update from CHC’s Strategic PR Group

  1. Changing the Narrative

An update from Sarah Manners regarding our reputation as a sector and what we can do. Areas covered

  • Individually we have a good reputation but as a sector it’s generally mixed with confusion between us and council and view of being corporate fat cats
  • We are disparate organisations with differing aims and are in need of a clearer vision of what we want to be and where to go
  • As sources of funding change we need to be more creative on how to brand ourselves
  • Talk of Homes for Britain campaign and how it’s beginning to change the perception of housing as a whole
  • Task at hand for us in the sector is to run with what they have started but for Wales and to rise above into dynamic organisation using our combined strength
  • A brand is needed for HA’s to push that communicates the basic right for housing for Wales

Edwina then updated on her end

  • Top concerns for electorate in UK elections: Emigration, NHS, Economy and Employment – housing is keyto ¾ of these.
  • Updated on Homes for Britain Rally and Welsh MP reception. 20 MPs attended and it’s important to keep up momentum and to strike while the iron’s hot to get the Welsh Campaign for the Welsh Elections up and running. Message from the London rally showed aspiration and much broader than homelessness agenda and housing crisis, people not able to get a foot on the property ladder.
  • Nat Fed being invited to Wales to talk about lessons learned around Homes for Britain Campaign and to see how we can move forward.
  • Strapline is needed for our campaign – slogan and call to action. Working with the good buzz provided by the run-up to the rally. CHC looking to set up a coalition of like-minded organisations.

Action– CHC to set up invite for us all to Yammergroup to add and contribute ideas for this. A summary of the round table discussions from the PR network will be posted on Yammer.

An update from CHC’s Strategic PR Group

  1. Communicating YBAC Internally

Edwina updates regarding YBAC Campaign

  • Session was held in December and working group set up
  • Funding has ended – some but not all using the advice line as many have inhouse financial advisors.
  • CEO’s – continue the service for 12 years – members levied to fund the service going forward
  • Focus is on internal communications in organisations
  • Staff are affected by UC, are staff being supported?
  • Campaign will offer 3 options for members:
  • My benefits – all levels of staff have basic knowledge awareness, 2 hour session for all staff.
  • Our Benefits – selection of staff from different teams – whole organisational impact. Best practice sharing, changing op systems etc – up to 4 hours. Poster for departments (editable) for each team – impacts all teams
  • Your Benefits – team can help at fun days etc. New leaflet developed for tenants with checklist

Action: CHC to send out campaign material asap.

Campaigning:

Let’s keep on Supporting People

Sarah updated and shared information on new campaign ‘Let’s keep supporting people’ covering

  • Established in 2003, Helps to keep 56 people living independently in their own home who couldn’t otherwise. Help via hostel and sheltered housing etc.
  • New campaign will run until the summer. No corporate branding and being run in conjunction with Cymorth Cymru.
  • Budget was cut by 10 million which would cover the running cost of NHS for half a day
  • Aims to highlight a further burden in the long run
  • Finance minister has been called upon to re assess the budget cut
  • Help is needed from members to push stories and highlight benefit to their local AM’s and also get them visiting projects and developments
  • Push is needed through social media #supportingpeoplewales
  • Official launch with Lesley Griffiths, Minister for housing in April. Date TBC
  • Case studies need to be highlighted so if everyone can keep this in mind
  • Contact Sarah if any service users are willing to talk about their story
  • Phase 2 starts in the summer and messages likely to be included in CHC manifesto for Welsh Elections.

Action –All members to get invoved in Lets Keep on Supporting People campaign. Invite local AMs to schemes which benefit from SP funding. Take pictures with AMs holding campaign boards, let CHC know about the visit and post on social media.

Action - Sarah to send out link to supporting people pack to network.

The network were then asked to talk about 3 things there are working on at the minute. Key themes included:

  • Internal communications/intranet
  • Social media
  • AGM
  • Strategy writing
  • Annual report
  • Website
  • Welfare reform

Some of these were discussed in more details and these topics will be discussed at the various networks throughout the year and on Yammer.

Dates for 2015 Meetings:

16th June - PR Network – GrŵpCynefin, Denbighshire.

Key meeting:

  • update on our activity for the Welsh Assembly Elections
  • session on Yammer
  • session on the Renting Homes Bill

Hope to see you there.