Why set up an association?
There are many reasons why River Clyde Homes’ tenants and residents set up local groups, for example:
- You would like to work with River Clyde Homes on tenants’ issues.
- You would like to try to get your ideas taken up with River Clyde Homes.
- You want to have more of a say in how your housing service is delivered by River Clyde Homes and how policies are developed.
- You wish to work with River Clyde Homes and other agencies to encourage a better ‘community spirit’
What can a Tenants and Residents Association do?
Associations can perform a number of functions, including:
- To organise around issues that affect the majority of people in your community, i.e. some tenants may be unhappy about the standard of a particular service or there may be refurbishment work planned for your area that tenants want to be fully consulted on
- To have a representative voice
- To give accurate information and advice to tenants and residents
- To concentrate on tackling one particular issue or a range of issues over a period of time
How to start
Most tenants’ and residents’ associations start with just a handful of people who are keen to do something for the area. It’s quite easy to get started.
Contact River Clyde Homes’ staff and ask for assistance. You can either get in touch River Clyde Homes’ Tenant Participation Co-ordinator or your Neighbourhood Housing Officer.
You can often find other interested people by:
- Talking to neighbours. They may share your concerns and be willing to help.
- Putting up notices locally or sending letters to see if other tenants and residents are also interested in setting up a tenants and residents association. River Clyde Homes will help you with this.
Small Planning Meeting
You may wish to arrange a small planning meeting with interested neighbours. Again, the Neighbourhood Housing Officers and the Tenant Participation Co-ordinator will provide help to do this. If you are lucky you may have a Community Development Worker in your area who will be a great help too.
At this meeting consider the following:
- What you want to achieve
- What you want to do
- How to do it
- Allocate tasks
- How to share responsibility
- Be democratic
- Find out who else can give you help and support.
Public Meeting
Arrange a public meeting to test wider support for your ideas. If you miss out this stage you run the risk of assuming that your first small planning meeting actually represented everyone’s views. You could misjudge how many people also feel the same way as your small group.
At the public meeting you can also formally launch the tenants’/residents’ group and elect a committee.
At the meeting agree a date for a further meeting to discuss priorities and decide how to get things moving. Most groups delegate responsibility for this work to a group of people who form a working group or committee.
The Committee
There are no hard and fast rules regarding organising a tenants and residents association. A committee is simply a way of bringing people together to consider problems and make decisions on behalf of the full membership of the association.
A committee has certain structures and functions. These will be outlined in your constitution. The Tenant Participation Co-ordinator will be on hand to help you to put together your constitution and plan for future meetings.
It is important is that your group is open and accountable to your membership and that you involve everyone.
Remember that if you are going to apply for financial help from River Clyde Homes or other sources they will require that you have a constitution.
Funding and support
River Clyde Homes will provide funding and support to assist your tenants’ and residents’ group get started and keep going.
All tenants and residents groups are eligible for a "Start – Up Grant" of £200 and an annual administration grant of up to £300. Groups can also apply for a Project Grant for up to £500.
River Clyde Homes can also arrange for free training for tenants’ and residents’ groups on topics such as the role of the committee, basic bookkeeping and organising meetings.
To find out more call Jim McNee, River Clyde Homes’ Tenant Participation Co-ordinator on 01475 712639; mobile 07748703077 or email Jim on jim.mcnee@riverclydehomes.org.uk
