GENERAL ELECTION BE HEARD 7 MAY
www.familymosaicconnections.co.uk
YOUR QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FROM FAMILY MOSAIC
SPRING 2015
news round-up
MAKE THEM LISTEN
LONDON REPAIRS GET EFFICIENCY BOOST
With the general election looming, this edition of Connections is a 'voting special'. This election, among other reasons, is why our Be Heard campaign is so important. The other evening, I was talking to one of my daughters and the conversation turned to the election. She told me: ‘I’m not going to vote.’ Sad but not surprised, I asked why not. ‘Because politicians are old, corrupt and don’t understand me,' she replied. I have heard the same claim countless times in the last few months during conversations with young people as part of our Be Heard campaign. So here are the reasons I gave my daughter for
voting. Why I think it's important that we all vote in this election: ●●The fewer people who vote, the more likely it is that extreme views will get power. They'll be heard. ●●Politicians will be much less likely to adopt laws and policies that benefit people who don't vote. They will make decisions that favour the people who do vote. ●●One or two politicians may be corrupt but politicians come from many different walks of life. Most do their best to respect the people who voted them into power. ●●Lastly, the right to vote is very special. People around the world fight for that right. We should not take it for granted.
CREDITS: EDITORIAL PORTRAIT BY PAUL SANDERS • COVER SHOT BY RORY CHAMPION/MODEL: LAUREN
inside this issue 4-6
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SPECIAL FEATURE
GETTING INVOLVED
YOUR SERVICES
VOTING: YOUR GUIDE
GOING SOLO
MEDIATION SERVICE
On 7 May UK voters get to choose our government for the next five years. With so much at stake, make sure you have your say at the ballot box. See pages 4 to 6
Gardening training project goes independent
Get help to calm down neighbour disputes
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CRISIS VOLUNTEERS Homeless charity points its volunteers our way
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FINDING WORK
REGIONAL NEWS
FULL MARKS FOR TRAINEE CHILDCARERS
Local events and services from down your way
Graduates move onto jobs and apprenticeships
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MOVING HOME
TRANSFER CHANGE Special measures to help non-priority tenants
NEXT STEPS Starter home offer
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STAY IN TOUCH Useful contacts.
LATEST RENT DRAW WINNERS The following tenants have won £250 in our quarterly prize draw of tenants who keep their account in credit.
East: Mr A, E8 Essex: Mr T, IG1 North/west: Ms Mulcahy, N19 South: Mrs V, SW16
What I am confused about, more than ever, is who to vote for. Registering and deciding to vote is the easy part (if you haven’t already registered find out how to on page 4). Over the next few weeks I’ll be reading each party’s manifesto very carefully. If a politician knocks on my door, I will tell them they don’t do enough for the poor, the young or those in need of a home. But whatever happens, on 7 May I will put that cross on the ballot paper. If we give up and don’t vote, nothing will change. So please don’t waste your right to vote – instead use your voice and Be Heard! BRENDAN SARSFIELD CHIEF EXECUTIVE
CONNECTIONS IS YOUR MAGAZINE Connections is written for you, to tell you about service changes and local news. We are always looking for people to contribute ideas, write news or features or take photos of things of interest happening in your community. If you would like to contribute, contact editor Charlotte Sexton by email at charlotte.sexton @familymosaic.co.uk or call Charlotte on J020 7089 1140. If you would like to get Connections by email, or not at all, please let us know! familymosaicconnections.co.uk
Don't forget to fill in our survey asking for your feedback on Connections (see story on page 3, right). It could win you £100 worth of shopping vouchers!
CALLING THE CUSTOMER CARE LINE...
JUST DIAL ✆ 0300 123 3456 » THEN PRESS 2 OPEN 8AM-8PM ● MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS OPEN SATURDAY MORNINGS ● 9AM-1PM
Our repairs service is now in the hands of new contractors covering smaller groups of properties.
Appointments direct
They will also be making appointments with you directly and this new system is already proving to be a lot more efficient. Our relationship with repairs contractor Mears has ended by mutual consent. This mainly affects day to day repairs in London. Mears will still be carrying out some of our gas servicing works. We would like to thank all of you for your patience and perseverance while we make these changes. Please continue to ring the customer care line to report your repairs in the usual way on q0300 123 3456.
CONNECTIONS: HAVE YOUR SAY FILL OUT OUR SURVEY TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING A £100 VOUCHER We want your feedback on Connections to find out if you'd like us to do anything differently. Your comments could make a big difference to Connections. With more and more people reading news online, one thing we’ll decide is whether or not to carry on sending you printed copies of Connections. Some of you will find a survey included with this magazine. Just fill it in and post it back using the pre-paid postage envelope. Or go on line to tell us your thoughts at www.surveymonkey. com/s/fmconnections and you could be one of the lucky two who win £100 worth of shopping vouchers in our prize draw!
£1 00
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editorial we can...
A more direct approach to repairs
UNIVERSAL CREDIT: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW In February, universal credit began to be rolled out across the country, with one monthly payment for those claiming benefits replacing the old system of up to six different tax credits and benefits Universal credit was designed to simplify the benefits system and make you always better off in work. You will only be able to claim it over the internet. That includes making your first claim or any queries and checking payments.
FEBRUARY LAUNCH
dit In February universal cre ing im cla le op pe for was introduced ht in: rig ted lis s fit any of the bene g rin nd Te r, te (Essex) Colches n) do on (L d an and Thurrock mlets, Barnet , Brent, Tower Ha th. or sw nd Wa d Hounslow an
Will it affect me?
If you get housing benefit, incomebased jobseeker's allowance, incomerelated employment and support allowance, income support, child tax credit, or working tax credit this will, at some point, change to a single universal credit payment. For now it only applies in some parts of the UK but there are plans to make it nationwide by next year. The change will be automatic, with JobCentres contacting those who are eligible for the new scheme.
Other big changes
●● The 16 hour rule ends so no one
gets less benefit if they work for
more than 16 hours a week. There are no limits to the hours you can work under UC. ●● If you get housing benefit, your rent money will be paid into your bank account as universal credit. It will be your responsibility to pay it to us, your landlord. ●● If you don’t have a way to use the internet – using a computer or smart phone – you can use one at your local library.
How we can help
Don’t panic. We can help you work out a budget and can train you to use the internet. Call the customer care line on q0300 123 3456.
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special feature 2015 election 4
“Young people face lots of important issues, from increased university fees to high levels of unemployment”
VOTING: YOUR GUIDE By the time you read this the campaigns of all the main political parties will be underway, and the general election less than two months away. So make this your essential guide to voting – the way to get your voice heard What is a general election?
It's a chance for the public to choose who they want to represent them in our next government. Voting is one of the few ways we can influence how our country is run. On 7 May all eligible voters get to choose, using their vote, our government for the next five years. With some elections it is clear who is going to win, but this one is totally unpredictable. Your vote could decide who will take power. Every single vote counts. In the 2010 general election, 22 million people with the right to vote didn’t use it. That is 22 million people whose choices didn't count, who chose to stay silent. That is twice the number who voted for the party that got the most votes. When so many people do not bother to vote, we end up governed by politicians who represent a minority. That affects the laws they pass and funding for public services
“For young people to be taken seriously, they must voice their opinions”
Who is eligible to vote?
Being eligible refers to your right to vote. To vote in a UK general election you must be registered to vote, be 18 or older on polling day, be a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.
WHY YOU SHOULD BE HEARD We have spent a lot of the last year telling you how important it is to use your vote and follow what's going on politically. Our Be Heard campaign focused on young people because recent history tells us they are least likely to vote but most likely to be affected by political matters, like the housing crisis. This is what some of them had to say…
How do I vote?
Tick tock: time to vote and be heard
that directly affect our quality of life – like housing, our health service, pay and working conditions and care for vulnerable people.
THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE! Using your vote is one the best ways to Be Heard. If you don’t vote, you’re easier to ignore. You might think, 'I’m not interested in politics'. But politics is about things that matter to you. Politicians make decisions that affect our lives for better or worse all the time. Politics decides if we can or can't get a stable, affordable home or free health care. Politics decides how much tax you pay on things you buy or on your wages. Politics is about the quality and cost of the care your mum might need when she can no longer look after herself.
First, make sure you’re registered. If you aren't then register online as soon as you can. It’s very easy and will only take you five minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote Voter registration rules changed after the last general election. It used to be that just one person could register everyone in their home. Now everyone must register one by one. If you’re not sure if you’re registered, you should check. On the day of the general election, you can vote by going to your local polling station. Closer to the election day, your council will send you a card that says where the station is. At the polling station you’ll be given a ballot form and asked to go into the private polling booth to put a cross in the box next to the name of the candidate you want to vote for. This is your vote. No one will know who you are voting for. Fold the form in half so the way you've voted can't be seen and put the form in the ballot box. Polling stations are normally a school or other public building. You can go along to vote at anytime between 7am and 10pm.
What if I’m away on 7 May?
You can still vote! Once you’ve registered, apply for a postal vote by sending a signed form to your local electoral registration office.
“If your voice is not heard then nothing will be done”
CHLOE, 19
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KEY DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2, 16 and 30 April: TV debates (may change) 9 April: Deadline for naming party candidates From now on details of all the candidates running for election in your area will be published 20 April: Deadline for registering to vote Officially your last chance to register to vote but please try to do it well before this day!
21 April: Deadline for applying for a postal vote 28 April: Deadline for applying for a proxy vote This lets you appoint someone you trust to vote on your behalf 7 May: Election day 8 May: The result Counting carries on all night from the time polling stations close.
Politics never interested me, I think because I didn’t see things changing that needed to be changed. Be Heard made me realise that if your voice is not heard then nothing will be done. It has 100% changed my view. I am interested in politics and will definitely vote in the upcoming election."
LAUREN, 19*
“
Young people feel politics isn’t relevant to them. We feel like no one represents us and there is the feeling of not knowing how to be heard or make a difference. Events like Be Heard give young people a better understanding of how to approach politics and the importance of voting."
SYED, 20
“
Before Be Heard, I wasn’t planning to vote as I didn’t take politicians seriously. Watching them shout and mock each other on PMQ† every week and the expenses scandal made me lose hope. Be Heard has taught me that it’s important to voice your opinions and try to make change. Young people face lots of important issues, from increased university fees to high levels of unemployment. To change these, and for young people to be taken seriously, they must get involved and voice their opinions. I also find myself talking to friends about politics more often and encouraging them to register to vote." * Lauren is our cover star for this issue of Connections †
Prime Minister's Questions
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special feature 2015 election
local news
from south London
6 WH0 SHOULD I VOTE FOR? Deciding who you want to vote for is very personal. Only you can decide. You do not have to tell anyone who you will vote for, before or after an election.
They're all the same!
But how do you choose who to vote for? You might think 'politicians are all the same' but most of them believe and want different things. In your local area, known as your constituency, politicians from all parties will try to persuade you to elect them your MP on 7 May. These people are known as party candidates. Before you vote, it is a good idea to find out what each party says it will do about the issues you think most important.
One way to do this is to read each party’s manifesto. The bigger parties may put a copy through your letterbox. But you should also be able to find each party's manifesto on their website. You may have supported one party in the past because that's how your friends or family vote. But one website has an interesting way of working out which party most thinks the way you do on some of the most important issues. It has a questionnaire that lets you judge a party's election promises, without letting you know who is making those promises. It then tells you whose policies you liked most and you might find the result quite surprising.
https://voteforpolicies.org.uk
GO ON YOUR OWN CAMPAIGN TRAIL!
FREE POSTERS STICKERS POSTCARDS
Look out for your BE HEARD stickers and postcard included with this edition of Connections. Why not print a BE HEARD poster from the resources section of our website or stick the poster in your window to encourage others to vote?
www.be-heard.org.uk
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Read about our campaign at www.be-heard.org.uk/ or find us on twitter @BeHeard_fm or on facebook at www. facebook.com/Be.Heard.FM.Vote
THROUGH HARD TIMES When things go wrong, your life can start to slip out of control. For single mum Ms J, it began with domestic violence but had reached the point where she was very close to losing her home – then tenancy sustainment officer Mehluli Ncube stepped in South London tenant Ms J was facing eviction, having run up more than £3000 in rent arrears. Her problems had begun with a violent partner. Though no longer living together, her ex’s family lived close by, causing Ms J extreme anxiety.
Stress response
Eventually, unable to cope with bad news, she stopped reading her post. She then also fell foul of the bedroom tax. Her rent arrears began to build up, along with other debts. By the time Mehluli intervened, Ms J was close to being evicted. Mehluli arranged for counselling to help Ms J overcome the trauma of domestic violence.
He also helped her put in a back-dated claim for housing benefit, cutting £2000 from her rent arrears. Mehluli then got in touch with colleagues from some of our other teams. Our incomes team put the eviction on hold and a mutual exchange officer helped her find a new home through Home Swapper. Life is now looking much brighter for Ms J. Our employment team is helping her to find paid work. She has a new home, secured by swapping home with another tenant. Our tenant welfare fund has helped pay for some essential items for her new home. And she is no longer threatened with eviction.
LIVE IN A BLOCK OR ON AN ESTATE? DID YOU KNOW THAT … We’re now surveying all of you living on estates or in blocks of flats, no matter how big or small, to find out what you think of the estate services we provide, such as gardening and cleaning. If a lot of you tell us that your estate services are not up to our standards, our neighbourhood managers will visit more often until they get better. Our neighbourhood managers are starting to use tablets to keep digital records of regular estate inspections so we can deal with any issues more efficiently.
Fraud squad: Will Caldwell notches up another win
FRAUD CHAMPS CRACK DOWN ON TENANCY CHEATS Subletting is a huge problem in London but our fraud champions are on the case, investigating even the faintest cause for suspicion. Their target is to get keys back from subletters without dragging us into long and expensive court cases. The latest win for Will Caldwell, fraud champion for London south, involved a two bedroom flat near Clapham Common. Tenant Mr P had moved out and was subletting it. Helped by Lambeth Council’s fraud team, Will found proof that Mr P was living in another home in Streatham and even claiming housing benefit for it. Faced with Will’s evidence, Mr P had no choice but to give up his tenancy. What he didn’t do was tell his unfortunate ‘tenant’. Calling at the property Will was surprised to find the flat still occupied. But with sensitive handling, Will persuaded the unauthorised ‘tenant’ to move out in less than two weeks. If you think a neighbour might be subletting, call the customer care line and we will investigate. The stark shortage of social housing in London makes it extra important that our homes are let to people who really need them.
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getting involved
finding employment
GOING ITS OWN WAY
GETTING TO GRIPS WITH CHILDCARE
APPRENTICES UP FOR GRABS AT THE HACKNEY ROADSHOW
In January, 21 of you completed our accredited child care training programme that qualifies you to set yourself up as a self-employed, registered child-minder.
Over 70 young people in Hackney turned up for our apprenticeships roadshow at the Morningside Community Centre in February. They got to talk to employers offering apprenticeships in business admin, childcare, construction, IT, engineering, hair and beauty. Senior employment coach Simon Martin said: ‘Many of the employers were impressed by their potential. 'We’re going to try really hard to make sure everyone who came along gets an apprenticeship.' We also ran a workshop on improving self-confidence and a DJ session that gave young people a chance to try their hand at music production and DJing.
GARDENING PROJECT SET TO BECOME A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Gardening project Clear the Way is to follow up its early success by becoming a community interest company this spring. Once it is set up as a separate enterprise with a 'social purpose', it will no longer be a Family Mosaic project but will carry on working for us, providing value for money landscaping services on estates. Clear the Way will be run independently, competing for gardening and clearance contracts out in the wider community. Clear the Way provides training in gardening and garden clearance. It also runs a small workforce keeping the gardens of vulnerable residents safe and manageable.
Over 30 of you have already achieved a horticulture qualification after completing your training with Clear the Way. Of these, 17 are now employed by us to look after gardens and outside areas for other residents. Between them they have clocked up 700 hours of clearing and gardening. That’s a lot of weeding! It has been a fantastic success for those of you who've been trained but it's also been a moneysaver for us and you as the works have been done at cheaper rates. Clear the Way will continue to train those of you looking to gain a horticulture qualification and paid work will still be available.
To find more about Clear the Way and hear firsthand from some who have done the course go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DIat1BncA8
Extra mile
Pulled up by the bare roots: Clear the Way offers budding gardeners a route to qualification
CRISIS VOLUNTEERS SIGN UP FOR FAMILY MOSAIC PROJECTS
Christmas support
Crisis helps homeless people all year round, not just during the emotionally-charged festive season. But Crisis at Christmas now attracts more than 9,000 highly motivated volunteers each year. Inspired by their experience, many of the volunteers are keen to
carry on helping out all year-round. So, in January, Crisis held an event to tell them about alternative ways to give their voluntary help to other housing organisations. Family Mosaic's volunteering team was invited to take part and we accepted gladly. The result was overwhelming, with 30 volunteers registering for projects to improve your health, wealth and wellbeing through housing. We hope to be able to help Crisis in return by encouraging those of you who volunteer with us to take part in Crisis at Christmas.
Are you interested in a career working with children? Call Maxine Rose on 020 7089 1272 or email Maxine.Rose@ familymosaic.co.uk
NANETTE
NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS Over 30 volunteers for Crisis, the charity first set up to help single homeless people over Christmas, have offered their help to Family Mosaic projects after signing up with our own volunteering team.
Some of the group went a step further, qualifying in paediatric First Aid and learning how to safeguard children. They also studied the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standards for care, learning and developing from birth to age five. Well done to everyone who qualified and especially to those who have gone on to find paid work as a childcarer or an apprenticeship.
Crisis supports homeless people all year round but at Christmas it runs a special project to help homeless people cut off from family and home. Everyone gets a hot meal and a chance to get things we take for granted - like a haircut, health care, friendship and housing advice. For some, Crisis at Christmas will be their first step out of homelessness.
If you'd like to find out more about volunteering with Family Mosaic or Crisis, please contact our volunteering team by email at volunteering@familymosaic.co.uk or call us q020 7089 1335
After 25 years spent caring for others in her family and making ends meet on benefits, Nanette, at the age of 50, set her sights on a career. Nanette had long served on committees and as a sessional trainer in social justice. But despite her deteriorating vision she was determined to get off benefits.
In December 2013, Nanette registered with our employment team, telling us she hoped to become a holistic masseur. With the support of our employment coach and her local JobCentre Plus disability employment adviser, she got a training grant from the Department of Work and Pensions and now, after completing an intensive course, she has qualified as a holistic masseur. 'It feels fantastic,’ Nanette says. She plans to do further training in reflexology to help meet her long-term ambition of becoming a rehabilitation officer.
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moving home
your services
WE CAN WORK IT OUT: GET ON BETTER WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS
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WITH S M E L B PRO URS? O B H G I THE NE T TRY WHY NO THINGS NG WORKI R FREE U O H T OUT WI ERVICE S N O I T MEDIA PRIL! A S T R - STA
REGISTER OR FIND OUT MORE ABOUT
HOUSE EXCHANGE www.houseexchange.org.uk
TRANSFER POLICY CHANGE COMING SOON
‘The Resident Scrutiny Panel is continuing our review of communication.
Mediation is a popular and effective way to sort out problems causing conflict between people and it's a service we can now offer you 'in-house' No one is forced to do mediation - taking it up is voluntary. It is private and confidential. And in most cases it quickly comes up with a solution to your problems. Mediation can be useful for a lot of types of anti-social behaviour problems, like arguments about noise. It is not about punishing people but finding a way forward that both parties can live with. Problems with neighbours can make life a real misery so mediation really can make a big and lasting difference to your quality of life.
How does it work?
If you have a problem with your neighbour and you are prepared to discuss it with them, please contact us to ask to be referred to our mediation service.
WE’RE SORRY… We understand that trying to get in touch with our customer care line has been difficult and frustrating for many of you. It has been a very difficult winter for us and our service has fallen short. If you've had a long wait to get through, we are really sorry. We are continuing to recruit more staff and to make our processes much more efficient so we can deal with your calls more quickly. Things are not yet as they should be but we are starting to see improvements and hope this progress continues.
If residents would like to give feedback on how Family Mosaic communicates with you, please email the Scrutiny Panel at fmirsp@outlook.com or write to us c/o Family Mosaic, Albion House, 20 Queen Elizabeth Street, SE1 2RJ.
We will then set up a meeting with you, your neighbour and two of our specialist mediators.
Who does the mediation?
It will be done by specially trained mediators chosen from our housing management team. All our mediators have completed extensive training with UK Mediation, a highly experienced and professional company. The mediators work in pairs and their aim is to help both sides find an acceptable solution to their problem.
CAMPAIGN CALL FOR MORE HOMES Find out how you can add your support to the campaign at homesforbritain.org.uk
MESSAGE FROM THE RESIDENT SCRUTINY PANEL
Transfer policy changes explained in earlier issues of Connections take effect this year. In October, our transfer list closes to tenants in bands B and C. This change will let us focus our help on tenants who urgently need to move home. If you are now on our list in band B or C we will have written to you recently explaining the change and listing other ways to find a move. Remember, you still have several months left to make the most of our choice-based lettings system so
please carry on logging in and bidding for suitable properties. We have also stepped up our efforts to help you before the October deadline. For a limited time (April to June) we will be announcing all available homes twice a week instead of once. This means you'll have a shorter wait to find out if a bid succeeded. Depending on availability, we are also hoping to put more homes up for bidding. Look out for details on our website at the end of March.
Family Mosaic would like to form a resident anti-social behaviour panel. The panel’s purpose is for residents to influence how Family Mosaic deals with anti-social behaviour such as noise disputes. Please note, the panel is not open to residents who are involved with an open antisocial behaviour case. If you would like to be involved, please contact the Scrutiny Panel and we will pass your interest on to Family Mosaic. We look forward to hearing from you.
GOODBYE NEXT GENERATION, OVERCROWDED HOUSEHOLDS HELLO TO 'NEXT STEPS' RISE UP MAYOR'S We've just launched Next Steps, a new rehousing scheme for young, single adults living with their family in an overcrowded home. The scheme is a vamped up version of our successful Next Generation scheme, but with much more support for those needing to
find work to pay for their new home. Applicants accepted for Next Steps will have to agree to spend time working with one of our employment coaches to improve their work prospects before they can bid for their first home. Their tenancies will last for five years.
Rwww.familymosaic.co.uk/changing-your-home/index.html
PRIORITY LIST
Housing Moves, the mayor of London's city-wide scheme, has a new category for overcrowded families looking to move to another borough. The new category increases the priority given to overcrowded families. Read more at www.housingmoves.org
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Staying in touch Head office
Report repairs
Tenant enquiries
Care and support
Albion House, 20 Queen Elizabeth St, SE1 2RJ q020 7089 1000 www.familymosaic.co.uk
q0300 123 3456, then press option 1. Report repairs to us online at www.familymosaic.co.uk
London q020 7089 1000 Essex q01268 498 500 South q01273 468010
Essex office
Leasehold enquiries
Pembroke House, Northlands Pavement, Pitsea SS13 3DU q01268 498 500
Call q0300 123 2209 h CCLHomeOwnership @familymosaic.co.uk
Call q0300 123 3456 then press option 2. Lines open 8am 8pm on weekdays, 9am to 1pm on Saturdays h CustomerCareLine @familymosaic.co.uk Employment team q020 7089 1345
Welfare rights officers London north/west q020 7089 1323 London south/east q020 7089 1187 Hackney/Essex: q01268 498 563
AND REMEMBER...
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