Experience the Engaging Communities Conference 2024

Book your place now at the only National Conference for Engagement Professionals.

Weds 13th March, Belfry Hotel, Nottingham.

Learn from sector experts, network with other professionals, reinvigorate your thinking, and get the knowledge you need to advance engagement and your future.

Conference Programme

Sector Leader Panel Discussion

With a new consumer regulation regime commencing from April 2024, this conference could not be more timely to discuss what this will mean in practice for your organisations and your role. The focus on engagement and influence will be like never before and we are all eager to be part of how we can embrace it and raise standards across the sector. It’s a fast-changing world ; new standards, new transparency, new regulations still to come. And in a world where money remains tight.

Confirmed Panelists

• Housing Ombudsman – Polly Cox - Sector Learning & Development Manager 
• CIH - Rachael Williamson - Head of Policy and External Affairs 
• Regulator of Social Housing - Jess Guandalini, Assistant Director of Regulatory Engagement
• Housing Diversity Network - Moreen Pascal, Programme Director

Key Note Speaker - Charlie Dawson, The Foundation

We are excited to be joined after lunch by Charlie Dawson, Founder of The Foundation. The Foundation have been helping create customer pioneers since 1999 and work in three areas of Customer strategy, Customer experience and Customer led transformation.
The approach of The Foundation is that great customer-led organisations - Customer Pioneers - see the world from the outside-in, understanding what people really value. Then they trailblaze on their behalf. However, being customer-led is easy to say but hard to do, because leaders can naturally see the world from the inside-out, surrounded by colleagues, the business and their industry. Charlie will talk about his work connecting clients, from a range of sectors from retail to manufacturing, with outside-in perspectives. He’ll describe the outcomes that can be realised for better organisations, brands, and businesses - more successful for customers, colleagues, shareholders and stakeholders. Let’s think about how that perspective can help us in housing.

Workshop Line Up

Demystifying TSM results for Tenants - Compliant, Clear, and Inclusive

All landlords are required to feedback their Tenant Perception results to tenants as part of the TSM requirements. There are many ways to feedback results and engage tenants with the results. Join TLF Research in this  insighful workshop as they  discuss the points you need to consider and ensure the information is complete, detailed, clear and inclusive for tenants, as well as compliant with what has been specified by the regulator.

Engagement Methods - Time for a Change? 

Tired of the same approaches? Are the usual methods failing to deliver the impact you want? Then join Caritas Charles, Tpas Policy and Insight Manager, as he draws inspiration from outside the sector and takes you through some innovative and inventive engagement methods that just might provide you with the spark you need!

Unlocking the Potential - Is Payment the answer? 

We know there are loads of great Community Projects out there but Eastlight’s “All In" project seems to have taken things to a whole new level! Unique, innovative and successful, it pays local residents an annual salary to dedicate a year of their lives to one goal – creating a bold solution to a big social issue in their community, and then making it happen. In this session you'll hear directly from those involved and understand how they have created a social investment scheme, a tenant engagement scheme and recruitment programme all in one! The session will also touch on the wider issue of paying tenants to be involved and whether this is something all Providers should be doing.

Welcome to the new Regulatory Era – what does this mean for Engagement workers?

Explore what the current regulatory landscape looks like and what’s still to come. This session will also examine what impact this new world may have on engagement workers as they navigate a new path with tenants and other staff.  This workshop will be led by Fleur Priest-Stephens, Head of Tenant Engagement at Regulator for Social Housing.

Scrutiny Success in a Changed World

We know how important effective Scrutiny is, Not only is it a way to hold landlords to account and a catalyst for service improvement, it also plays an important part in the new regulation framework and inspection. This session will be delivered by Tpas consultancy managers, Emma Gilpin and Gill McLaren, alongside members Sage Homes who will share their journey to set up and continue to develop a Scrutiny Panel and approach. It will explore current scrutiny practices, unpick what makes scrutiny successful, and help you on your journey to scrutiny excellence.

Making Engagement work in the Local Government/ALMO sector

We know that if we are to meet the new regulatory expectations we must improve and develop our engagement practices and approaches. This session will help you do this as it identifies the challenges specific to the the Local Government/ALMO sector, as well as those facing engagement generally. You'll hear from Westminster City Council Programme Manager Algina Kamara, alongside Yemi Adigun, Resident Engagement Manager at the L.B of Newham. You will also have time and space to share solutions and ideas through round table discussions.

Building a Digital Engagement Community

We are now living comfortably in a world of Teams and Zoom but what else is out there and what might be coming next? Join Tech expert Simon Gabriel as he as highlights the power of his "Get Involved Platform" and also explore the potential of AI and other tech. Megan Duggan, Tpas Comms manager, is also on hand to share some top tips and insight on how to build a successful digital community.

Co-creation – where collaboration is key!

CO-CREATE are leaders in the field of co-production and inclusive practice. Let them guide you through what we mean by engagement, co-creation, co-production and similar terms. What do these practices look like in the context of housing? In this interactive workshop we’ll discuss key principles for co-creation and hear from a housing association with a case study of how they have used co-creation in their organisation.

Conference Timings

Cost

Member rate of £199

Non-member price is £299

(plus VAT)

About the Hotel

We have some rooms on hold at the hotel for the night before the conference - 12th March. This is at a special rate of £110 B&B.  These can be booked using this link (these rooms are now fully booked as of 5/3/24)

There is plenty of free parking at the hotel.

The hotel is 5 miles from Nottingham Train Station. It is very close to junction 26 on the M1 motorway.

The Belfry Nottingham has some fabulous leisure facilities for you to take advantage of, there is a pool, spa and gym!

Further information

If you have any questions or need further information, please call Lisa Holt on 0161 868 3500 or email lisa.holt@tpas.org.uk