Engaging residents improves community wellbeing and reduces dependency. But how does a social landlord go beyond engaging the few to engaging the many?
Engaging Tenants & Residents
Spice community credits value time that tenants give to support their social housing landlord and to the development and transformation of their communities. The credits are earned by tenants for time that they actively contribute to a menu of residential activities. This includes community programmes (e.g. organising social events or community arts projects), community support (e.g. childcare, health groups) and core tenant participation (e.g. interview panels, board meetings, sub-groups).
Spice time credits earned by tenants are exchanged for leisure, learning and recreation services organised and brokered by the landlord. The landlord will adapt existing tenant activities and events for the purpose of thanking participants for participating, and in partnership with local community centres will organise activities, events and learning opportunities for thanking people. The credits also utilise 'excess capacity' in local venues (e.g. spare seats at the rugby match) making the system low cost and sustainable. Other opportunities for people to use their credits are provided by services and activities provided by other tenants (for example social activities, such as the bingo night).
This simple means of thanking tenants is very effective, resulting in a dramatic increase in active tenant participation and community wellbeing.
