YOUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM FAMILY MOSAIC SUMMER 2016

READ CONNECTIONS ONLINE AT

KEEP FIT SPECIAL 6,7Get fit privately at home

FINDING WORK 8,9Instant result from boot camp

EATING HEALTHILY 10Better nutrition reaps rewards

ASK ASH 12Keeping safe from harassment

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I have known of the link between health and housing for some time now but until about six years ago knew less about ‘wellbeing’.

I quickly became a convert and in 2011 we committed ourselves to promoting the health, wealth and wellbeing of all of you.

For me, wellbeing means feeling content. This is influenced by my home, my safety, my self-esteem, my health, my friends and family, my job, the general environment and probably a lot more.

Wellbeing is complex and as a landlord and care and support provider, we recognise the important role we can play in improving people’s wellbeing.

At Family Mosaic we understand that all of you are individuals, living different lives, and we know that the best thing we can do for your wellbeing is continue to be accessible, empathetic and reliable.

As a landlord, we want all of you to enjoy a sense of health, wealth

and wellbeing so we constantly review our range of services to make sure we’re doing what you need.

We know the services you value most are firstly repairs, secondly sorting out antisocial behaviour and, thirdly, advice and support.

More often than not that support is needed to help you deal with an ever more complex world of finance, benefits and the law.

We are moving towards a model where we will concentrate on getting the property side of our services right, giving you support as and when needed on other matters.

For your wellbeing, we want to help you play a full role as citizens, have work you enjoy and have good health. Last but not least we know that living a full and healthy life goes hand in hand with having enough money in your pocket. That is why we’re committed to keeping rents and charges as low as we can.BRENDAN SARSFIELDCHIEF EXECUTIVE

OUR ROLE IN THE WELLBEING MIX

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3-5 NEWS ROUND UPNews from us, from the outside world and from your neighbourhoods

6-7 SPECIAL FEATURE GETTING FIT, GETTING HEALTHYSave your blushes by getting fit in the privacy of your own home OVER 50s WANTEDNew health at home project takes off

8 -9GET EMPLOYEDFROM BRENT TO CHINARead how teaching and studying while she travels will boost Patricia’s prospectsBOOTCAMP HEALTH TIPSGetting fit for workBESPOKE TRAININGCare sector and childcare offers

10GET HEALTHYGET HEALTHY, GET ACTIVEA group of tenants are upgrading their health with exercise and a better dietTAKEAWAY CHALLENGESelf-esteem boost for poor mental health

11GET INVOLVEDRETHINKING TENANT INVOLVEMENTWorkshop volunteers wanted to help us rethink how and why we involve youCAN WE MAKE YOU HAPI?Happiness project spreads its wings

12ASK ASHKEEPING YOU SAFE FROM HARMReporting antisocial behaviour USEFUL CONTACTSPhone numbers and email addressesSUMMER CROSSWORD

editorial news round-up

RENT DRAW WINNERSThe following win £250 in our quarterly prize draw of tenants who keep their rent account in credit. East: Mr Tribe, Ms Needler, E5Essex: Ms Rimdeikate, RM3South: Mr Demirel, SE17 North/west: Mrs Matthews, SW5

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, email editor Yvonne Luu at Yvonne.Luu@familymosaic.co.uk

If you would like to get Connections by email, or not at all, please let us know! To read Connections online seefamilymosaicconnections.co.uk

AWARENESS RAISING: STAFF SPREAD THE WORD ON DEMENTIA

Dementia awareness training run by our in-house dementia champions has led to our recruiting 194 ‘dementia friends’ from among our staff to increase public awareness of this poorly understood but devastating condition

'It has changed my way of thinking,’ said one of our new recruits. ‘I was shocked to know that dementia can happen to anyone and not just when you get old.’

Public messageFamily Mosaic is on a mission to spread the word about dementia and how it can affect individuals and their friends and family. We’re also keen to see more dementia-friendly environments.

In May we helped mark Dementia Awareness Week, with Holly from our social inclusion team raising £250 for The Alzheimer’s Society by giving manicures in return for donations.

To further understanding of the condition staff also visited two schemes for older people where

they offered residents mini-manicures and hand massages.

One pleased customer later announced: ‘I’ll go to Bingo tonight now because I feel like brand new.’

To find out more about the UK’s leading charity on dementia, visit www.alzheimers.org.uk

WELFARE RULES: GET UP TO SPEED WITH THE LATEST SET OF CHANGES A new round of welfare changes started in April (see also our special feature in the spring issue of Connections). Please contact us if you want to find out more about the changes and how you or your family might be affected.

Email: financialwellbeing@familymosaic.co.ukPhone us: 0300 123 3456See also www.gov.uk/universalcredit

QUICK GUIDE TO THE MAIN POINTS OF THE LATEST HOUSING LAW

You may know that the government passed the 2016 Housing and Planning Act in May. This new set of policies affects many different areas of housing, but two will specifically affect housing associations like Family Mosaic and our customers.

RIGHT TO BUY

The Act gives government the power to reimburse housing associations when they sell homes to tenants. This means that in time, housing associations will be allowed to sell their properties to tenants, offering similar discounts to those council tenants get.

However, the government may choose to not offer it to all tenants at once. It might only be offered to some tenants at a time and there will be restrictions on selling some types of properties.

Family Mosaic’s voluntary Right to Buy scheme is not live yet. We will let you know as soon as it is.

PAY TO STAY

Another change is that council tenants’ rent will go up if their household earns more than £40,000 a year (£31,000 outside London). Those with incomes just over the threshold will only see their rent increase by a few pounds a week.

Housing associations can choose whether or not to implement this policy. If they do, they are free to choose a higher threshold than that the government has set for councils.

Family Mosaic has not yet decided whether we will adopt Pay to Stay or not. But if we do we will make sure you are all informed of any changes we will make.

Nailed it: manicures and donations raised £250 for dementia awareness

CALLING THE CUSTOMER CARE LINE... JUST DIAL ✆ 0300 123 3456 » THEN PRESS 2 OPEN 8AM-8PM ● MONDAYS TO FRIDAYSOPEN SATURDAY MORNINGS ● 9AM-1PM

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YOUTH CONFERENCEINSPIRING LEWISHAM’S YOUNG PEOPLE A conference for young people in Lewisham in February set out to inspire and motivate. Neighbourhood manager Sharon Hunter-Cobbina tells Connections how it went

‘Over 450 young people attended our conference at Goldsmiths University,’ Sharon said.

‘I gave a talk with the Met police about keeping safe in Lewisham and keeping out of what is labelled wrongly as gangs, based on my own experience. The room was packed and at the end the audience was in tears and gave a standing ovation.’

Other workshops set out to get young people thinking of going into the corporate world as entrepreneurs,

or making a dream come true with determination and hard work.

‘The keeping safe workshop was easily the most popular,’ said Andrew Brown, director of event organisers Elevating Success UK. ‘Some even asked if it could be taken to their schools.’

Our employment team had its own stall, led by senior employment coach Dean Howard. ‘We particularly wanted them to think of taking up an apprenticeship,’ Dean said.

The feedback has been great. ‘It was clearly a resounding success. We’ve also had some great pointers for the future,’ said Andrew Brown.

To watch highlights from the  youth conference go to: http://youtube/SSihxUFX-YE

One of our housing schemes has won one of the most prestigious European awards for ‘green’ architecture, on a vote decided by members of the public. Courtauld Road, where we have built four blocks of flats alongside a Victorian warehouse that we have refurbished, beat off stiff competition from across Europe to win the 2016 BREEAM Award.The competition included a Passivhaus style family home in Alicante and London’s own South Bank Tower. BREEAM uses tough measures, recognised worldwide, to judge how sustainable a building project is, with points given for efficient building methods and reuse instead of demolition. Twenty of the 52 new homes are for social rent.

ILLEGAL SUBLET TO STUDENTS IS LAST STRAW FOR EAST HAM TENANTA long saga of illegal subletting has come to an end after a four-year struggle, says neighbourhood manager Florence Belogun.

Gone to Spain‘I checked the property in East Ham four years ago to make sure it was legally occupied,’ Florence said, ‘but I found the tenant had moved to Spain and was subletting it.

‘We took legal action but by the time we went to court the tenant had moved an aunt with dementia in. We didn’t want to make the aunt homeless and the judge let the tenant keep her tenancy.’

Just two years later we found the property had been let again, to East London University students.

Investigations with Newham Council and the university found our tenant had advertised on the university’s website, claiming to be the landlord.

Back in court the judge this time ruled in our favour. The tenant has now been evicted and has had to pay us back the £13,000 she made from illegally subletting.

Armed and ready: young delegates at the Lewisham conference

Mysterious: young Parksiders being entertained by magician’s tricks and balloon modelling while their parents try yoga and relaxation techniques

Back to glory: the restored warehouse and one of the new blocks of flats

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YOUR HOME SHOULD BE YOUR SANCTUARYA seriously distressing case of harassment has been a chilling reminder of how quickly neighbour problems can get out of hand if left unreported. None of you should feel unsafe in your own home

In this case we were contacted by a tenant stressed to the point where she and her husband were thinking of ending their lives. Neighbourhood manager Tamara Degrassi at once called in the police and visited the tenants at home.

She saw for herself incidents of verbal and physical aggression by the neighbour against the couple, recorded on camera. The neighbour was quick to dish out much the same treatment to Tamara.

With ample evidence of his behaviour, Tamara was able to rapidly serve notice on the neighbour, also a Family Mosaic tenant.

She also called in a range of support services for our distressed tenants, including safeguarding, befriending and some much needed property adaptations.

Tamara continued to visit the family over the next few months. They were not applying for benefits they were entitled to so she put that right. When their cooker and fridge broke down over Christmas, she secured £270 from our tenant welfare fund for replacements.

The best news is that both of our tenants now feel strong enough to help others by giving telephone support to other tenants through

a befriending service.‘I now feel that if my neighbour

was to again verbally harass me, Family Mosaic will take my complaint seriously,’ she said. ‘I also feel I can contact the police if there are any further incidents and know I will get backing from Family Mosaic.’

Any form of harassment is totally unacceptable and a clear breach of tenancy. If it happens to you, please do tell us. We will take it seriously. See also Ask Ash on page 12 of Connections.

MEET, LIVE, WORK: GRAND OPENING FOR LEWISHAM’S NEW PARKSIDE SE10There was a fine turn out in May for the official opening of Parkside SE10, a multi-use building for estate residents, planned and designed with their help.

Multiple usesParkside SE10 will have a wide range of uses for people living on or near the estate, including IT training, a social enterprise café, a community hall, meeting rooms and serviced offices for local businesses.

Parents and children had a grand afternoon at the official opening by MP Heidi Alexander and Lewisham mayor Sir Steve Bullock.

‘The building is fantastic and the location is good,’ said guest Matilda.

If you have any questions about the new centre or are interested in using any of the facilities, please call Marie Griffin on q020 7089 1129 or email marie.griffin@familymosaic.co.uk

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TO CONTACT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING TEAM

Email us: HWBVolunteers@familymosaic.co.uk

Or call us on q020 3544 9430.

AB FAB Lie on the floor on your back and bring your feet towards your bum. Now put your hands on the top of your legs. Lift your shoulders off the floor to slide your hands up to your knees. Slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor. Do this 10 times and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this three times.

E COOL DOWN

Repeat the walk and the arm circles from the warm up and then repeat the stretches – and you’re done.

GETTING FIT IN YOUR OWN HOME What do you really need to do to get fit? Brave the local swimming pool? Bare your legs to the public in the nearest public park? None of these, writes health and wellbeing team manager (and former personal trainer) Ben Webb. All you need is motivation and room to swing your arms

Welcome to your first Fitness at Home training programme. If you’re already fit keep going. If you’re just starting to think about exercising more, this is for you.

Best way to get in shapeWhat exactly is the best exercise for losing weight or toning up? Running? Swimming? Rowing? The truth is that the best exercise is the one you’ll actually do.

You might not be up to running and you may not be ready to go public in a swimsuit.

But you’ve got to start somewhere and your own home is probably as good a place as any.

HEALTHCHECK Anybody can start getting in shape at home but if you are in any doubt that this is the best option for you it’s always best to ask a medical professional, like your GP.

E WARM UP

WALKING Pick the two points in your home that are furthest apart. Walk from one to the other 10 times.

ARM CIRCLES Make circles with your arms as big as possible. Make 10 circles forward and 10 circles back.

STAIR CLIMB If you have stairs, great! Climb them three to five times, depending on how many there are. If you don’t have stairs march on the spot for two minutes raising your knees as high as you can get them.

STRETCHING Remember to always try to keep your back straight when you do this. And when you feel a slight pull that’s far enough.

Reach for the ceiling then reach towards your toes without bending your knees. If you can touch them that’s even better. Hold for five seconds. Repeat this five times.

GIVE YOURSELF A HUG Cross your arms over your front and try to touch your back. Now swing them wildly. Do this 10 times.

SHAKE Shake your arms and your legs for 30 seconds. Top tip: the more stupid you feel the better it is for you, with this one at least.

E THE HARD BIT

STAND UP, SIT DOWN Easy right? Find a hard chair that’s sturdy, put your arms out in front of you at shoulder height. Now stand up and then sit down. Do this 15 times, rest for 30-45 seconds and repeat once more.

LUNGE Turn the chair around and place one hand on the back. Take a big step forward with your right foot using the chair to help you balance. Now try to lower your left knee to about three inches from the floor. Swap legs and do the same thing. Do this five to 10 times on each leg.

SOUPY SHOULDERS Grab two tins of soup (beans will do – really anything in a tin). Hold one tin in each hand. Now lift them above your head then lower them to shoulder height. Do this five to 10 times and rest for 30 seconds. Repeat it three times.

BEAN (PUNCH) BAG Use any tin or bottle but nothing too heavy (or fragile). Hold one in each hand and punch the air in front of you. Don’t fully straighten your arms or punch so hard that you step forward. Now keep punching for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. Keep adding 30 seconds until you reach two minutes, 30 seconds (this should be five sets). Then repeat taking off 30 seconds (another five sets).

HEALTH AT HOMEPROJECT REACHES OUT TO OVER 50s

We have started a new project in south London to build on our very successful research last year in east London

In our research last year we found that even the limited measures we took to improve the health of those of you in your 50s or older could save the NHS £3 million a year as they helped to cut the number of healthcare visits needed, including those to a doctor (see spring issue of Connections, page three).

This second phase, Health at Home, is our bid to put that theory into practice, helping those of you who have passed the 50-year mark to improve the way you manage your health, and that way lowering the likelihood of your having to go into hospital.

WHY IS FAMILY MOSAIC RUNNING THIS PROJECT?

Your health and wellbeing is very important, not just to you, your family and friends but to us also. We believe that, as your landlord, there’s a lot more we could and should be doing to improve your wellbeing.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS PART OF THE PROJECT?

The first phase was very broad-ranging. The people we supported presented us with a very wide range of problems, including many we had not anticipated.

Health at Home will also take a big picture approach but we’ll be

using a brand new process for assessing everyone who comes forward for it. That will help us work out the best type of support for each individual, making it a very personalised service. We’ll also make sure each person knows about any other relevant services.

WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?

We have started assessing over 100 people in Lambeth who have indicated an interest in taking part. We have also recruited and trained 13 volunteers and have more on the way. The project will continue until mid-2017. An interim report, summing up what we find, will come out before then.

CAN I TAKE PART?

Of course! We are a little limited in who we can offer extra support to. The criteria for taking part are:

● people aged over 50, and ● living in particular Family Mosaic properties in Lambeth, Southwark or Lewisham.

But we really would like more volunteers to help us cover a wide range of associated roles. Give us a call (contact details below) so we can discuss potential opportunities that might suit your skills and interests.

The truth is that the best exercise is the one you’ll actually do.

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FINDING THE RIGHT CAREER FOR YOUTo find out more about childcare or care sector training, or if you would like support finding work or starting another sort of career, please call the employment team on q020 7089 1345.

FROM BRENT TO CHINA: PATRICIA COOGAN FLIES TOWARDS HER DREAMSThis time last year all I wanted to do was travel to East Asia, writes Patricia Coogan. I wanted to go so badly but knew I didn’t have the money to go there just as a holiday

Instead I decided to dedicate myself to a year of teaching in either South Korea or China.

EncouragementWith a little push from my employment coach Alison, I built up the courage to send in my application.

Alison gave me a lot of support by checking my CV and helping me to decide that this was what I really wanted to do. I was also able to complete my TEFL certificate with some financial help.

While I was waiting for my application to go through, Alison helped me get a job to keep me busy. Without her support I don’t

think I would have made it to China. I would still be sitting at home, twiddling my thumbs and deciding what to do.

Since coming to China I have saved money and seen many different parts of Chinese culture. I have been to a lot of different places like Shanghai and Beijing.

This job has so much potential for learning as I also get Chinese lessons, a skill I think of as an investment for a future career.

Travelling this far has taught me so much about the world, something I wouldn’t have been able to achieve without the support of Family Mosaic.

USING THE PAST TO FIX THE FUTURETenants at our Pathways scheme in Bexhill are working hard on their past to ‘fix’ their futures as part of our Fixers programme.

Fixers helps young people use their past personal experience as motivation to do something positive in the future, both for themselves and those around them.

Fixers’ projects come in many forms and our team is still helping participants shape their projects and decide the best way to share what they learn. Previous projects

have used film, leaflets, poster campaigns, websites and workshops.

For more on Fixers, check out www.fixers.org.uk/home.php

FAST TRACKED TO WORK AFTER RISING TO BOOT CAMP CHALLENGEJust weeks after finishing one of our employment boot camps earlier this year, some of our participants have already found paid work.

Success story‘Through the boot camp and with the support of my employment coach and the rest of the team, I have secured employment in the sector I wanted to work in, and now work at St Guys and St Thomas,’ one boot camper told us.

Nineteen adults underwent our employment boot camp in February, with another 14 completing a bespoke programme for younger people in March.

Our award-winning boot camp is an all-in-one programme that sets out to transform your career prospects and expectations.

Among the many points it covers are nutrition, fitness, money management, confidence and self-esteem, presentation and employability.

Sessions are led by motivational, inspiring trainers. All participants also get one-on-one coaching, and support and advice from our in-house employment coaches.

TRAINING FOR SUCCESS IN THE CARE SECTOR, STARTING JULYOur customer training programme offers a range of new and innovative courses.

Focused trainingLast year we offered a ‘themed’ approach, focusing training on accredited courses relevant to particular sectors such as youth work or counselling.

These sessions proved extremely popular so between July and September this year we will offer courses relevant to the care sector.

Watch out for our training schedule, posted with your June rent statement. Or if you would like more information about our customer training, please call q020 7089 1252.

SPECIAL ONE-YEAR OFFER: FREE TRAINING IN CHILDCAREFREE APPRENTICESHIPS

NO AGE LIMIT * THIS YEAR ONLY

Our childcare training project with City and Islington College is, for this year only, offering free apprenticeships, with no age limit.

If you are interested in working with children you will get college tuition, practical experience in a work placement, an apprenticeship wage that goes up after one year and an accredited qualification in all levels.

Contact Maxine Rose for details on q020 7089 1272 or Maxine.Rose@familymosaic.co.uk

FIT FOR THE WORKPLACE

Personal fitness has been at the heart of our boot camp programme right from the start. Good health and fitness have a huge impact on how we see ourselves and on how confident we feel. Not surprisingly that affects how well we present ourselves at job interviews.

But there is more to it. Being fit gives you more energy and it improves your sense of wellbeing generally. Our boot ‘campers’ also get expert advice from our nutritionist on eating healthily on a budget.

This mix of better nutrition and personal fitness has had some really interesting results. Boot camp graduates have been back in touch to tell us they’ve lost weight or their health is much better. Even those affected by depression have found their wellbeing much improved. We’ve also heard from some that they’re still meeting up with other people they met on the course to exercise together.

See left for how to sign up for better health and a brighter career.

I also get Chinese lessons, a skill I think of as an investment for a future career.

If you are interested in going on one of our employment boot camps or want advice or help getting back into work, please call our employment team on q020 7089 1345 or email employmentteam@familymosaic.co.uk

Getting into shape the boot camp way

Postcard from China: Patricia and pupils

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get involvedget healthier

GET HEALTHY, GET ACTIVE THIS SUMMERA group of you have been finding that getting physically fit and eating a healthier diet has huge benefits for your self-esteem and mental wellbeing

A group of our tenants have signed up for our Get Healthy, Get Active (GHGA) programme, taking part in activities to improve their physical fitness and eat more healthily.

Door to door serviceAll activities are scheduled around their daily routines and they’re even picked up from their own doorstep and dropped off again later.

Football sessions have proved so popular the group now plays with a full team. To reward their efforts, our staff took them on a day trip to

Tottenham’s football stadium at White Hart Lane in March. In June they’ll get to pit their skills against our staff at a special one-off match.

Everyone taking part in GHGA has a chronic mental illness so a smaller group also took part in a special project to see if a better diet might improve their mental wellbeing.

The Takeaway Challenge set out to find out what takeaways they were eating and see if they could make their own healthier alternative at home. Read our story, below, to find out how they fared.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR TWO HEALTH PROJECTS OVER SUMMERWe are looking for volunteers to help run some of the new activity sessions we have lined up for our Get Healthy, Get Active group over the summer.

Volunteers are also wanted for our Health at Home (H@H) programme, for people over 50 who want to improve their health and wellbeing (see also our story on page 7 of this issue).

To find out more about either project, email HWBvolunteers @familymosaic.co.uk, putting GHGA or H@H in the subject line. We’ll then get back in touch with you to discuss how we can best work together.

TAKEAWAY CHALLENGE WALKS OFF WITH A PLEASING THIRDOur Takeaway Challenge was judged third best by Health Education England of 20 projects that involved medical professional volunteers last yearThe ‘challenge’ began in September last year when we teamed up with a group of trainee medical professionals via Health Education England (HEE) to help Family Mosaic customers who had been diagnosed as having a serious mental illness.

Mental health diagnosisWorking with the volunteers, who included a trainee doctor and three studying to be psychologists, we met the group every fourth Sunday for six months.

At each session the group talked

about the takeaway meals they had eaten over the past month, shared tips on nutrition, and learnt how to shop for and cook their own healthier alternatives to the takeaway meals.

From studying questionnaires filled in before and after the ‘challenge’ we found:●● a 60% improvement in what each person who attended knew about nutrition●● a leap in belief in their own cooking skills, up from 60% confident to 87.5%●● twice the number of people

cooking their own meals more than three times a week●● an 80% cut in the number eating a takeaway three or more times a week.

Everyone has said that they are now more confident doing their own cooking.

We’re carrying on our work with the Health Education England volunteers, taking an updated version of our Takeaway Challenge to other Family Mosaic schemes.

WHAT COULD WE DO TOGETHER TO MAKE A LOT MORE OF YOU HAPI?The Family Mosaic Community Foundation is about to launch its HAPI project, backing initiatives to get you feeling Healthier, Active, Prosperous and Involved (in your community) across all parts of London and Essex.

If you’d like to get involved or even become a community health champion, running activities yourself, please get in touch.

If you’d like help with your own health we’d really like to know what specifically. For example, do you need to exercise more, give up smoking or lower your stress levels?

Call us q020 7089 1087 or email getinvolved@familymosaic.co.uk

parent and toddler

group

community gardening

youth club

keep fit classes

If you have an idea for a project that will do good for your local community, please call us on q020 7089 1087 or email getinvolved@familymosaic.co.uk

HELP US TO ‘RETHINK‘ RESIDENT INVOLVEMENTLast year we did extensive research into how we involve you in our work. We also wanted to find more effective ways to communicate.

Great examplesSome of you are doing fantastic work with us and within your own communities. But with so many groups, forums and panels we thought there really should be more of a buzz. So where were we going wrong?

We surveyed hundreds of you, held focus groups and tried different tactics for communicating. What we learnt was that our methods for communicating didn’t work as well as they could.

Many of you also told us that the things you really wanted to be more involved in were about other things affecting you, like healthcare, crime, transport and schools.

It became clear to our team that we have to try harder to see things from your perspective. So we’ve gone for a complete redesign – and we want your input.

Over the next few months we’ll holding workshops to discuss better ways and reasons for you to get more involved. If you’d like to take part, please email Sarah Hanson at Sarah.Hanson@familymosaic.co.uk or q 020 3478 9795.

free training

myplaceyour neighbourhood

your opinion

WE WILL BE SENDING OUT OUR MYPLACE SURVEYS IN JUNE AND AUGUST. PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK AND YOU COULD WIN £75 IN VOUCHERS

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A...

IS SOMETHING MISSING IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD?

Maybe a lunch club, a parent and toddlers group, a youth club, fitness, or a food growing group?

AND HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT

‘I COULD RUN THAT’Have you got the time and the energy needed to set

up and run a local community project or group?

If you answered YES to any of these, you could become a Community Champion, supported by the Family Mosaic Community Foundation and our social inclusion team.

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Head office

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Report repairs

q0300 123 3456, then press option 1. Report repairs to us online at www.familymosaic.co.uk

Leasehold enquiries

Call q0300 123 2209 h CCLHomeOwnership @familymosaic.co.uk

Tenant enquiries

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

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Care and support

London q020 7089 1000 Essex q01268 498 500South q01273 468010

Welfare rights officers

London north/west q020 7089 1323 London south/east q020 7089 1187Hackney/Essex: q01268 498 563

Staying in touch

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ACROSS1 They say one of these birds doesn’t make a summer (7)5 Travel on two wheels and get fit while you do it (5)8 A doctor’s jab and a bed net may prevent this nasty overseas holiday hazard (7) 9 ‘Forced’ summer vegetable usually found in puddings (7)11 Suitable head gear for the hotter weather: sun ___ (3)12 Skimpier garb for women and girls: sun _____ (5)15, 13 down Edith Piaf song covered by Donna Summer: La ___(3) En ____ (4)17 French charm or shrug (6)19 Rio ______ (6), a river running to the Gulf of Mexico 21 Natural form of popcorn, just as good with butter (7)23 Waste away time (7)24 Sea shore destination (5)25 Portable shade (7)

DOWN1 Very hot (9)2 Midsummer month? (6)3 Sun-loving reptile (6)4 Fictional creature, keeps the common tidy (6)5 French seaport (6)6 Notting Hill knees-up (8)7 Airport acronym for expected landing time (3)10 Handy for a kickabout on 23 across (9)13 See 15 across14 The dreaded droop (3)16 Boats galore found here, maybe in Brighton (6)18 Open window makes a stuffy room ______ (6)20 Split the bill: go ... (5)21 Summer harvest or a revealing top maybe (4)22 They’re none too happy on a hot tin roof (4)23 A very brief way to sum up a great holiday! (3)

QUESTION:

WHAT WILL YOU DO IF I REPORT MY NEIGHBOUR’S ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR?

ANSWER:

Last year we received and investigated 1,200 reports of antisocial behaviour. Most involved neighbour disputes or complaints of noise nuisance but some of you reported vandalism, drug dealing or violent behaviour.

Serious matterThe story on page 4 ‘Your home should be your sanctuary’ highlights a significant area of work for our housing managers.

This was a serious case and the evidence collected made it possible for us to act immediately. But very often antisocial behaviour is hard to prove so we need help from those affected to gather evidence that will hold up if it is challenged in court.

In noise nuisance cases we can use noise monitoring equipment to assess whether

the level and frequency of the noise constitutes a nuisance.

Neighbour disputes, on the other hand, can be very hard to investigate as we often get very different versions of events and allegations made by the different parties.

In these cases we find mediation is often the most effective way to resolve matters. Mediation can be a way of getting all parties to understand the impact of their behaviour on others, and to agree to a way forward that benefits all parties.

If you are being subjected to antisocial behaviour please tell us. We will investigate it and will do our best to resolve it. But we will need your help to gather evidence. If the best outcome for you will be to take part in mediation then that is what we will recommend.

HAVE A QUERY FOR CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTOR ASHLING FOX?

Send your query to Yvonne Luu at Yvonne.Luu@familymosaic.co.uk or Albion House, 20 Queen Elizabeth Street, London SE1 4UP. Ash will reply to the best question in the next edition of Connections. Don’t forget to give us your name.