Inside this Festive

Issue

Your Tenant’s magazine Winter 2013

Claim £135 towards your

winter fuel bill page 12

New care skills

foundation page 13

Festive opening hoursOur opening hours over Christmas and New Year are:

Tuesday 24 December – closed from 1.00pmRe Opening Thursday 2 January 2014

If you have an emergency repair over the festive period please call our 24 hour emergency repair line on

0800 91 71 773.

2

This document can be made available in large print and audio format. It may also be available in other languages.

This edition of the magazine is jam packed with stories from 2013. Pages 18 and 19 mark the fi rst 12 months of our exciting new build programme as well as information on our new services designed to help tenants that need to move home due to welfare reform.

Page 7 gives a roundup of some of the issues our communities team have been dealing with over the past 12 months and new services that are available to support you our tenants.

We’re delighted to announce that this year we made it into the Top 100 apprenticeship employers list nationally. Pages 13 - 16 take a look at our livin futures programme that offers apprenticeships, training and employability support as well as real job opportunities.

As usual as part of the festive edition of the magazine I hope you enjoy reading about our special Christmas events including our annual Christmas market and Ernest the Elf on pages 4 and 5.

Coming in 2014 is a new look digital friendly magazine. If you’d like to get involved in working with us on this or if you have any ideas please get in touch.

Finally I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Colin SteelChief Executive

Welcome to the festive edition of your

tenants’ magazine

4. The elf that earned his Christmas

5. Community market helps businesses earna livin

6. Scrutiny

7. Community Roundup

8. Help for hoarders

9. Foundations at Shildon

10. 800 pupils take part in business project

10. Toy appeal

11. Free breakfast clubs

12. Confused about your benefi ts?

12. Worried about your winter fuel bill?

13. Construction Skills Foundation recruiting in 2014

14. Top 100 Apprentice Employer

15. livin Apprentice scoops Business Award

16. Traineeship vacancies

17. Homes for livin

18. 100th new home

Contents

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t: 0800 587 4538 e: contactus@livin.co.uk visit: livin.co.uk

weare_livin facebook.com/wearelivin

The elf that earned his Christmas

Over 200 pupils from local primary schools have visited our festive grotto in our headquarters at DurhamGate.

The event, run in partnership with Success, was designed

to help children understand the value of money. With help from our very own Christmas elf Ernest, the children took part in a number of fun money management workshops and

listened to Ernest’s story about how he had squandered all his money and worked together to help him earn his Christmas.

OURNEWS

4

Merry Christmas and thank you toWendy Minhinnett, Chief Executive Offi cer at Success and all the children and teachers

who took part from, King Street Primary School, North Park Primary School, Dean Bank Primary School, Chilton Primary School, Timothy Hackworth Primary School,

West Cornforth Primary School, Ferryhill Station Primary School, Middleston Moor Primary School and St Williams Primary School.

LIVIN

The doors opened for the third year at our annual Christmas market this November giving local businesses a pre-Christmas boost.

Established in 2011, the market was set up to support local businesses and entrepreneurs. To date over 500 visitors have attended the markets with stall holders selling goods from jewellery, fl oral arrangements, woodcrafts, cakes, children’s games, cosmetics, skin care and more.

Community market helps businesses earn a livin

Ferryhill 6

5

Doreen, Anna, Audrey, Enid, Joyce and Zena make up the Ferryhill 6. A group of retired friends that run market stalls across Durham in aid of charity.

Attending our Christmas market for the fi rst time the friends set out their stall with an array of delicious treats from homemade jams and chutneys to kitsch arts and craft items.

Zena Roddam, member of Ferryhill 6, said: “We’ve been doing this for about 10 years. It started as a hobby and progressed into us supporting charities and raising funds for the local community.”

The group is currently supporting Breast Cancer Research and has raised thousands of pounds over the years, crediting their success to the support they receive locally.

Zena added: “We receive a lot of produce from the local allotments that we use in our jams and chutneys. Often I’ll return home to fi nd a bag of fruit and veg on my doorstep.”

For more information about the group or to fi nd out if they can attend an event contact Doreen Barber on 01740 651 668.

OURNEWS

6

Over the past six months the panel has conducted its fi rst review of our aids and adaptations service carrying out a variety of activities including interviews with staff, customers and external partners as well as researching good practice from other organisations.

As a direct result of the scrutiny review the following changes have been made:

• Improved literature about aids and adaptations service

• Tenants can now track the progresses of requests

• Tenants can now appeal against a decision in a simple and quick way

• Tenants are now contacted three months after work is complete to ensure customer satisfaction

• Hospital discharges are given priority and managed closely

If you are interested in fi nding out more please email sylvia.dodsworth@livin.co.uk, call via the main switchboard or fi nd us on Facebook at facebook.com/wearelivin and send us a message or visit the website.

Our tenant scrutiny panel has been set up to enable tenants to inspect our work and services and provide us with vital feedback to help us improve.

Scrutiny

Repairs and maintenance service receives national accolade We are delighted to announce we have gained a much sought-after Housing Quality Network (HQN) accreditation for our repairs and maintenance service in partnership with our repairs and maintenance partner Mears.

The accreditation means we are one of only 19 landlords nationally to be recognised by the HQN.

The assessment covered service areas including

responsive repairs, voids repairs, gas servicing and maintenance, aids and adaptations, cyclical maintenance and planned maintenance and stock investment.

Wayne Harris, executive director, property and development for livin, said: “The accreditation certifi es our commitment to deliver value for money whilst providing the highest level of performance and excellent customer service

for our tenants. We are delighted to receive this national recognition and be part of a very elite group of organisations that share this accolade.”

accredit:repairsand maintenance

Community Roundup

COMMUNITYNEWS

Did you know that in each of our communities we have a dedicated community coordinator?

Each coordinator looks after their own patch and is on hand to support tenants and the wider community. Below is a snapshot of the work the communities’ team has carried out this year and how you can get in touch if you have any issues.

vulnerable tenants supported to move to a more suitable home

75

home visits carried out to tenants

2,367

tenants helped with mental and physical health and access to

specialist support

258adult and children

safeguarding issues identifi ed and

referred to Durham County Council

19tenancy breaches resolved allowing tenants to stay in

their home

329

tenants referred for employability supportTo fi nd out more about livin’

employability support see page 14

223

people referred to our smart money team for free money support

To fi nd out how our smart money team could help you

see page 12

395hours spent in the

community at events, job fairs and community

projects

500

hoarders identifi ed and supported

To fi nd out more about how we are supporting hoarders

see page 7

9

7

To get in touch with us, call 0800 587 4538 or email communities@livin.co.uk

In the next edition of the magazine we will focus on local communities. Coming soon is a focus on Shildon.

COMMUNITYNEWS

However, for the 3 million people in the UK living with hoarding the daily battle can be devastating.

Over the past 12 months we’ve worked with a number of specialists to develop a hoarding support package, which includes:

Specialist psychological support – often triggered by a traumatic experience such as bereavement, hoarding can stem from other conditions including obsessive-compulsive disorder, drug misuse, anxiety, or ingrained family traits.

We have a team of qualifi ed psychologists that will support hoarders and their families through the process to tackle the root cause of the problem.

Moving home – sometimes moving to a smaller, more

Help for hoarders

manageable property or moving closer to family or friends can help. If this is the case the assigned community coordinator will help tenants fi nd a new home and support them to move.

If left undetected hoarding can lead to poor health, physical danger, high clear-out costs and repair bills as well as hoarders feeling embarrassed or isolated.

Dedicated community coordinator case worker – each case will be assigned a community coordinator who will support the tenant and liaise between agencies, family and the psychologists.

Discrete rubbish removal – the community coordinator will work with the tenant to remove materials and rubbish as part of the de-cluttering stage of the process.

If you think you may have a problem with hoarding or know a family member, friend or neighbour that could be a hoarder contact us today for help via the main switchboard or email communities@livin.co.uk

Hoardingfacts

Did you know over the past 12 months:

9 hoarding cases have been identifi ed and

supported

Over 100 bags of rubbish have been

removed

With TV documentaries recently highlighting the effects hoarding has on lives most of us have some idea of what being a hoarder means.

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COMMUNITYNEWS

for Shildon

New

The Foundations project run in partnership with Sunderland AFC charity the Foundation of Light opened its doors in Church Street, Shildon this June providing an exciting new community facility.

Having undergone a major transformation the former housing offi ce now boasts a range of facilities including a fully equipped ICT suite, fl exible meeting room space, kitchen, secure outdoor area and offi ce space.

Since opening Foundations has delivered over 50 hours of training including:

• Heartstart fi rst aid course

• Cook 4 Life sessions

• Digital and web training

• Skills Foundation warehousing course

The launch of Foundations in Church Street, Shildon. With the keys for the doors, from left are Alan Small from Mears, Sarah Unwin, wider family learning, Lesley Spuhler, Chief Executive of Foundation of Light, Laura Pike, literacy and numeracy teacher and Alan Boddy, Executive Director People and Communities, livin.

Starting in 2014 Back in the Game - 10-week employability programme aimed at giving unemployed people the skills, confi dence and qualifi cations to help enhance their job prospects.

NE FirstStarting January, NE First (the former Durham Credit Union) we be available to deal with banking and affordable fi nance solutions on Thursdays 12pm – 1pm.

For more information about livin and the partnership with the Foundation of Light visit livin.co.uk.

For more information about The Foundations project contact foundations@livin.co.uk or call 01388 317 001 or visit livin.co.uk/foundations

9

10

A new programme aimed at giving young people skills to better equip them for work is being taken up in schools across East Durham.

The Young Enterprise programme will see more than 800 students and volunteers learning new skills that will hopefully help them to succeed in their chosen career path.

Five schools will take part in the project with pupils aged between six – 13 years old supported by £9,500 of funding from livin, £7,000 from East Durham Rural Corridor AAP, £9,500 from the Young Enterprise and £3,200 from participating schools.

Alan Boddy, Executive Director, people and communities for livin said: “The Young Enterprise programme is a tried and tested method that really works. Statistics show that pupils that take part in the programme are twice as likely to start their own business in the future and increases future earnings compared to peers that do not take part.”

As part of the programme volunteers from the business community run workshops with the children who design and build a city, learning what it takes to create successful and sustainable communities using employment and businesses as a catalyst.

800 pupils take part in a business project across Durham

Toy appeal

Proud participants of the Young Enterprise programme. Back row, from left to right Alison Wilkinson, Young Enterprise Manager, Malcolm Gray, Improving Communities Coordinator for livin, Eddie Stanbridge, Administrative Offi cer, HM Revenue & Customs and Karen Keeny, Communities Coordinator for livin.

Front Row: William Dredge, John Ridley, Jack Carmichael, Katie Turnbull and Caitlin Tuffi n.

Staff at livin gave generously this Christmas donating toys to support a local toy collection.

The Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe organised the toy donation supported by a number of businesses including Wilkinsons, Morrisons and TFM Radio.

The donated toys will be given out along with food parcels to over 100 families from the Xcel Centre throughout December and will support much needed families from Newton Aycliffe, Darlington, Spennymoor, Chilton and Ferryhill, Shildon and Bishop Auckland.

For more information about the toy donation or food bank contact jan.welsh@livin.co.uk or call via the main switchboard.

COMMUNITYNEWS

a

COMMUNITYNEWS

Every morning pupils at St Francis’ Junior School, North Park Primary School, Horndale Infants School and Dean Bank Primary School are offered a healthy start to the day by providing free, nutritious breakfasts.

The project which will run for two years has been funded by a £14,000 grant from the livin community fund.

This has also enabled the schools to provide seven volunteering opportunities. Greggs has supplied the school with toasters, freezers and equipment to store and make the breakfasts at the school and free bread which is supplied from the local Greggs stores.

Mrs Wilkinson, head teacher at St Francis’ Junior School said: “We have really noticed

improvements in the children’s alertness and ability to concentrate during morning lessons since the introduction of the breakfast club. Children are now always keen to get totally immersed in their learning and we are also very keen on the club as it supports our strong “family” ethos, with children interacting socially in a calm, relaxed environment.”

A very healthy start to the day

In partnership with Greggs, the bakers,

we are supporting four breakfast clubs

providing free breakfasts to school children in Newton

Aycliffe, Spennymoor and Ferryhill.

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COMMUNITYNEWS

If you need help making a benefi t claim or just want more information about what you are entitled to, we can help.Since July our benefi ts advice service has helped tenants claim over £100,000 increasing their income by £16,952.

To use the service you can contact us via the main switchboard, email

Did you know we now offer a free impartial benefi ts advice service to all of our tenants?

With the recent price hike in gas and electricity many people will be worried about their fuel bill this winter. Did you know the government is offering up to £135 towards your electricity bill as part of its Warm Home Discount Scheme?

You will qualify for thediscount if:

• On the ‘qualifying day’(20 July 2013) your electricity supplier was part of the scheme.

Worried about winter fuel bills?• Your name (or your partner’s)

was on the bill.

• You are 75 or over and getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (even if you get Savings Credit)

• You are under 75 and only getting the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit (you won’t qualify if you also get Savings Credit)

People claiming ESA/JSA/CTC work related benefi ts may also qualify.

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To fi nd out if you qualify or to make a claim contact Warm Home Discount Scheme helpline on 0845 603 9439 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Claims must be made no later than 14 March 2014 and the discount wont effect your cold weather payment or winter fuel payment.

Did you know?The Smart Money

Team have helped tenants claim £6,750 of Warm Homes Discount since

July this year

Benefi ts FactsIt’s not just the unemployed who get benefi ts & tax credits.

In some cases families with up to £72,000 income can qualify.

Over a million low income pensioners are failing to collect their pension credit. Make sure you’re not one of them by

calling us today.

Confused about benefi ts?

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smartmoney@livin.co.uk or take part in our benefi ts live chat sessions every Wednesday between 10am – 12pm and 1pm – 4pm by visiting livin.co.uk and clicking the live chat box in the right hand corner of the screen.

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We are now recruiting tenants for the January 2014 intake of our Construction Skills Foundation programme.

The programme is an eight-week construction course. Participants work alongside a range of skilled construction workers spending • three days a week on site • one day a week attending

college.

They will complete level one certifi cate in basic construction skills, construction

skills certifi cate scheme, introduction to health and safety in construction, level one British Safety Council, fi rst aid and personal development/employability skills.

livinFUTURES

Construction Skills Foundation Recruiting in 2014

Success so far84% of tenants

that completed the Construction Skills

Foundation programme have progressed into

employment or training.

Criteria If you’re interested in taking part you must be:

■ A tenant of livin

■ Claiming JSA or ESA

■ Aged 19 years or over

New for 2014Care Skills Foundation Programme

In 2014 we will be launching a Care Skills Foundation programme offering tenants the opportunity to gain

skills and experience in adult social care work.

certifi cate scheme, duction to health and y in construction, level one

sh Safety Council, fi rst aid personal development/loyability skills.

uccess so far84% of tenants

that completed the Construction Skills

oundation programme have progressed into hamployment or training.mp ing.ini

ion Programmea Care Skills Foundation the opportunity to gain ult social care work.

For more information about either of the programmes or if you are interested in taking part contact Helen Johnson, employability coordinator at futures@livin.co.uk or call via the main switchboard. Or fi nd us on facebook.com/wearelivin

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livinFUTURES

livin futures, our employability and apprenticeship programme has won a top spot in the prestigious Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers list 2013.

The list, which is compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service in partnership with City & Guilds, recognises excellence in apprentice employers and was announced at the National Apprenticeship Awards, which took place during The Skills Show in Birmingham on 14 November.

We attended the show alongside our partners Mears and Bishop Auckland College to showcase the work of our Multi Skill Apprenticeship programme.

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said: “I would like to take this chance to congratulate livin on your success at this year’s National Apprenticeship Awards.

“As we work to increase the opportunities for hard-working young people to achieve their ambitions through high-quality apprenticeship training, it is vitally important that we celebrate the achievements of employers like you, who go the extra mile to help their apprentices and succeed.”

For more information about livin futures or to sign up for support visitlivin.co.uk/futures or email futures@livin.co.uk

Top 100 Apprentice Employer

National representatives at the Top 100 Apprenticeships awards including Helen Johnson, employability coordinator for livin (centre left)

livin futures facts

39apprenticeships created

100people trained on accredited and non accredited programmes

3,000hours of work experience provided

250people given employability support

62people helped to secure employment

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livinFUTURES

Continuing on a winning streak we are delighted to announce John Greenwood, housing apprentice for livin won Business Apprentice of the Year last month as part of the South Durham Business Awards.

Beating off competition from across south Durham, John, 19 from Spennymoor picked up his award at a ceremony held in Redworth Hall Hotel.

John, said: “I was over the moon when I won. I’ve achieved so much in my fi rst 12 months as an apprentice and this award really does mean a lot.”

Starting his apprenticeship 12 months ago, as part of the livin futures programme John works in our communities team and studies for his apprenticeship through Bishop Auckland College.

John’s manager, Janice Hall, said: “John is now crucial to day to day work, he certainly makes my job easier. When faced with a problem he seems to always come up with an answer, frankly some of the work he has completed in his fi rst year has been outstanding.

“As well as his work in the offi ce he has also been out in tenants’ homes, he has a brilliant talent of being able to talk to people, not everyone possesses this skill. He has ambition too - I know John has a bright future at livin.”

John being presented his award by Natalie Davidson, Principal of Bishop Auckland College

livin Apprentice Scoops Business Award

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livinFUTURES

Traineeship vacanciesAre you aged between 16 and 18 years old and looking to develop the skills you need to secure a job or apprenticeships?

Our traineeship programme supports young people to develop skills in business administration and customer service. During the six month programme trainees will spend four days per week in livin’s offi ces and one day per week at Bishop Auckland College.

Criteria ■ Must be aged 16 - 18

■ Available to work full time Monday – Friday

■ Have grade D or above in GCSE Maths and English or be willing to work towards functional skills in English and Maths level two qualifi cations

■ Applicants from tenants of livin are encouraged

Closing date: 4pm, Wednesday 15 January 2014

Vacancies are limitedFor more information or to download an application form and apply online visit livin.co.uk/futures or email futures@livin.co.uk or call Helen Johnson via the main switchboard.

You’ll receive:

A six month placement

£50 per week allowance

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livinHOMES

Paul Stannard and Helen Walker are preparing for their fi rst Christmas together in their new home after receiving help from livin.

The couple originally from Fishburn and Sedgefi eld were left facing a diffi cult decision earlier in the year when Paul was told he would be relocated from his job in Newcastle to a new base in Darlington. With no car and poor public transport links the couple were struggling to fi nd a suitable home.

Paul said: “We spent weeks searching for a home to rent in the private market but the

Homes for livincost of bonds and admin fees meant they were completely unaffordable. We had never considered applying for social housing as we just didn’t think we’d be accepted or we’d end up stuck on a huge waiting list.”

After speaking to a member of the home choice team the couple found a property, placed a bid and a week later were accepted.

Helen, a supply teacher said: “We love our new home, we were able to search and apply for the property online which made

the process really quick and simple.”Ian Walker, home choice team leader: “It’s a common misconception that our homes are only available to people on benefi ts or you have to spend years on a waiting list before you allocated a property.

“We’ve a number of homes immediately available and we advertise on average 100 homes each week.”

• No bond • No admin fee • Dedicated repairs service

• Secure long-term tenancy • All applicants considered

livin.co.uk/fi ndahomehomechoice@livin.co.uk

Find your perfect home

To Let0800 587 4538

Work has begun on our 100th new build home which marks the fi rst 12 months of building for livin. Here is a summary of our new build developments to date and information on new schemes and how you can apply for a home.

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newhome

100th

Total investment £11,139,815

Over 2,000 bids received on our new build homes

two-bedroom bungalows built54

two-bedroom houses built26

three-bed houses built24

livinHOMES

We can help you to move to a smaller, more affordable property or a home that is large enough to meet your family’s needs.

To register your property for an exchange or to fi nd out more contact the Home Choice team.

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to a bigger or smaller home?

Do you need to

Don’t have access to the internet? Don’t worry, our Home Choice team can support you, just let them know you do not have internet access when you speak to them.

Did you know since April...

62people have registered for homeswap

6people have successfully swapped homes

19people have used help to move

Our Help to Move scheme helps tenants that are under-occupying and

looking to move to a smaller home due to welfare reform by:

Providing up to

Supporting tenants that have fallen into rent arrears as a result of welfare reform

or

Covering all or part of your removal costs

and

in B&Q vouchers for your new home£250

Providing up to

0800 587 4538 0300 111 2344cheaper from a mobile(free from a landline) homechoice@livin.co.uk

www.livin.co.uk/fi ndahomeor

livinHOMES

Visit: livin.co.uk/mylivinspace

My livin Space is a new online tenant area.Features include:

If you are not already registered please visit us online and click the My livin Space logo.

For more information or if you need any help signing up to My livin Space contact us:

contactus@livin.co.uk

0800 587 4538 free from a landline 0300 111 2344 cheaper from a mobile

Updating your personal details

Reporting a repair

Contacting us

Checking your rent account

Paying your rent online

Win £150 of Love2shop vouchers!

Sign up before 31 January 2014 to be entered into a free prize draw to win £150 worth of vouchers.