News

It’s time. Your Own Place has made the not-so-difficult decision to leave X, formerly known as Twitter.

Personally, when I started out in 2013, I enjoyed Twitter. It was a place of connection, learning, ideas and positive novelty. We even picked up customers and partners who interacted with our work.

We have seen this be eroded over the last year. In a world of polarised keyboard warriors, it has become harder to find the joy and positivity. Instead we are bombarded by toxic hatred, lies, adverts and bots.

This is not something I want to endure for my own wellbeing or benefit and therefore why would I encourage the team to have to interact with it and indeed those we exist to support?

Furthermore, gaining any analytics about our posts and their reach has been made impossible.

We are leaving with immediate effect and look forward to engaging with you on other platforms and maybe face to face 😉

We’re recruiting

We’re seeking a new full-time Facilitator to join our dynamic, flexible and passionate small team. We all connect over building non-judgemental relationships and making a difference in communities – does this sound like you?

In brief, you will facilitate 1-2-1 and group Money, Housing, Tenancy & Cost of Living sessions with trainees. These will be delivered online and face to face in a variety of settings, such as, supported accommodation, prisons, food banks, community venues, schools and people’s homes.

The role includes hybrid and flexible working, with our office is based in Norwich, where we will see you over some of the week. 

More details are below of the two application routes — get yours in by midday on 1st March 2024. Read more about our team
Apply for the role on www.yourownplace.org.uk/joinourteam

Years ago, when designing and delivering our early prototype workshops, I devised an exercise where we drew someone and then cut them (the sheet of paper!), in half. 

One half was the landlord and the other half was the tenant.  Participants were asked take the role of tenant or landlord. Together we snipped words out of magazines and stuck them on one side or the other. We looked for words that reflected the things we cared about as either the landlord or the tenant.  You’ve guessed it – they were largely the same.  They both wanted the other to be reliable, open, trustworthy and able to pay the rent. 

Our reason for supporting landlords with their Tenant Engagement work operates along the same principles.  Because we’re fantastic at bringing people together and building relationships. In delivering workshops, whether to scrutinise Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) or provide tenants with a voice and opportunity to meaningfully feed back on repairs, communication or how anti-social is tackled in their neighbourhood, tenants and landlords get to agree on the things they both want to improve.  

So we’re thrilled that we can now offer housing associations our award-winning approaches to engaging with your tenants and facilitating the hard conversations with our Tenant Engagement offer. 

As independent facilitators, this is what our inclusive, engaging and equitable workshops with your tenants achieve – a shared purpose as well as visible progress for your Boards, investors and the Regulator. 

By partnering with Your Own Place, housing associations can enhance the support they provide by truly hearing their tenants and acting on their feedback. This improves tenant outcomes as well as ensures compliance with regulatory standards. Our flexible and relationships-first solutions and a collaborative approach can lead to more effective and sustainable support structures for both housing associations and their tenants in a world where all eyes are on how landlords treat their tenants.

“Your Own Place has demonstrated a deep understanding of the unique challenges and dynamics associated with tenant meetings. Their attention to detail and ability to manage logistics has resulted in seamless and productive meetings with the outcomes influencing key strategic decisions“

– Rebecca Claydon, Customer Engagement Manager, Freebridge Community Housing

Your Own Place CIC and The Trussell Trust’s Norwich food banks have forged a transformative financial inclusion partnership, weaving a safety net for vulnerable communities using food banks in Norwich. By combining Your Own Place’s expertise in financial inclusion workshops and support with the Trussell Trust’s extensive network and commitment to eradicating hunger, we’ve created a dynamic new alliance.

Together, we amplify impact, addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by those seeking help and food. By intertwining financial literacy with essential resources, this partnership is sowing seeds of positive change, nurturing a community where individuals not only survive but thrive. It’s a testament to the belief that true empowerment comes not just from a full stomach today, but from the tools to shape a more secure tomorrow.

We’re proud to now count ourselves among the Trussell Trust’s delivery partners.