Communities

Residents groups are a great way to Achieve Better Communities.

You can work along side Helena Housing and the members of your community to improve the area where you live, for your and future generations. What could be better!

The first tenants and residents group in St Helens started in1979 and the numbers have grown to 30 in 2006.

So what are resident groups?

There are two types of resident groups which currently operate in Helena’s neighbourhoods:

Buddy Groups
Tenants and Residents Associations

Both are of equal importance and do very beneficial work at the heart of their communities. The main differences between them arelisted below.

Buddy Groups

Are less formal.
Can have a set of rules or a constitution.
Does not need a committee.
Do not need to hold an annual general meeting.
Do not need a separate bank account.

Tenants and Residents Associations

Have a formal structure.
Use a constitution.
Have a formally elected committee including Chair-person, Vice Chair-person, Secretary and Treasurer.
Have to hold an annual general meeting.
Would need a separate bank account.

There’s so much you can achieve!

Buddy Groups and Tenants and Residents Associations benefit communities in many different ways.

You can help improve Helena’s services For example:

Carrying out estate walkabouts with Helena staff to identify local problems and work on the solutions.
Residents groups told us how they would like to see their annual conference run in a more informal way. The next conference was an Open Day for residents and proved to be a great success with many young families attending.
Residents groups told us they wanted a simple system that recorded issues they reported to neighbourhood staff on behalf of the community. Helena designed a system around their wishes.

Have you seen your neighbours walking around with officers on the estate? This is an estate walkabout. Come along and join us to help identify local problems and work on the solutions together.

Residents groups told us they wanted a quick, easy system that recorded issues they reported to neighbourhood staff on behalf of the community. Helena designed a system around their wishes that allows residents to track when issues were reported and what has happened as a result.

You can improve the environment

Groups get involved in activities to improve their local environment. any groups get stuck in with the “Get Cleaner with Helena” campaign and encourage members of the community to come out and help. Projects include:

Litter picks
Clean ups
Skip days
Scrub clearance
Planting
Hanging baskets
Communal garden makeovers
Recycling

You can help out older people

Groups organise activities to help out older members of their community, these include:

Hot pot suppers
Trips out to Blackpool
Christmas parties

Young People: The future of the community

Many groups want to work with the young people in their community and to help bring out their potential. There is some really great work being done by groups to support and encourage young people such as:

Running Dream Teams: These are teams of local young people who carry out activities that benefit the community. The activities and teams are organised by the residents groups who also provide rewards for the young people who take part.
Arts projects: A Buddy Group got young people and older people together to work on an arts project for the local community.
Environmental projects: Buddy groups and tenants and residents associations have got young people involved in projects to clear up and reclaim derelict areas and to carry out landscaping improvements.

Respect your neighbourhood

Groups can and do take a stand against anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhoods and really make a difference. They work with Helena and the Police to make their communities quieter and safer. All information provided is treated as strictly confidential.

Engaging Community Spirit

Groups work hard to help all sections of the community in general by:

Representing them to Helena, the Council and the Police.
Working on estate agreements with Helena.
Working on local lettings policies with Helena.

So how do you start a resident group?

Start by contacting the Resident Involvement Team on 01744 675678/87. You can discuss whether you want to be a buddy group or a tenants and residents association.

To start a buddy group you will need to get a group of people together who are interested in forming a group, determine your membership area and provide a newsletter to all potential members.

Starting a tenants and residents association involves holding a public meeting, deciding on a constitution and organising a launch when the committee members will be voted on.

Don’t worry; the Resident Involvement Team will help you with every step.

What support is available?

The Resident Involvement and Neighbourhood teams are there to support you. The Resident Involvement Team will you get started. The Neighbourhood Teams will work with you on the issues and activities you are involved and interested in.

Helena will support residents groups both with money and staff time.

Support for residents groups includes:

Annual grants for Buddy Groups up to £60.
Annual grants for Tenants and Residents Associations between £300-£500.
Regular meetings and walkabouts with Neighbourhood Officers.
Free support and training.
Some tenants groups have Helena properties as a rent free base. All other bills have to be paid by the association.
Waterproof coats for walkabouts.
Advice from the Resident Involvement Team.

If you would like more information about setting up and running a residents group, please contact the Resident Involvement Team on (01744) 675678/87.

Click here to find out how to contact our local neighbourhood offices>
Click here for a list of recognised residents groups>
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