Member Spotlight

It’s our members that make Tpas such a great organisation to be part of and what better way to show this than with our member spotlight feature.

Each month we will invite one of our members to share their engagement achievements, tips and ambitions, allowing you to keep bang up to date with what others are up to across the sector.

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Member Spotlight  - Orbit   

We asked Conor Warburton, Customer Engagement Manager at Orbit to share some of the work they are currently doing.

If you’d like to contact Conor about any of the below, click here

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Give us a little known fact about your organisation.

Orbit was established in 1967 by two people who were sitting on a park bench, contemplating how to tackle homelessness. The passion they felt about the inequality in access, scale, and quality of available housing was channelled into positive action, and Orbit was created. I love the fact that a conversation has turned into Orbit, and today we are still channelling that conversation in what we do.

Tell us about a time that engagement has made a difference to your services or communities?

Residents highlighted inconsistencies in the annual gas servicing letters they received, noting that the communication lacked clear explanations and instructions for rescheduling appointments. In response, the engagement team initiated a series of activities aimed at improving the gas servicing letters, collaborating with various stakeholders involved in the process.

To address the issues, we worked closely with our Communications team, Gas and Heating team, as well as with customers, to identify potential improvements in both the process and the content of the letters. This collaborative approach helped ensure that all perspectives were considered.

After careful evaluation, the letters were revised to align with our tone of voice principles, ensuring clearer and more consistent communication. These changes had a measurable impact; in one of our regions, the rate of customers granting first-time access increased by 27%.

What are you currently working on when it comes to engagement? 

We are working to improve engagement opportunities for our younger residents by expanding our digital methods that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. These tools are designed to offer greater flexibility, making it easier for residents to participate in ways that suit their schedules and preferences.
We recognise that some residents prefer these methods compared to our traditional scrutiny groups and panels. Therefore, we are offering alternative ways for people to get involved and have their voices heard.
Residents have been involved in testing the user experience of our digital services. We’ve also regularly engaged with residents by going live on Facebook.

Why did you decide to join Tpas?

Tpas Connect has been an invaluable tool for me, enabling meaningful networking with other engagement experts in the sector. It provides a platform to exchange ideas and continuously enhance the services we offer to our residents. Additionally, we've hosted training sessions with Tpas, all of which have been highly successful and well received by our residents.

What is your top engagement tip?

Ensuring that engagement is accessible to all residents is essential. As a team, we regularly discuss the importance of using a variety of methods to address a single topic. By employing diverse approaches, we can gather more balanced and representative feedback, ensuring that the views of all our residents are considered. Additionally, it is crucial to consistently update residents on the progress being made, keeping them informed and engaged throughout the process.

What is the one thing you are really proud of when it comes to engagement?

Engagement is truly vital in empowering residents to have a voice. It's about creating meaningful opportunities for residents to collaborate with their landlord which instils a sense of pride in being part of the process.

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Previous Member Spotlights

September 2024 - Gentoo

August 2024 - Watford Community Housing

July 2024 - BFT Mastclimbing

May / June 2024 - Stonewater

April 2024 - Hull City Council

March 2024 - Partners Foundation

February 2024 - Red Kite Community Housing

January 2024 - St Leger Homes of Doncaster

December 2023 - settle

November 2023 - Flagship Group

Sept / Oct 2023 - Hinckley and Bosworth Council

August 2023 - Tenants Hub CIC

June / July 2023 - Dovecotes TMO

May 2023 - Stockport Homes

April 2023 - TPTracker

March 2023 - Metropolitan Thames Valley

February 2023 - West Kent

January 2023 - Fairhive

December 2022 - Platform Housing Group

November 2022 - Integrated Solutions - City Plumbing

September / October 2022 - Homes Plus

August 2022 - Aspire

May 2022 - Arches

April 2022 -  Acis Group

March 2022 - wdh

February 2022 - Michael Dyson Associates Ltd

January 2022 - South Yorkshire HA

December 2021 - Gateshead Council

November 2021  - LiveWest

October 2021 - YMCA Thames Gateway

September 2021 - Bernicia

August 2021 - Anglian Building Products

July 2021 - Warrington HA

June 2021 - Futr

May 2021 - Vale of Aylesbury HT

April 2021 - Aaron Services

March 2021 - Soha

February 2021 - North West Leicestershire DC

January 2021 - Vinci Facllities

December 2020 - Ongo

November 2020 - Places for People

October 2020 - Community Gateway Association

September 2020 - Dacorum BC

August 2020 - Eastend Homes

July 2020 - Connexus

June 2020 - Gridizen

May 2020 - Grand Union Housing Group

March / April 2020 - Onward Homes

January / February 2020 - Estuary HA

December 2019 - Muir Group

November 2019 - Blackpool Coastal Homes

October 2019 - Texthelp

September 2019 - Greatwell Homes

August 2019 - Selby DC

July 2019 - North Star Housing Group

June 2019  - Rotherham MBC

May 2019  - Homes for Haringey

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I'd like to be in the spotlight

If you'd like to be featured in our Member Spotlight and highlight the work you are doing, please get in touch by emailing lisa.holt@tpas.org.uk.