TOP OF THE CLASS!

Elderpark’s trail-blazing schools project wins coveted prize at national awards

A pioneering schools project which is just a few months old has won a coveted top prize at the TPAS Scotland National Good Practice Awards.

Elderpark Housing’s “Junior Community Voice” initiative involves two Govan schools – St Saviour’s and Riverside primaries and encourages young people to be “Junior Community Voice Champions”

Both schools are working closely with us to understand and act on what matters in the community to young people.

Now the project has won the award in the Best Practice in Developing Community category.

The schools initiative is considered a crucial part of Elderpark Housing’s tenant engagement work which throws an important spotlight on the requirements of young tenants.

In the Best Practice in Developing Community category the judges were looking for “teams (tenants, other community members, staff and board members, contractors, businesses, and agencies) who have come together to improve/ build opportunities in their community and helped sustain individuals.”

Jonathan Giddings-Reid, our Community Regeneration Officer, who came up with the idea for the project said: “We are delighted to have won especially as what we are doing is only a few months old.

“Tenant participation – as every housing professional knows – is a vitally important part of any housing association’s work. And it is important that ongoing process engages with tenants of all ages – including the young – whose perspective on community can differ greatly from older generations.

“The aim is to create a conversation led by young people about what community is and how we can all influence what happens in our communities. We have had wonderful support from the headteachers and staff of both schools – without whom this would not be possible.”

Jonathan has engaged with over 120 primary four, five and six pupils in a classroom setting and the youngsters have enthusiastically embraced working with their local housing association.