Rod Laird Library
Resident involvement
Project charters (15 Apr 2020)
Here’s a wonderfully simple way to manage your projects better
5 MORE ways to handle a tricky community meeting (13 Jul 2019)
Empathy - a remarkably simple way to diffuse a tense situation
How to use body language to defuse difficult situations in residents meetings (12 Jun 2019)
It’s a nightmare – and it’s your nightmare
How community and residents’ groups can write a winning fundraising letter when there isn’t much spare cash around (01 Dec 2018)
Try to sound like a dedicated bunch of ordinary people who care deeply. Because unless that comes across, you’ve got no hope
Why a logic model approach can help you conduct an assessment of the impact of community involvement (20 Oct 2018)
Here’s an ingenious but wonderfully simple way to help you with your Impact Assessments
13 ways in which volunteers are involved in supported housing (27 Jun 2018)
Some surprising, some not – in any case you should be aware of the varied contribution volunteers can make
A 10 point check list to help you manage your volunteers safely (18 Jun 2018)
Have you got it right?
Difficult residents’ meetings - How to plan, anticipate and prevent them getting out of hand (12 May 2018)
Prepare, prepare, prepare - then prepare some more.
Cherishing “the usual suspects” (10 May 2018)
The sad fact is that there is no phantom army of ‘real people’ out there who are dying to be involved in your latest initiative
15 ways to improve your reports and presentations (23 Apr 2018)
No matter how good your efforts, they count for nothing unless you explain what is happening and “sell” what you are doing to all concerned.
How to assess the true impact community involvement: A seven step guide (05 Apr 2018)
These priceless tips from a professional evaluator guide you through the maze
7 ways to encourage residents to volunteer (12 Jan 2018)
Simple, but good advice from someone who knows
Why tenant involvement and community development work is no cakewalk (04 Nov 2017)
You know, I am sure, that work in tenant participation and community development is far from easy - and often downright frustrating.
What the laws says about raffles and competitions and what it means for community workers and residents (01 Nov 2017)
Get things wrong and you, your residents and your organisation could be in a lot of hot water. Get it right and everybody is protected
Neighbourhood agreements – A recipe for peace and quiet (25 Oct 2017)
Something very simple but highly effective. So why aren’t there more of them?
Why some young people might find it difficult to get involved in your projects – and what you can do about it (In house course) (08 Oct 2017)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) – Two conditions that community workers usually know little about but should know a lot more
10 top tips for developing effective estate agreements (01 Oct 2017)
These simple, easy ways to make everyone happier are grossly underused. Why?
6 ways of dealing with a loudmouth (05 Aug 2017)
If you feel someone is dominating your public meeting and it is causing a problem for you or the meeting, you really must act
How to design and run community training that works (05 Jul 2017)
You may know what you want to achieve – and how. But your residents are the determining factor
How research skills can help community groups build a convincing case for change (10 Dec 2016)
Residents’ groups need facts based on persuasive evidence if they are to effect real change. Intuition, however sound, is rarely convincing enough
Rod’s Reflections – 13 things to help you manage a tricky consultation meeting – big or small (11 Nov 2016)
It’s a nightmare – and it’s your nightmare.
Six steps to measuring the costs and benefits of community involvement (12 Apr 2016)
How can you tell if your results will justify the time, effort and cost invested?
11 measures of effective listening (22 Feb 2016)
How do you rate? Spend a few minutes finding out.
What it feels like being in debt – some personal thoughts (03 Feb 2016)
Being in debt is just horrible and it’s a deep, dark, miserable hole to get out of once you are in it.
How do you measure your contribution to success? (27 Oct 2015)
Contribution analysis made do-able
Two simple, but vital questions (09 Oct 2015)
Your colleagues probably know better than anyone - so I am sure you can relate to what one delegate had to say when we asked for their concerns about undertaking Impact Assessments
Everything you need to set up a social enterprise (05 Aug 2015)
All the materials you need, for absolutely nothing
13 things about data that you should be familar with (27 Apr 2015)
Few of us are statisticians in the real sense in the real sense of the word, yet many of us are now expected to have a working knowledge of the subject
Social enterprise explained (03 Mar 2015)
Here’s a wonderfully useful guide to help you manage your social enterprise projects
How to set up a social enterprise – without getting swamped (19 Feb 2015)
Ten things that worry people about setting up a social enterprise
Measuring the social value of tenant management (26 Jan 2015)
What’s worrying community consultation staff about conducting surveys? (15 Jan 2015)
Your colleagues probably know better than anyone - so I am sure you can relate to what they had to say when we asked for their concerns
If things get better for your community will YOU get the credit? (11 Nov 2014)
4 ways to answer one of the trickiest problems you will ever have to solve
200 of your colleagues with new ideas (A - F) (03 Nov 2014)
You praised it to the skies! So it’s back again – “new and improved”
200 of your colleagues with new ideas (G - L) (03 Nov 2014)
You praised it to the skies! So it’s back again – “new and improved”
200 of your colleagues with new ideas (M - Z) (03 Nov 2014)
You praised it to the skies! So it’s back again – “new and improved”
Ten ways to make your housing managament and maintenance software more effective (01 Oct 2014)
A leading software commentator gives you practical suggestions to ensure you get more from them
9 things to bear in mind when managing a project (28 Aug 2014)
Frankly, there’s no area of your work that won’t benefit from project management
Step by step guide for developing outcome indicators (30 Jul 2014)
Do you face this new challenge? Better services, more involvement for the community and more than ever you must assess the impact of your work
Another virtual workshop in Impact Assessment (26 Jun 2014)
Why you should start by determining what you are trying to achieve
A practical way to assess the impact of your financial inclusion (23 Jun 2014)
Why you should start by determining what you are trying to achieve
Ten key performance indicators to use when measuring your repairs service (03 Apr 2014)
You’ve probably come across many repairs consultants and many data analysts. But what makes Tony Smith highly unusual is that he combines both skills.
How Estate and Neighbourhood Agreements and Charters help you deliver Local Services (20 Jan 2014)
A tried, tested effective way to involve local residents
Mystery shopping – A clever way to accomplish two essential tasks for the price of one (20 Jan 2014)
Here’s how to test your services AND involve your residents at the same time
The perfect introduction to the everyday survival skills you need to be a truly effective tenant participation officer (17 Jan 2014)
Feeling overwhelmed? Stressed out? I know how you feel – but this will help
Whatever you do in the hurly-burly of working in the community you mustn’t forget yourself. (14 Jan 2014)
Simple, but good advice
How to manage tenant participation and community development successfully (13 Jan 2014)
Here’s help with some of your trickiest problems
It’s one thing to come up with new ideas about how tenants can get involved – it’s quite another to make sure they really can (11 Jan 2014)
How to train tenants in the new skills they are going to need to meet the policy changes in resident involvement
31 things that adults should and shouldn’t do when working with young people (09 Jan 2014)
How do you get young people genuinely involved and motivated?
17 active group work techniques to enthuse and involve young people (08 Jan 2014)
How can you genuinely enthuse and involve young people - and make it fun in a controlled way that gets real results?
What the law says about tenant involvement – and what it means for you and your residents (02 Dec 2013)
Get things wrong and you, your residents and your organisation could be in a lot of hot water. Get it right and everybody is protected
20 things to think about when involving volunteers (14 Nov 2013)
A checklist of 20 things to run through before you set up a volunteer project. Think about them in advance and everybody will benefit.
Want to cut through apathy and get your residents really involved? You must first understand what stops them - then remove some of the obstacles (10 Nov 2013)
How do you motivate them to join in? Find out here
It’s a nightmare – and it’s your nightmare. Your community meeting goes off the rails and people become very difficult. How can you stop it ever happening? And what do you do if it does? (09 Nov 2013)
How to manage tricky tenant meetings – big or small
Make sure you control your projects - not the other way round (07 Nov 2013)
How to manage absolutely any project successfully: The absolute essentials for tenant participation and community development officers
How to design an effective questionnaire – the absolute essentials. Only for tenant participation and community development officers (03 Nov 2013)
Want to know how to write survey questions that residents understand?? Want them to answer all your questions? Want more of them to reply? Want to know what they really think? Avoid these 10 common errors
Music works when more traditional methods don’t – in unexpected ways - with people you might not otherwise motivate (29 Oct 2013)
How to use music to develop community involvement
You can’t do your job all yourself. So why not get others to help you? Here’s how: (07 Oct 2013)
But you’ll need some skills along the way. Here’s where to get them
8 things tenant involvement officers can do to ensure residents’ groups involve everyone (06 Oct 2013)
Could these tips of working with residents – even unsympathetic ones – be the answer?
When it comes to diversity and equal opportunities community workers are often on the spot (04 Oct 2013)
It’s tough being “piggy in the middle”, especially where diversity and equal opportunities are concerned.
Everything you need to set up and manage a volunteer programme in a social landord (01 Oct 2013)
All the materials you need, for absolutely nothing – courtesy of St Mungo's Housing
10 tips for young people on how to keep their friends (09 Sep 2013)
How to work successfully with difficult young people - and enlist their help in your initiatives
120 social landlord staff who work in the community (19 Aug 2013)
It’s back – “new and improved” – a list of as many officers from social landlords who work in the community as I could find.
15 common mistakes made when managing projects (14 Aug 2013)
Frankly, there’s no area of your work that won’t benefit from project management skills.
Challenging consultation meetings – How to prevent them getting out of control (26 Jul 2013)
Nobody looks forward to a meeting that looks like being tricky or downright acrimonious, but there are quite a few things you can do to make your life easier.
Icebreakers and how best to use them (23 Jul 2013)
You mustn't over use icebreakers, or people will get fed up before you have even started
What the laws says about risk assessment – and what it means for community workers and residents (19 Jul 2013)
Get things wrong and you, your residents and your organisation could be in a lot of hot water. Get it right and everybody is protected
12 principles for building effective communities (14 Jul 2013)
As the need for strong communities become more important, so it becomes more vital that you know what makes them flourish
Six steps to successful fundraising for social landlords (Part 2) (27 Jun 2013)
You have some great ideas for new community initiatives. But where will you get the money to carry them out? This article tells you how
Six steps to successful fundraising for social landlords (Part 1) (26 Jun 2013)
You have some great ideas for new community initiatives. But where will you get the money to carry them out? This guide tells you how
How can you genuinely enthuse and involve young people in what you seek to achieve – and avoid boring the pants off them? (12 Jun 2013)
These 12 tips might just help
70 housing managers in social landlords worth keeping an eye on (07 Mar 2013)
Want to keep up to date with what's going on in the housing sector? Start here
8 steps to setting up a volunteer project in a social landlord (05 Mar 2013)
Are you thinking of setting up a volunteer project? This might interest you
60 communications and marketing staff from social landlords on Twitter (22 Feb 2013)
Twitter – the perfect way to stay in touch with your peers. You control who you connect with - and you can turn it off when you want
70 tenant involvement and community development staff from social landlords on Twitter (18 Feb 2013)
It’s back – “new and improved” – a list of as many tenant involvement and community development officers from RSL’s as I could find
Six things everyone working with volunteers should know the answer to (17 Feb 2013)
How do you rate? Spend a minute finding out
10 common errors made by resident involvement officers when designing a questionnaire (11 Jan 2013)
Get these wrong and you run the risk of putting off your residents and collecting worthless data.
Social housing providers in Australia on Twitter (10 Jan 2013)
Twitter – the perfect way to stay in touch. You control who you connect with - and you can turn it off when you want
The 10 most common “bogus” repair Scams (10 Jan 2013)
Door step, mail and telephone scams - and how they prey on vulnerable tenants
5 new developments in volunteering for social landlords (05 Jan 2013)
50 tenant involvement and community development staff from social landlords on Twitter (19 Dec 2012)
It’s back – “new and improved” – a list of as many tenant involvement and community development officers from RSL’s as I could find
Getting your volunteer training accredited (26 Nov 2012)
Priceless advice on a highly relevant topic
Door step crime and vulnerable people - a day just for social landlords. Perhaps our most valuable event ever. (24 Nov 2012)
Never has a topic been more important. How can you help people cope with scams? Here’s something practical
MORE thoughts on incentives and volunteering (21 Nov 2012)
....and how can you attract more volunteers anyway?
A quick run down on potential problems with incentives for volunteering (05 Nov 2012)
Priceless advice from a top expert
You swamped us, ... So thank you! (01 Nov 2012)
It really put a smile on my face
Can you give me a hand? (31 Oct 2012)
I'd really appreciate your help
25 tenant involvement and community development staff on Twitter (24 Sep 2012)
It’s back – “new and improved” – a list of as many tenant involvement and community development officers from RSL’s as I could find
Can you give me a hand? (12 Sep 2012)
I really would appreciate your help with this
What did our “daft” list of CEO’s and others from social landlords on Twitter do for you – practically? (12 Sep 2012)
Can you spare one minute to tell me?
How to make your community meetings more lively - and productive (28 Aug 2012)
You have to have meetings to gain agreement – without it you’d get nothing done. But the word meeting conjures up dire images, doesn’t it?
Tweeting – an entirely new way for tenant involvement officers to communicate with residents – Plus 19 of your colleagues worth looking out for (21 Aug 2012)
Twitter - Life moves pretty fast - and so does Twitter - so you need to keep up
The 60 most popular people from social landlords on Twitter (10 Aug 2012)
It’s back – “new and improved” – Just about everything you need to know about who from social landlords are on Twitter
Eight articles and tweets about volunteering and social landlords (01 Jun 2012)
Everything you need to know
5 common concerns about volunteering that you CAN solve (29 May 2012)
A hugely valuable resource but how many social landlords are using volunteers?
Share ideas and get up to speed at this unique forum for social landlords on volunteering (22 May 2012)
What’s working, why and how; what pitfalls have others faced and overcome?
33 ways in which social landlords are using volunteers (11 May 2012)
Sometimes it helps to know what others are doing
Eight questions which everyone working in the community should know the answer to (11 May 2012)
How do you rate? Spend a few minutes finding out
Some things to help you and your volunteers (11 May 2012)
Desperately seeking ideas? Tweet
Nine questions which everyone in a social landlord working with volunteers should know the answer to (09 May 2012)
How do you rate? Spend a few minutes finding out
What's bothering your colleagues about volunteering? (02 May 2012)
Sometimes it helps to know that others are struggling as well
Ten questions which everyone working with tenants should know the answer to (21 Feb 2012)
How do you rate? Spend a few minutes finding out
Make sure you control your projects - not the other way round (07 Nov 2011)
How to manage absolutely any project successfully: The absolute essentials for tenant participation and community development officers
10 simple ways to save energy (26 Oct 2011)
These practical and easy ways to save money are grossly underused. Why?
Want to get more people at your residents' meetings? First ask yourself a few simple, but essential questions. They will give you a far clearer idea of what to say (18 Apr 2011)
A checklist of 19 questions to ask before you write your promotional material. Answer them well and you have a good chance of ending up with a full house. Tweet
7 top tips – What to do before you set up an online community for a residents’ or community group (06 Jan 2011)
Success is much more likely if you think about these 7 things before you go near the Internet
How do you post a video on YouTube that doesn’t bore the pants off residents? Follow these simple rules – starting with WIIFM (22 Oct 2010)
YouTube will soon overtake Google as the place to go and find things out - so you really should find out what works
Goodness! Even MORE thoughts from your colleagues about Facebook. So many of you must think it’s important – and we agree (22 May 2010)
Facebook is great – it’s even overtaken Google - but there are some do’s and don’ts about how to use it
“Tweeting” an entirely new service (15 May 2010)
Twitter – Life moves pretty fast – and so does Twitter - so you need to keep up
You’re doing a great job – but can you prove it? (24 Apr 2010)
Here’s how to measure the value of what you do – and it’s really not that hard because many of the supporting facts are already available – if you know where to look
Some things to think about when implementing the new TSA Standards (13 Apr 2010)
Use this checklist so you can see what’s ahead of you
Ten questions which everyone working in the community should know the answer to (19 Mar 2010)
How do you rate? Spend a few minutes finding out
Looking for sound ways to involve the community? Try participatory budgeting – it sounds technical but it can work wonders (04 Mar 2010)
Give people control over how you spend your cash – then they will they see what a real difference their involvement makes.
Logic models and cost benefit analysis of tenant involvement (21 Feb 2010)
Here’s an ingenious but wonderfully simple new way to design, manage and monitor your tenant involvement projects better
Neighbourhood agreements - A recipe for keeping the place clean and tidy (17 Oct 2009)
Something very simple but highly effective. So why aren’t there more of them?
9 things to do when you set up a mystery shopping project (01 Oct 2009)
Always be clear about what you are measuring and what you want to find out
ISSUE 1: How to write a letter that keeps residents’ spirits up (13 Sep 2009)
A short, step-by-step guide to writing in a way that means something - and gets results
7 good reasons not to set up a neighbourhood agreements (09 Sep 2009)
27 tips for leading effective residents’ meetings (11 Aug 2009)
Open meetings with tenants and residents can be pretty tricky. Partly that’s because there are so many things to bear in mind - starting with controlling your nerves!
Rod's Reflections (18 Jul 2009)
How to train tenants in the design and development of new homes (13 Jul 2009)
All the materials you need, in layman’s terms – and absolutely free
Facebook and how it can help your residents (17 Jun 2009)
YouTube, Wikis, social networking sites, photo-sharing sites, forums and bulletin boards, pod casts and videos, blogs, Twitter – they’re just some of the new media your residents are using
10 things to think about when you run a meeting (04 Jun 2009)
Your tenants’ meeting goes off the rails and people become very difficult. How could you have stopped it from happening? And what do you do if it does?
Some important things about the law you should know when working with residents’ groups (02 Jun 2009)
Get these things wrong and you, your residents and your organisation could be in a lot of hot water. Get them right and everybody is protected
Here are some surprising new places to get your message across to residents (29 Nov 2008)
Try bookmakers and nail bars – the results could delight you
10 simple, practical tips for community and tenant participation workers on preparing and managing a budget (27 Aug 2008)
Here are the absolute essentials about the absolute essential - money
8 ways you can segment your audience - and why you should (08 Jul 2008)
If you want more people to attend your meetings and event, try acting like an old fashioned corner shopkeeper. They knew their customers and treated each one differently. It always pays.
8 simple ways you can help ensure residents’ groups reflect their communities (29 Mar 2008)
It’s not easy, but how do you make sure residents’ groups do involve everyone?
ISSUE 2 - How to write a letter that keeps residents’ spirits up (02 Mar 2008)
A short step-by-step guide to writing in a way that means something – and gets results
What do you say and do for tenants when things go wrong? Practice makes perfect (06 Dec 2007)
How housing associations can handle complaints: an 18 step guide - with a rather surprising research finding
How to assess the true impact of tenant and community involvement: An eight step guide (05 Dec 2007)
These priceless tips from a professional evaluator guide you through the maze
A practical way to assess the impact of resident involvement (18 Nov 2007)
Why you should start by determining what you are trying to achieve
How to manage projects successfully – without going crazy (23 Oct 2007)
At least half your success as a tenant involvement officer depends on this one vital skill
Neighbourhood agreements, neighbourhood management – how much are you changing for the better? (29 Sep 2007)
Give just 10% of your time to make a real, measurable difference. The benefits to others can be huge
Here’s a surprise! Hairdressers and beauticians are often perfectly suited for work in the community (25 Sep 2007)
Here are 10 reasons why (not including belly dancing skills) – and something worth reflecting upon
Seven favourite ice breaking activities for working with tenants’ and community groups (15 Jun 2007)
Get everybody to say something in the first few minutes and everything will flow so much better
Issue 2: Tips to help your tenants produce newsletters people not only read - but look forward to (05 Nov 2006)
Desperately seeking ideas?
Monthly Award Winning Story: Neighbourhood management. How a simple approach in Great Lever, Bolton, brings huge, measurable benefits to residents (10 Oct 2006)
Congratulations to this month’s winner - Julie Lawrence, Assistant Neighbourhood Manager - Bolton Metropolitan Council
Don’t let tenants suffer in silence! (18 Jul 2006)
Here are some practical suggestions you can make to help them deal with anti-social behaviour
Community development and regeneration: two encouraging examples (15 May 2006)
It’s not enough to know what you’re doing. You have to know how to manage what you’re doing.
Issue 1: Tips to help your tenants produce newsletters people not only read - but look forward to (13 May 2006)
It's the stories that count
750 ways that tenants are already involved (13 Apr 2006)
Directory of tenant involvement
Meetings that get results! (01 Mar 2006)
How to make your meetings more lively - and productive