Staff Matters Autumn 2018

Staff
Matters

Halloween at
Hightown

Prizes for most
spook-tacular costumes

and pumpkins!

On the Road

Meet the Caretakers
and our Fixed Wire

Operative

HR Updates

It’s appraisal season!

Service User Voice

Dan's story

Parking at
Hightown House

October 2018

What’s inside

3 From the Chief Exec 11 Safety in Numbers
Our vision and values Health & Safety top tips for C&SH
Five Ways to Wellbeing
12 Meet the scheme
4 Come along to the Connect Lunch 5 Old Barn Close
on 8 November
Halloween at Hightown 13 C&SH recruitment: a new
approach
5 Send in your spook-tacular snaps to
win sweet treats By Samantha Culverhouse,
HR Updates Recruitment Manager

6 All you need to know about Easy Read
appraisals
14 Top tips to make information easy to
7 Parking at Hightown House read for service users
Latest update
On the Road New Homes

8 Meet the Caretakers and our Fixed 16 Check out a few of the latest
Wire Operative Hightown Homes
Service User Voice
17 Hightown’s Christmas Party!
10 What I’ve learnt from visiting Save the date
schemes, by Dan Arnott
18 Talk of the Town
Highlights from Yammer

2 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

Chief Executive

‘Where there is
no vision, the
people perish’

David Bogle, Chief Executive

I spoke at the Staff Conference about us are good at motivating
reviewing the Hightown Vision and Values. ourselves; others are
We haven’t done this for a few years and there inspired by individuals,
was a feeling that the current version was by events, by our beliefs,
rather cumbersome and didn’t necessarily by our dreams…
reflect either our unique characteristics as an
organisation or the energy and commitment And an organisation’s
of our staff. success must be due (at
least partially) to the ability
The Hightown Board had to come up with some of the organisation to
a ‘Strategy Away Day’ words which we can all motivate its staff to perform
on October 22nd when stand behind, which inspire at a higher level than their
there was a discussion us collectively and, most competitors or peers.
about some early ideas importantly, which capture
for revising our Vision what Hightown is about? Hightown is clearly a
and Values. We are now Certainly, it is not an easy successful organisation and
consolidating their task and there may have so the Vision and Values
thoughts into something to be debates and even review is about trying to
we can put out to staff, compromises before the define what we are, what
hopefully, at the Staff final wording is complete. we are doing, how we do it,
Briefing on November what makes us special – it
15th and then allow a But it is an important is not about what people
consultation period for exercise for Hightown as might want us to be.
feedback up to Christmas. we try to keep hold of our
enduring social purpose I hope that all staff will
The Vision and Values and our Hightown culture in participate in this review,
are, of course, far more a rapidly changing world. give some thought to
powerful if they are shared the issues that are raised
by staff at all levels and by We all need motivation and feed in to the
the Board. Is it possible and inspiration. Some of consultation process.

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 3

4 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 5

HR Updates

It’s Appraisal season!

Performance Appraisal forms and Learning Plan that is tailored for you. There’s
guidance for both staff and managers a whole range of learning opportunities
are available on the Intranet, simply available on the Learning Hub so take a look!
search for ‘Appraisal’. #keeplearning

Building on the Performance Appraisal The approval process for Appraisals is the
form from last year, this year’s form is more same as last year with the forms available
entwined with Five Ways to Excellence, to complete online.
Hightown’s Competency Framework. You can
find out more about Five Ways to Excellence All appraisals need to be approved and
on the Learning Hub (link on the homepage uploaded into the Workflow by Friday
of the intranet). 16 November 2018.

In your Appraisal you can also talk to your If you have any questions please contact
manager about creating a personalised [email protected] or
L&[email protected]

References: essential info for managers

References to New Employers: References for Hightown Applicants

If you’re asked as a line manager to provide a Please allow the Recruitment team to
reference, please send this to bmsupport@ deal with this on your behalf. Please don’t
hightownha.org.uk contact previous employers yourself. If you
have any questions, please speak to the
All reference requests are dealt with in Recruitment team.
complete confidentiality, so if you’re
offered a new role outside Hightown, please References for Internal Transfers, Bank-
use the [email protected] Perm, Perm-Bank and returners.
email address.
For people moving within roles at Hightown
‘Personal’ References (or returning within a year), data held by
previous line managers can prove useful.
These are generally discouraged but if you’re Line Managers should provide information on
asked and are happy to do so, this must be performance, reliability and recommendations
done in your own time, sent from your own for re-employment. If you have any questions
personal email address and must not include about the reference, ask HR or recruitment
Hightown signatures, letterhead or branding. for advice.

6 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

Parking at
Hightown
House

It was a decision that was • Other options were What else are you doing
made reluctantly, and after explored, including building to make it easier for
exploring other options, a second level to the car C&SH colleagues?
to ask C&SH colleagues park, which was found not to
not to park at Hightown be viable; car parks nearby C&SH colleagues based at
House. We are sorry that were unavailable to rent. Not Hightown House are looking at
some colleagues feel enough Hightown staff were ways of arranging meetings in
that this might impact in a position to car share a way that will make it easier
the relationship between or to use public transport for their visiting colleagues.
central office and scheme- instead to make a difference.
based staff. The issue was The impact of the car
discussed at length at the Where can I park if I’m park changes will be kept
most recent Staff Forum. visiting Hightown House? under review. For example,
Below is a summary: consideration will be given to
If space is available, you can the suggestion to allow C&SH
Why was the decision made? park in one of the reserved colleagues to use the front car
spaces in the front car park park before 10am, once more
• W ith more staff working after 10am. Our L&D team is understood about how the
from Hightown House, the have also created a map of car parks are being used.
car park doesn’t offer the local on street parking (on
space we now need. the Hightown House page on
MyTown) available nearby
• E ven without visits from for when you are attending a
C&SH colleagues, cars are training course.
blocked in every day.
If you have to park in a pay
• Frontline staff raised through and display car park, you can
the Staff Forum that they reclaim the cost through your
were being made late for expenses.
appointments as they had to
wait for people to move cars
to get out.

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 7

New Hightown branded vans get the thumbs up!

On the Road

Meet our Caretakers and Electrical Inspector

The Caretakers issues they come across and flag up anything
which need to be passed on to the Estates
The caretakers are split into three teams – Quality Inspectors.
General Needs, Central Hemel and C&SH.
Alister Wolfisz manages our Caretakers and
What do they do? Electrical Inspector. However, any caretaker
• C ollection of bulk items and regular bin issues at Hightown House are dealt with by
Mark Rooney.
store checks
The General Needs Team
• Checking stairwells are clear
• S teve Dynes – Steve has worked for
• Changing lightbulbs Hightown for over 30 years!

• Litter picking • Paul Hunt – Paul has been at Hightown for
six months now.
• W eed spraying and some grounds
maintenance Steve and Paul visit a variety of estates across
Herts, Beds and Bucks on a rota as well as ad-
When they’re out and about, the caretakers hoc visits when required.
use an app on their phone called Slack (like
Whatsapp but more secure) to share photos of

8 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

Pictured left to right: Alister Wolfisz (Alister manages the Caretakers & Electrical
Inspector), Aaron Gentle, Paul Hunt, Steve Dynes, Peter Teakle, JJ Wilks, Levi Pierre,
Derek Trotter and Colin Lewington.

The Central Hemel (including The C&SH Team
Hightown House) Team
• Colin Lewington – Colin has been at
• Peter Teakle Hightown for 16 years!

Peter has worked for Hightown for four years. • D erek Trotter – Derek joined the team back
in April.
• JJ Wilks
Our C&SH caretakers visit all Hightown
Congrats to JJ who recently passed his schemes (where staff are based) on a rota. They
apprenticeship! can also carry out extra jobs such as painting
and decorating if a request has been made.
• Levi Pierre
Need to make a request to the C&SH
A warm welcome to Levi who is our new caretakers? Ask Alister Wolfisz.
apprentice!
Fixed Wire Operative
As well as the usual caretaking duties at (Electrical Inspector)
estates in Hemel Hempstead, the team also
carry out tasks at Hightown House, including Aaron Gentle is our Fixed Wire Operative
setting up meeting rooms, painting, grounds (Electrical Inspector). Aaron has been at
maintenance and ad-hoc tasks. Hightown for around six months and carries
out electrical safety tests and repairs to
Need some help from the caretakers at ensure tenants are safe and issues Electrical
Hightown House? Ask Mark Rooney. Safety Certificates.

A second Fixed Wire Operative will shortly
be joining the team!

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 9

DSeravince’sUssertVooricye:
Dan lives at one of our supported living schemes.
Dan does not have a learning disability but has cerebral palsy
and only 5% vision. He recently joined our Service User Voice
group and has been visiting other Hightown schemes and
giving valuable feedback to help us improve our services.

1. Why did you want to get made sure they checked 5. What advice would you
involved in the Service exactly who we were before give to someone meeting
User Voice group and the letting us go any further. a person with a disability
‘mystery shopping’ visits? for the first time?
“On the whole, staff have
“Initially I was interested in a all been professional, polite “See the person rather than
part-time job but after having and courteous.” the disability. Don’t make
a chat with staff, I thought an assumption about their
this was a good way for me to 4. What can we do better disability. Talking to a lot of
get some experience and give for Service Users? my friends who are disabled,
something back to Hightown. it’s something we all come
Even though this wasn’t “Sometimes when I ask across. Sometimes when
initially what I had in mind, a member of staff what I’m in a café, staff will ask
I am really enjoying it.” they would do in a certain whoever I’m with ‘would
situation, they say they would he like a cup of tea?’ which
2. What does it involve? ask the manager. However, always winds me up!
I don’t think every situation
“We have visited a few requires a manager to make Would you or a service
schemes so far and speak to the decision.” user in your scheme like
a manager, a support worker to make a difference and
and if appropriate, a service “Sometimes we arrive and get involved in our Service
user to ask a few questions staff say they are really busy User Voice group? It’s a
about the scheme. We arrive which is understandable as great opportunity to learn
without an appointment so it’s they don’t know we’re coming. new skills and meet new
always interesting to see how However, if a CQC inspector people across Hightown.
we’re welcomed!” arrived, you would have to
make time. Nobody says Email tracey.halls@
3. What aspects have it, but sometimes I get the hightownha.org.uk
been good? impression people think ‘what
am I supposed to do with you?’
“Some of the services have
been really welcoming and “When some people open
bent over backwards to help the door, they recognise the
us when we arrived. One member of staff I’m with
manager was just about to and automatically speak to
take a service user out but them rather than me. I have a
asked another member of physical disability but people
staff to help so she could can assume I might not have
show us around. capacity and ask a question to
staff I’m with rather than me.
“Even though people have It’s something I’m used to but
been welcoming, I thought I don’t like it.”
it was really good when they

10 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

There’s Safety
in Numbers!

Food hygiene was the first topic for ‘Safety in
Numbers’, our campaign to break down Health
& Safety advice for C&SH colleagues into more
memorable bite-size chunks. Thank you to everyone
who entered the competition and cooked up a storm.

Congratulations to Weymouth Street (young Carol Goodman said:

people’s service for refugees) who were voted “ We followed good hygiene advice by
as winners of our Food Hygiene ‘Safety in washing hands before cooking and
Numbers’ photo competition.

The team at Weymouth St sent in snaps of their making sure preparation surfaces

home made pizza making session. Not only did were sanitized and clean before and
the pizzas look delicious, they made sure their after use. We used colour coded
food hygiene was spot on too. chopping boards for meat and
vegetable toppings and separate
The second topic was 'moving and handling utensils for meat and veg produce.
service users', and will shortly be followed up We also washed up in hot soapy
by advice on 'fire safety'.

”water afterwards.

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 11

5MeOetldtheBsacrhnemCe:lose

TCLyeaparerenoHifnsgoemDrveiifscoear:bipleitoipelse with

5No. service users:

Manager: Fiona Hull
Where: Gawcott, Buckinghamshire

5 Old Barn Close is a care home which specialises in providing care for people
with complex needs including severe learning disabilities, physical mobility
issues and dementia.

Old Barn is fully equipped A stunning garden includes The home has a dedicated
with the latest technology to a fruit and vegetable mobility vehicle which is used
support physical disabilities patch where residents are for visits to a variety of local
and has its own wet room, encouraged to get involved. attractions. The team run a
adapted bath and hoist The garden also includes selection of activities from
systems. a fantastic mural and a cooking sessions to trips to
wheelchair swing. Artwork is the reindeer farm in winter.
a real theme in Old Barn, with Many trips are to friendly
mixed material pieces across local cafes, garden centres or
many of the walls and ceramic to activities such as bowling
flowers in the garden that and ice skating. Within a short
bloom all year round. distance there are plenty of
beautiful gardens, National
A communal open plan living Trust properties and garden
area includes a TV, kitchen centres that staff and service
and dining area. Residents users visit often for a spot of
also use tablets to enjoy their lunch or cake.
own choice of entertainment.
The GP surgery and district
nurses all visit regularly,
as well as the community
disability learning team who
specialise in psychological
support, eating and swallowing
issues as well as physio.

12 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

C&SH RECRUITMENT:
TAKING A NEW APPROACH

By Samantha Culverhouse, Recruitment Manager

What was the problem? still interested and unlikely in most need. However, as the
to have already been offered number of vacancies reduces
It’s no secret that recruitment something else. We had across Hightown we can
in social care is a national around 70 applications per expand it for more areas.
problem and some of our job – half were genuinely
Care & Supported Housing interested and we made sure What else are we doing?
schemes had been struggling they understood the role,
to fill their job vacancies for what personal care is and • Posting job adverts regularly
quite some time. which shifts they could do. on social media.
By speaking to candidates
Although job adverts were at the beginning, we built • A ttending more careers
generating interest, we were good relationships which fair events to raise the
losing many candidates meant they were keen once profile of the Hightown
halfway through the online offered the post and helped brand – 8 in October alone.
application process. We us by chasing their references
decided to trial a new way and completing their DBS • T alking to potential
of working and offer a more promptly. candidates at local job
personalised service for the centres.
four C&SH schemes which Looking beyond a CV
were most in need. These • E nabling candidates to apply
were: Pollardrow, Ariadni, Sometimes people have cared easily to some of our roles
Fletcher Way and Old for a loved one or had a life through their Indeed profile.
Barn Close. changing experience which
made them want to work • Looking to improve our
Taking the agency in care. Often, this won’t be online application form and
approach included on their CV or in an how we manage candidates
application form and we only through an online system.
Before we started, we visited discover this when we speak
all of the schemes, spoke to to them. • Improving the careers pages
staff and met the residents of the website.
so we were well placed to talk All of the managers we
about the job. worked with were fantastic, Top tips for managers
really responsive, flexible
We took a similar approach to and were happy to trial this • B e flexible with interview
a recruitment agency. Rather new way of recruitment. As a times. We need to arrange
than an application form, we result of this we filled most of interviews for when
simply asked for name and the full time roles at the four it’s convenient for the
contact details and a brief schemes we focused on. candidate as well as us!
CV so we could call them for
a telephone interview. The We recently took the same • Let us know as much
phone calls gave us a good approach at Sunnybrook and information about the
sense of whether people Lord Alexander House and role as you can.
were genuinely interested had similar success. We don’t
in the job. have the resources to do it for • Remember people have
every scheme at the moment transferable skills and
We called back candidates so we are prioritising schemes don’t always need to have
within 24 hours so they were had first-hand experience
in a care role.

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 13

Top Tips to make information

‘easy read’

‘Easy read’ is a way of making
information more accessible,
often for people with a learning
disability. Check out this advice
from the organisation ‘Making
it Clear’, experts in plain English
and easy read information.

1 Think about who your
information is for

Will they know about your subject? How can you make
it easy for them?
Easy Read isn't just for people with learning disabilities
and could help other tenants who might struggle with
complicated documents.

2 Think about the format

Other formats like video or pictures may work better
if the person struggles with reading or if you need to
explain something very complicated.

3 Keep it short

Only tell people the main points.
If you are writing a booklet, aim for 12 pages or less.

14 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

4 Get straight to the point

Put a clear, easy title on the front cover.

5 Use the easiest language you can

Will other people know a word just because you do?
Some Housing or C&SH industry words: like 'arrears',
'specification of works' or 'CQC' can sound like jargon!
Explain hard words or write the sentence in a different way.

6 Make your document look easy

Use big, clear writing. At least size 16 font.
Leave lots of white space around the writing.
Keep the design simple.

7 Add images

Use clear, easy to understand images.
Leave at least a 7.5cm margin so the images are big enough.
Put the images next to the writing they describe.

8 Test your document with
someone with a learning
disability, if they are your
audience

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 15

NEW HOMES Check out a few of the
latest Hightown homes

8 new affordable rent homes
Toll Gate Street, Tingewick

3 new Shared Ownership homes 8 new affordable rent homes
Abacot Grove, Houghton Regis Dennis Street, Aylesbury

4 new Shared 14 new affordable rent homes
Ownership homes Hosking Court,
Holly Street, Luton
Maylands Avenue,
Hemel Hempstead

16 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 17

Talk of the Town

1 Congratulations to Laura Turnbull-Jones (Scheme
Manager for Napier Close and Printers Avenue) who

braved the shave for Macmillan Cancer Support!

2 Andre, a service user at Saxby, decided that for his
birthday this year he would like to go on an aeroplane

for the first time ever! Andrew flew to Edinburgh with

Petrina Turnage (Support Worker).

3 Peace Adetoro in our Repairs Team has written a
fictional love story called ‘A World without Sickle Cell’

to raise awareness of sickle cell anemia. Peace has

had great success promoting her book on local radio

stations and many libraries now stock it too!

4 Service users and staff from C&SH schemes across 1
Bucks recently took to the field in their quest to 3

become Hightown’s football champions! Congrats

to all the teams who took part and Culverton Court

who took home the trophy!

5 Apsley Court’s Macmillan Coffee Morning raised 2
an amazing £1,345! Congrats to Nick Moore who

organised a great event.

6 Our Development Team have been shortlisted for
Inside Housing’s Development Team of the Year

after their record-breaking year for building new

homes. We’re keeping our finger-crossed for them!

7 ‘The Last Night of the Comms’ were crowned quiz
champions at our annual quiz night. Special thank

you to Declan McGrath, Reuel Thompson, Tony

Scibetta and Abbey Oakley for organising such a great

night! We raised over £2,000 for Hertfordshire MIND!

8 Over 50 people from housing associations, local
authorities and homelessness charities came together

at Hightown House, to discuss what more they could

do to work together to end homelessness across

Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

9 The Furlong in Tring (retirement scheme)
celebrated 30 years with a vintage tea party!

18 Hightown Housing Association • October 2018

4
5

6
8

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Hightown Housing Association • October 2018 19

Do you have a good news story?
Tell the Newshound!

[email protected]
01442 292391

Hightown Housing Association • October 2018