Carol Reid

Scottish Housing Day on 17 September focuses on the importance of good neighbours and strong communities.

But in today’s digital age, have the days of close-knit communities come to an end? The days where everyone knew each other, walked into each other’s homes without knocking, and children of all ages played together in the street?

How many of us truly know our neighbours beyond a polite greeting? Children today often spend more time on screens, forming friendships with people they’ve never met. Are the next generation missing out on essential social skills that come from real-life interactions? It certainly feels that way.

So how do we rebuild communities where people connect meaningfully and children can play safely in the street?

Encouraging tenant engagement can be challenging. Often, those who do engage may have specific agendas, which doesn’t always lead to balanced or productive conversations. Even customer surveys can become a platform for airing individual grievances rather than providing broad feedback.

In recent years, we’ve tried various structures to adapt to an ever-evolving world and economy. Like many others, we’ve seen a sharp rise in tenants presenting with complex mental health needs—especially in the aftermath of the dreaded ‘C’ word (COVID)—which has contributed to an increase in anti-social behaviour. In some cases, this behaviour has been extreme, and finding effective solutions hasn’t always been easy. Sometimes, we have to accept that certain issues can’t be entirely resolved, and we must manage tenants’ expectations accordingly.

To address these challenges, we made a key decision at the end of last year: to second a dedicated staff member to focus solely on Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and Domestic Abuse. While some may find the subject grim, this role has already made a significant impact. Over the past nine months, this colleague has worked tirelessly to create a comprehensive toolkit of resources and guidance for both staff and tenants, with the aim of improving how we handle ASB cases and enhancing customer satisfaction with our handling of these matters.

This work ties in with our commitment to the Chartered Institute of Housing’s Make a Stand campaign, which focuses on tackling domestic abuse. These aren’t just policies—they’re values we’re embedding into everything we do.

Our recent consultation with tenants on our updated ASB policy drew a response rate of approximately 20% - an encouraging sign of how emotive and important this issue is to our customers. We’ve listened to that feedback and incorporated some tenant suggestions into the final policy. Hopefully, this shows our tenants that their voices are being heard, and encourages further engagement.

As the Grampian Group celebrates its 50th birthday this year, we’ve launched a series of community-focused initiatives. Our commUNITY Roadshows, held in various schemes, give tenants a chance to speak directly with staff about what matters to them. The theme is giving back to the communities we serve. Staff are also taking part in litter picks in these areas, small gestures that show tenants we genuinely care about their environment.

In keeping with the theme of Scottish Housing Day, we have launched a Great Neighbour award encouraging tenants to nominate someone who truly embodies what it means to be a good neighbour. There’s even a £50 prize on offer! But, more importantly, it helps shine a light on the kind of community spirit we’re hoping to foster.

So, as we mark 50 years of Grampian on this Scottish Housing Day, let’s celebrate the small actions and big efforts that bring people together because communities don’t just happen; we build them together.

As we reflect on 50 years of housing and look ahead, it’s clear that creating strong, connected communities remains both our greatest challenge and our greatest opportunity.