LIVE - The magazine for Optivo residents Summer 2017 | Page 7

GET INVOLVED “I’m making a difference” Resident Ola Solanke, from Battersea, first got involved 17 years ago after making a complaint about his property. He said: “By speaking up I was able to get my complaint resolved. Since then, I’ve been asked to take part in many different things to improve services. I’ve been part of, and chaired, many complaints panels, which have helped residents and the organisation resolve issues and get back on to an equal footing. I’ve also given complaints training to staff and have chaired conferences with other housing associations on complaints. We can make a difference for the good of both the residents and the organisation and that’s why it’s so important to get involved. You don’t necessarily need any qualifications or experience - just the desire to improve things for yourself and your fellow residents.” Let’s do something positive! You, as a resident, are the expert when it comes to your home and your community. That’s why we want to involve you when we make decisions about our business and our services. There are lots of ways for you to get involved: These roles are perfect if you’ve got something to say, if you’re looking for a new challenge, if you want to give something back to your community, or if you want to improve things for you and your family. ¢ ¢ Your neighbourhood: Work with staff to identify priorities and issues in your area. performing and tell us if we can do anything differently. we can see whether we’re getting it right. and whether they represent good value for money. we do business. provide a better customer experience for you and your f ellow residents. ¢ ¢ Repairs: Have a look at how we’re It’s also a great way to use your skills and life experiences to make a difference as well as learn some new things along the way. ¢ ¢ Complaints: Help us review our process so ¢ ¢ Policies: Tell us if they’re fair for residents If you think this is you, get in contact! Tel: [phone] email: [email protected] ¢ ¢ Scrutiny: Get down into the detail of how You can also find out more and register your interest here: www.optivo.org.uk/makingadifference ¢ ¢ Customer experience: Work with us to 7