Ways to get involved

There are lots of different ways that you can get involved with us, with varying levels of commitment. If you are interested in joining any of these groups, or finding out any more information about them, email community@merlinhs.co.uk or ask to speak to your Community Investment Officer at your housing office.

• Become a Resident Board Member – We have five resident board members on our Board of Management. Members set the direction of our business and scrutinise our work.

• Joining a local Community Action Group – These cover a geographical area and work to improve their local communities, influence service improvements and identify and address resident’s concerns and priorities.

• Becoming a member of the Leaseholder Forum - This group represent the views, common issues and concerns of resident s who have bought their homes from Merlin. They help to scrutinise performance in respect to leaseholder services.

• Joining the Sheltered Experience group – This group represents the views, common issues and concerns of residents living in sheltered schemes. Click here to see a video.

• Joining a local Resident Association – These groups work for the benefit of a local area/block of flats etc.

• Becoming a member of one of our resident scrutiny groups – these groups scrutinise the organisations performance and work closely with our Board

• Becoming a Resident Inspector (IRIS)– Residents who assist us interview other residents about services they receive to help improve services.

• Becoming a member of the Resident Newsletter Editorial Panel – residents who help decide and write for a number of publications e.g. Merlin Matters, Annual Residents Report.

• Becoming a Resident Newsletter reporter – residents interested in helping us to find or write stories for Merlin Matters.

• Taking part in a focus group – this is when a group of residents get together with staff and external facilitators to discuss specific service areas.

• Taking part in our estate walkabouts/inspections – we regularly undertake estate walkabouts which aim to identify any issues or concerns local residents might have about their neighbourhood.

• Attending a coffee morning – many sheltered schemes and other clusters of flats hold coffee mornings often with Merlin staff at which they can discuss common issues and concerns.

• Providing compliments and complaints – residents who tell us when we go wrong but also when we do things well.

• Completing Surveys – residents help us by completing surveys such as repairs surveys.

• Resident Finance group –

• Property Services Group – Residents work with staff to look at how we can improve our repairs and maintenance service

• Anti-social Behaviour Group - Residents work with staff to look at how we can reduce anti social behaviour

• Join a project group – residents work with staff to deliver a particular project such as the non traditional homes review or supported housing project.