Sandra Brydon of Home Group Housing explains the launch of its Aspirations Project
A lot has changed in Scotland over the last 40 years when Home Group’s history began. Technology has taken us to a point where we can communicate with friends across the globe at the touch of a button and chat to countless people at once on our phones.
But this does not eliminate the need for communities. New technology is always welcome but can be isolating without the human touch. Communities where we live are important for everyone to feel safe and belong. At Home Group in Scotland, we’re launching a project to support our communities as part of Scottish Housing Day 2019.
Our mission has always been to build homes, independence and aspirations. These values drive all that we do as an organisation and our new Aspirations Project was born out of our desire to support our communities, help them thrive and, ultimately, improve our customers’ lives.
The Aspirations Project has agreed funding in place for the first year and hopes to support plans in our communities in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Dumfries and Galloway.
Each community in Scotland in completely different. From the Flemish inspired flats in Ashtree Road, Glasgow, to the large new neighbourhood of contemporary homes in Dundee’s Mill O Mains, they are all unique and that’s why all ideas for this project will be considered.
The project is being launched in advance of Scottish Housing Day 2019 to showcase that housing is not just about bricks and mortar. We pride ourselves on offering fantastic, affordable places to live for our customers but we also want to ensure that our communities are nurtured and developed just as much as the buildings themselves.
The funding pot we have is £50,000, which doesn’t seem a lot but can go a long way. We’re looking to team up with local sports teams, gardening clubs, healthy living, neighbourhood watch initiatives. Or what about those unused or underused communal spaces. Anything goes. As long as the project will directly benefit some of our customers and communities, we want to hear about it.
In September, to coincide with Scottish Housing Day, Home Group will unveil the first of its projects in Pollockshaws, Glasgow. A new mural is to be created by local artist, Ali Smith, which will represent the rich Flemish history and culture of the area. It will be painted on to a wall that has become a bit of an eyesore, which stands alongside one of Home Group’s newest affordable developments, Ashtree.
Our customers are always at the centre of what we do and we will continue to listen to their voices by letting them tell us what needs to be done. We want to work with as many groups and charities as we can to support each community where we can. .
Projects must be focused on either enhance employability skills for participants, improving health and wellbeing, encourage social interaction and address loneliness, or celebrate the community. The projects must directly impact on our communities in Scotland in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway and Dundee.
To find out more, please get in touch by emailing my colleague Gillian Roll on gillian.roll@homegroup.org.uk.
We know that at the end of the day, it’s people who matter and we’re hopeful that this project will inspire some great ideas and initiatives for our customers.