Awarded for Excellence * Positive About Disabled People * Welsh Federation of Planning Associations * Investors in People

January/February 2008

CCHA Scoops Welsh Diversity Award

CCHA finished 2007 on winning form by winning the CIH Cymru ‘Diversity in Housing Award’ at the CIH’s Gala Award Ceremony on 23rd November 2007. The Award is given to recognise the innovative work and good practice being undertaken to promote diversity and tackle discrimination across any or all of the equality agendas.

We received the Award for our project, Employment in Housing, together with our colleague associations Hafod, Linc-Cymru and Wales and the West. The project group identified a common issue: few job applications were being received from BME candidates, and those who applied were not getting to interview stage. In response, the group developed a programme of interactive 2 day workshops that take attendees through the application and interview stages and promotes careers in Housing.

They learn how to identify personal skills and translate these to a mock application on day 1, with day 2 taking them through the interview process. The delegates participate in discussions, view presentations, receive handouts on key topics, share experiences, go through mock interviews with feedback and are presented with a certificate on completion

A video was created by the group that not only demonstrates a good interview and poor interview but demonstrates the dubious acting skills of the group!! To date 10 participants have got to interview stage, 4 participants have secured full-time employment (3 in housing), 1 has secured a PATH traineeship and 20 have gone through work placement programmes. They have put their success down to the skills and new found confidence that the workshops gave them.

Our HR Manager, Louise Sulley said, “For us, the award is the culmination of two-year hard, but very enjoyable, work on this project. We’re strongly committed to equality of opportunity and so we’re delighted to have won this award. The project will continue in 2008.”

Whilst we’re on the subject of Awards, in the last update we brought you news of our success, together with our partners Cardiff County Council, in the UK Housing Awards – the Oscars of the housing world.

We’ve now presented the award to our team who are pictured opposite.

New Houses Taking Shape In Rumney – It's Going To Be A Great Start To The New Year For The New Tenants

Building houses in Cardiff is no easy task these days – land costs can easily be well in excess of £1m an acre. So, thanks to our partnership with Cardiff County Council, we’re pleased to be able to provide 4 x 3 bedroom (5 person) new homes for rent off Maxwell Road in Rumney. The houses are all for rent and should be available in the spring. There is a massive shortage of good quality houses at affordable rent in Cardiff and, whilst four will not go a long way, a few families in desperate housing need will receive some good news in 2008.

All the properties are built to high modern standards and include fitted kitchens and bathrooms and full space heating.

Welsh Language Scheme – Progress Report

Every year our Board reviews our progress in implementing our Welsh Language scheme which was introduced in 2006. At the last review we were able to report that we have taken the steps required of us by the Action Plan. For example:

All office-based staff have been briefed on our policy.
Our newsletter contains a standard invitation on how to use our Welsh service in every edition.
All information leaflets signpost the availability of our Welsh service.
Our website contains a greeting in Welsh.
This year’s annual report was published in Welsh and English.
Our scheme is available publicly – and at all times on our website.
We have established a database of all our tenants who wish to communicate with us in Welsh (if you wish to be added please click here).
Our scheme is part of our induction procedure.
One member of our staff is being financially supported with her Welsh studies.

We also decided to defer two actions:

We intend to carry out a biennial survey of out staff’s Welsh skills – originally we planned to do this in 2007. We have had low staff-turnover in the last year so we have decided to carry this out in 2008 – to coincide with our 2008 tenants’ survey.
Originally we intended to establish the monitoring of our scheme in January 2007. We will now do this as part of our 2008 tenants’ survey.

Cynllun Iaith Gymraeg - Adroddiad Ar Gynnydd

Bob blwyddyn mae ein Bwrdd yn adolygu ein cynnydd wrth weithredu ein cynllun Iaith Gymraeg a gyflwynwyd yn 2006. Yn yr adolygiad diwethaf, gallem adrodd ein bod wedi cymryd y camau a argymhellir gan y Cynllun Gweithredu. Er enghraifft:

Mae pob un o'n staff swyddfa wedi cael eu briffio am ein polisi.
Mae ein cylchlythyr yn cynnwys gwahoddiad safonol ar sut i ddefnyddio ein gwasanaeth Cymraeg ym mhob rhifyn.
Mae pob taflen wybodaeth yn nodi bod gwasanaeth Cymraeg ar gael.
Mae ein gwefan yn cynnwys cyfarchiad yn Gymraeg.
Cyhoeddwyd adroddiad blynyddol eleni yn Gymraeg a Saesneg.
Mae ein cynllun ar gael yn gyhoeddus - a bob amser ar ein gwefan.
Mae ein cynllun yn rhan o'n trefn sefydlu.
Mae un aelod o'n staff yn cael cefnogaeth ariannol ar gyfer ei hastudiaethau Cymraeg .

Hefyd, penderfynwyd gohirio dwy weithred:

Rydym yn bwriadu cynnal arolwg bob dwy flynedd ar sgiliau Cymraeg ein staff - roeddem wedi bwriadu gwneud hyn yn 2007. Rydym wedi profi trosiant staff isel yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, felly rydym wedi penderfynu cynnal yr arolwg yn 2008 - i gyd-fynd â'n harolwg tenantiaid yn 2008.
Yn wreiddiol, roeddem wedi bwriadu dechrau ar y gwaith o fonitro ein cynllun ym mis Ionawr 2007. Byddwn yn awr yn gwneud hyn fel rhan o'n harolwg tenantiaid yn 2008.

Mae adroddiad llawn ar gynnydd ein Cynllun Iaith Gymraeg ar gael drwy gysylltu â Matthew Thomas.

Bite-Size Corporate Plan Published

If you want to know about our plans for the next three years, but haven’t got time to digest our Corporate Plan 2007-2010, you might find ‘What We’re Up To…’ useful.

Basically it’s a summary of our key objectives and plans taken from the Corporate Plan. Our full plan is quite a lengthy read; so last year we produced a quick-guide for our tenants. This year we’ve improved it by explaining not only what our objectives are, but also the progress we’re making – and this time we’re sending it to all our tenants, our Board and our staff.

If you have any comments on our Corporate Plan (or would like a paper copy sent out to you by post), we’d like to hear from you. Please contact us by Clicking Here.

CHAT’S Out!

Distributed to all our tenants before Christmas, our bumper-edition of our winter newsletter is now available from the CHAT page – if you would prefer a paper copy please contact us and we’d be happy to send you one.

It’s packed full of stories about:

Our superb new apartment scheme in Splott for rent and low-cost sale. Read the full details on this site by following this link: Affordable Apartments for Sale in Splott or by visiting www.myplaceinthebay.co.uk.
The launch of our disability equality initiative.
Garden Competition winners 2007.
Comprehensive contact details for CCHA’s team – this information is also now available on this site from our Contact Directory on the Contact Us pages of this site.

January/February 2008