We invite you to share your stories, expertise, knowledge and ideas with us and other people passionate about the future of social housing.
We are looking for contributions from tenants, residents, housing association staff and leaders, academics and students, and anyone else who wants to join the conversation.
The call for articles for the inaugural launch publication of Social Housing Matters runs from 1st May 2020 to the 31st of May 2020, 23.59PM.
All articles submitted before this deadline will be considered for publication at our official launch date of 15th June 2020.
Contributions – Current Topics
We want to invite people to share with us their experience, thoughts and expertise about the following two specific topics:
The Covid-19 epidemic and Sector Response
What are your thoughts on how the sector responded? How could the sector have responded better? Were you happy or not with your landlord’s response? Have you organised your own local initiatives? What local initiatives are happening in your area? Did you landlord support them? Would you have wanted them to?
What does the ‘social’ in social housing mean to you?
Tell us what it means to be a ‘social’ tenant or a ‘social’ landlord? It’s a word that’s often used but can mean many different things to many different people, so tell us what it means to you.
Contributions – Rolling Categories
To start us off, the range of topics is very wide, and includes, but is not limited to, the following:
The sector’s Purpose and Identity
What is ‘social housing’? What is ‘social’? Who is it for? How should it be seen and run?
Trust and relationships
Trust is perhaps the most important factor in any relationship, personal and professional. How can we (re)build this mutual trust and with that (re)build better relationships?
Everyday Practice and Experiences
Social Housing is a people business, run for people by people. This makes it so important to look closer to what people do, want, experience on a daily basis, whether it’s from a resident or campaigner’s point of view or that of a neighbourhood officer or CEO. What do these experiences and practices tell us about the services we want and need to provide?
Use of Technology and Digital ‘Solutions’
We live in an increasingly digital world, something that we cannot escape. But are we using the right tools in the right way for the right reasons? How can we make sure people aren’t left behind?
Governance
How should housing associations be monitored and held to account? Do we require boards to have tenant board members, for example? How often should people in key positions, whether within the organisation or the board, rotate to allow for fresh eyes to be cast on the organisation and its services/practices?
Academic and Independent Research
There is so much academic and independent research that can be taken into account when evaluating the housing sector. Unfortunately, most papers are behind pay-walls and written in academic language. We want to invite independent researchers, affiliated academics and students across all degree levels to contribute their work and progress in a public space.
Examples from Abroad
Social housing does not only exist in the UK; all over the world social housing exists in many different formats, with many different practices, focuses and approaches. Let’s see what other countries are doing and what approaches might be something to consider for the future of UK social housing.
I want to write something! What now?
That’s great! Thanks ever so much! We are sure it will be brilliant!
We are not an academic journal, a professional sector body or registered journalists, and instead independent individuals with a passion for housing, but we have set some general guidelines to make sure that content is constructive, fair and that we can trace and contact the authors for any information, edits and final approval.
Please note that we also allow for some form of anonymous contributions or opinion pieces for those who feel more comfortable doing so. You can find more information that and contributing in general here.
If you want to ask any questions or have your article ready, please get in touch with us via hello@socialhousingmatters.co.uk.
Looking forward to seeing the launch next week!