Our Independent Living schemes are often seen as quiet, low-risk neighbourhoods but behind the scenes, our Neighbourhoods Team are working together whenever a complex challenge arises to tackle it with compassion.
These three stories show how our Resident Strategy is being brought to life every single day, with brilliant examples of ‘Being Heard', 'Being Visible', and 'Proud to Pay - valuing Your Neighbourhood.’ They also reflect our PA Values in action: Deliver, One Team, and Respect.
Safeguarding success
During a routine visit, Neighbourhood Coordinator (NC) Jasmin sensed something wasn’t right with a resident and raised alarm bells. Nathan, one of her fellow NCs, took over the scheme soon after and found that Jasmin's instincts were spot on: the resident was being cuckooed. Cuckooing is a form of antisocial behaviour (ASB) where a vulnerable person’s home is taken over by criminals to use it for their operations, which is most often seen in the form of dealing drugs.
Nathan acted quickly, working with our internal Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) and Safeguarding Teams, and partnering up with the Local Authority Adult Social Services, which led to a dedicated support worker and carer being assigned along with regular welfare calls.
Working in collaboration within PA, an emergency injunction was secured against the perpetrator, ordering them to stop the behaviour or else risk being arrested. We are incredibly pleased to confirm that the perpetrator hasn’t returned since breaching the order, and Nathan continues weekly door knocks to check in on the resident to make sure everything is okay and they feel safe. By making themselves visible in your neighbourhoods, NCs work hard every day to make sure you feel like you’re being heard.
Police partnership
Ellise, another of our London NCs, worked alongside her Neighbourhood Champion who advised that something was off with a neighbour who hadn't been seen, but had many visitors constantly. Ellise was able to gain access to the neighbour’s home, and follow-up visits revealed that the resident’s sons were allowing drug dealing from the home.
Through close collaboration with local police and our ASB team, the sons were removed and the resident received support. Ellise now regularly engages with the resident and has built a trusting relationship that has helped to restore their sense of safety. In this scenario patience and persistence were key, and our close partnerships with local police made it possible for us to resolve the issue with a person-centred approach.
Fire safety and empathy
One of our Richmond and Hounslow NCs Zanisha and her manager Adewale spotted clutter and equipment outside a resident’s home, posing a fire risk. They decided to have a chat with them about it, where they explained they’d recently had a fall and an Occupational Therapist assessment linked it to the items inside.
We suggested the resident arrange a council collection, and Adewale and Zanisha stepped in to help physically move the items outside and avoid blockages in communal areas. They followed up with clear communication to reassure neighbours of the removal of the fire hazard and confirm that it would be of no extra cost to them. We’re really passionate about fire safety at PA and have clearly outlined procedures in place, especially when it comes to our high-rise buildings, to make sure residents’ safety in the unfortunate event of a fire. It means a lot for residents to be so cooperative, and we’re happy to be proactive in working together to avoid any hazards!
These stories show how our values and strategy come together, bolstered by our teams on the ground such as NCs and our ASB and Safeguarding teams, to make a real difference in people’s lives.
