New courses, initiatives and website for TPAS Scotland

The Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) recently celebrated launching several new digital projects, including courses, initiatives, and a website at its recent AGM. 

TPAS launched a brand-new online tenant participation and community development course in partnership with Supporting Communities Northern Ireland.  The course is aimed at tenants, housing professional staff or anyone who wants to understand tenant participation and community development in Scotland. The course can also be used to assist landlords in achieving TPAS accreditation. TPAS Scotland has secured commitments from five organisations – ng homes, Hjaltland Housing Association, Fife Council, Aberdeenshire Council and South Ayrshire Council – willing to pilot the online course. 

Tenant Participation Officer at Fife Council Rab Clark said: “Personally, when I do any job, I always do it to the best of my abilities. I want to look at my own strengths and weaknesses as a tenant participation officer, see what I can do on a personal level and ensure that I am providing the best service I can to my TRAs and the communities I serve.  

“I believe that by attending the Tenant Participation and Community Development online course, I will learn new skills, hone my existing skills and circumvent any gaps in my knowledge.” 

In 1986, TPAS Scotland supported the Community Development Housing Group (CDHG) to produce, ‘Will it Fly Mr Wright?’. This piece of work marked where tenant participation had reached and provided insight to inform future engagement and support tenants and landlords seeking meaningful participation. TPAS has also launched its brand-new initiative ‘Is it flying, Mr Ferguson?’ as a tribute to Alan Ferguson who passed away in 2020. TPAS said Mr Ferguson had “a huge impact on tenant participating and the overall housing sector, in general”. 

TPAS said that the focus of ‘Is it Flying Mr Ferguson?’ is to demonstrate that tenant participation is “alive and well, diverse, modern, inclusive, and reflecting aspirations and expectations for social housing”.    

TPAS has also unveiled a new website. The website took on board the findings of research carried out by CEIS and now provides a member lounge that enables members to connect and share best practice, a searchable member queries section, good practice information and guides, and latest news and events.     

Lesley Baird, Chief Executive of TPAS Scotland, said: “What an AGM. With over 60 people joining us online, and some great conversations between landlords, tenants and housing staff, it concretes our thinking that TPAS Scotland is an integral part of the social housing scene across Scotland.  

“Our new initiatives, the Tenant Participation and Community Development Course and ‘Is it Flying Mr Ferguson?’ were very well received, and we have had some great feedback already on our new website. Last year was such a strange year for us all. We want 2021 to be different, and we feel these concepts have helped us get off to a great start.”