Success for Kingdom at Tenant Information Service National Excellence awards 2020

Kingdom took top honours in the Tenant Participation Champion and Danny Mullen Scrutiny Excellence categories.

The TIS National Excellence Awards is an annual ceremony that recognises and celebrates housing organisations, staff, volunteers, tenants, residents and community groups who are leading the way and making a difference with the Scottish social housing sector.

In addition to receiving top honours in two categories, Kingdom was also shortlisted in a further three categories, demonstrating the association’s commitment to tenant participation and scrutiny.

Recognising the vital role to the organisation of partnership working with tenants, Kingdom has embraced moving tenant participation online during the pandemic, successfully increasing the number of tenants involved with the association’s Scrutiny Panel.

Max Scotto is Kingdom’s Tenant Participation Officer and also winner of the Tenant Participation Champion Award.

He said: “Being the winner of the TP Champion award is a tremendous honour but the achievements are not mine alone. They are shared with the many tenants who have supported  activities and, particularly this year, adapted to new ways of doing TP on-line. I'm delighted that our Scrutiny Panel has been recognised at a national level. In particular I'd like to thank the contribution and commitment of founding Scrutiny Panel members Peter Gibson and George Duncan who have participated in every scrutiny activity from the very beginning.”

George Duncan is the Founding Member of Kingdom’s Tenant Scrutiny Panel and finalist in the Most Inspiring Scrutiny Group Panel category.

He said: "Working with Kingdom Housing's Scrutiny Panel over the last few years has truly been a joy! Seeing issues first hand, and speaking with other tenants, really brings the situations alive and to have the satisfaction of knowing that we can and do make a difference is so rewarding! Being recognised by external organisations such as TIS is seriously special."

Matthew Busher, Kingdom Interim Director of Housing, said: “In a year of unprecedented challenge we're delighted to receive organisational recognition for the Tenant Scrutiny and Participation activities at Kingdom. Huge thanks are due to staff involved, our Board who are supportive of the approach, our Scrutiny Panel and to all our tenants who have adapted to life via Zoom and have helped to keep engagement activities going and making a difference.”

Kingdom Housing Association was also a finalist in the Excellence in Digital Innovations category. Graduate Trainee Eilidh MacDonald was a finalist in the Young Achiever of the Year category and Scrutiny Panel members George Duncan and Peter Gibson were finalists in the Most Inspiring Scrutiny Group category.