Northamptonshire housing association Greatwell Homes moves closer to securing LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge
Greatwell Homes is continuing to work towards achieving the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge after staff and customers took part in an interactive LGBTQ+ awareness training session.
Delivered by Stonewall Housing - a leading national housing charity supporting LGBTQ+ people of all ages - the session explored some of the barriers LGBTQ+ customers may face to housing and the services it provides.
A key focus of last month’s session was on building understanding of the diverse communities the organisation serves and the importance of inclusive practice, using correct pronouns and respecting how individuals choose to identify.
The LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge is a scheme organised by HouseProud - a network group for LGBT people working in social housing.
It asks social housing providers to demonstrate their commitment to LGBTQ+ resident equality and support.
Participants in the training also learned about the real challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people.
Research shared during the session showed that a third of respondents who took part in a national survey feel their neighbourhood is not a safe place to live as an LGBTQ+ person.
This figure rises to 60 per cent for trans individuals, highlighting the importance of awareness and support.
Greatwell Homes customer, Eileen Gregory, who took part in the session said: “My mind was well and truly opened.
"Thank you for enabling access to such great training.”
Gemma Ager, community involvement officer at Greatwell Homes who also attended the training, said: “I consider myself to be reasonably well-informed around LGTBQ+ issues, but even so this training was so useful.
“It really helped to look at the LGTBQ+ community through a lens of what our customers might experience living in our neighbourhoods and accessing our services.
“I would recommend that anyone attends this session in the future – it was a great opportunity to be curious and to ask questions without judgement.
"It answered questions I hadn’t even thought to ask.”
Lizzie Brown, community involvement manager at Greatwell Homes, said: “Working towards the LGBTQ+ Housing Pledge is so much more than an accreditation.
"It’s an important part of our values and our Live Proud priority and reflects our continued efforts to create a welcoming and supportive environment for everyone involved in Greatwell Homes.
“As this journey continues, Greatwell Homes remains proud to promote inclusion and ensure that everyone feels respected, valued and safe.”
Greatwell Homes (formerly Wellingborough Homes) is one of the largest housing associations in Northamptonshire, owning and managing more than 5,200 homes in Wellingborough, Kettering, Raunds and Northampton.