Lessons from our Learning Programme – it's all about communities
6 August 2026
People with first-hand experience of social housing bring perspectives that can help us design better services.
We launched our 26/27 Learning Programme in April, focusing on a different theme each month. We’ve shared brilliant place-shaping activities through blogs, visits, webinars and podcasts, so others can be inspired by what is happening across the country.
Over the first three months we looked how we can strengthen communities, build pride, and act as anchor organisations through community centres, food pantries, green space and nature-based recovery, and through how we communicate with residents.
I wanted to reflect on what stood out for me and to encourage you to grab a cuppa and catch up with what members generously shared with us over the last few months.
1.Listening to residents improves outcomes
Our study visit to MSV in Manchester was packed full of inspiration and ideas. To catch up check out this 50 second video from Tom Hayes from South Liverpool Homes. Throughout the day it was clear resident feedback shapes everything MSV do, from changing their plans for a new development, to turning concerns on fly-tipping into positive action to reimagine alleyways.
Tom has also blogged about the day, where, when talking about MSV’s ambition to increase the proportion of employees from social housing, he says: “People with first-hand experience of social housing bring perspectives that can help us design better services and make better decisions.” I couldn’t agree more.
Pictured: Study visit to MSV
Following a customer survey showing that nearly 80% of respondents did not fully understand how homes are allocated, South Liverpool Homes identified misconceptions, including beliefs that ethnicity or immigration status influence decisions, and concerns about fairness for local people.
Our webinar explored how this led them to develop a clear, transparent, myth-busting organisation-wide approach designed to explain allocations. If you missed it, the webinar is just 30 minutes (bite-sized), and you can see it here.
2.Good place-shaping starts with understanding local need
The work we saw that has delivered real impact for communities all started with the question – “what does this community need and how can we help?”
A deep understanding of local need, coupled with tenacity, creativity, and an ambition for their communities, has ensured the community centres provided by Westward, Ongo and Southway are delivering services and support that are quietly transforming lives. In exchange for just 30 minutes of your time, you can catch up on their brilliant work through our podcast.
Pictured: Our first PlaceShapers podcast
This understanding of need is also what drove Raven to support their community through a community supermarket (the Banstead Pantry), creating a sense of dignity for people who use the supermarket, where 81% of members say that using the Pantry has allowed them to afford the basic essentials. Find out about the how and why of this work with this three minute read.
3.Partnerships make ambitious projects possible
Members consistently talked about the power of partnerships – they see place-shaping as a convening role as much as a delivery role. Working with others has helped them multiply their impact and reach in the communities they serve.
Recently we have seen new partnerships emerge around green space and nature. Working with the residents' association, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the local primary school and others, Eden established a new wild meadow in Lowther that strengthens connections and gives residents a visible role in shaping where they live. Give this short blog a read to be inspired by Eden’s example of what is possible through partnership working.
Pictured: Eden's wildflower meadow
Raven also say: “the Banstead Pantry is an example of what can happen when housing associations, local authorities and community partners work together to tackle poverty differently.” And in the podcast about community centres, Westward talk powerfully about how working with partners has enabled them to provide a centre that delivers support for their residents that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
Our Learning Programme isn't just about sharing ideas - it's reminding organisations that ambitious place-shaping is still possible, even in challenging times. So, I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has participated so far, particularly to those who joined webinars, wrote blogs, hosted visits, and threw themselves into our first podcast.
There is much more to come – check out the Learning Programme and get involved.