Scrutiny Panels and Registered Tenant Organisations
Team Blackwood — Tenant Group
Team Blackwood are our regional tenant scrutiny panels. These are groups of tenants from across Scotland who regularly get together to review Blackwood’s performance. They are focused on making sure Blackwood measures up to our promises and help to set new service standards.
The panels discuss a wide range of issues that affect you as a tenant. They can help shape things like the home upgrade programme and the selection of contractors carrying out services in your area.
We currently have three Team Blackwood groups, who are based in our East, West and North regions. If you wish to get involved in Team Blackwood please inform your Housing Officer.
If you would like to have an influence in decisions about the housing and care services that you receive then please do get involved!
BIG Voices — Care Customer Group
BIG Voices (Blackwood Improvement Group Voices) is a new way for care customers to have their say and help shape the future of Blackwood’s care services.
BIG Voices brings together people who use our care and support services to share feedback, review how we are performing, and help us make improvements. The group focuses on what really matters to you – your experience of care, the support you receive, and how services can continue to improve.
Members of BIG Voices will help influence decisions about care delivery, service standards, communication, and how we respond to feedback. Your views will help us understand what’s working well and where we need to do better, so we can make positive changes together.
If you would like to have a stronger voice in the care services you receive and help shape improvements for the future, we would really encourage you to get involved in BIG Voices. Please send an email to cst@blackwoodgroup.org.uk
Together, we can change things for good.
Get Involved
Engaging with our customers is very important to Blackwood so we would love to hear from you if you want to help us improve services and plan for the future.
We have many volunteer opportunities for you to get involved - it doesn’t matter if you can spare 5 minutes or 5 hours – we value your time. We can also provide you with digital skills, WiFi and a tablet if you would like to get invlolved from the comfort of your own home.
Check out the list below and see how you can make a difference.
Customer Engagement Plan
Our Customer Engagement Plan sets out how we will engage more with our customers and do this in new and fun ways. Have your say on things that matter to you like the Rent Consultation process and the large tenant survey. You can see what is coming up next and the plan for the next 3 years here.
Tenants Groups
Tenants groups get together to tackle issues and we have a number across Blackwood. If you are interested in joining a group or starting up a new one contact your local housing officer – you can find their contact details here. We provide support and training for new and existing groups and it’s a great way to meet your neighbours and have some fun.
Scrutiny Panels
Team Blackwood – Tenant Group
Team Blackwood are tenant scrutiny panels that help make sure Blackwood’s housing services live up to our promises. Tenants involved act as a critical friend to the organisation by reviewing performance, asking challenging questions and helping to shape service standards.
As part of Team Blackwood, tenants may also be involved in activities such as reviewing service changes and taking part in the selection of contractors who deliver services. Any Blackwood tenant can get involved. If you are interested in joining Team Blackwood, please speak to your Housing Officer.
BIG Voices – Care Customer Group
BIG Voices (Blackwood Improvement Group Voices) is our new involvement group for people who receive Blackwood care and support services. BIG Voices gives care customers a chance to share their experiences, influence improvements and help shape how care services are delivered.
Members of BIG Voices help review care services, highlight what works well and identify where changes are needed, so we can improve services together. If you receive care services from Blackwood and would like to have your say, we would encourage you to get involved. Email
Together, your voices help shape better housing and care services for everyone.
Tenant Ambassadors
We are keen to encourage, train and equip local resident volunteers (Tenant Ambassadors) who really want to do something locally that might help others in the area. For example it’s really helpful to have local tenants who can:
- Support new tenants to understand what’s available in the local community
- Distribute information - help spread the word on what we do
- Use their skills to help others (e.g. gardening/handyperson/benefits)
- Provide stories for the tenant newsletter, Messenger
- Promote the benefits of new media (IT champions – show people how)
- Establish circles of support (from people to people like you)
- Help plant flowering bulbs and tend to plants
If you’d like to sign up to become an ambassador then please contact your local housing officer using the contact details provided.
Blackwood Membership
Tenant members of Blackwood are encouraged to attend the Annual General Meeting and help shape the direction of the company. If you are interested in joining Blackwood as a member then go to our membership page.
In all our customer engagement activities we make every effort to use accessible venues and do everything we can to support tenants with particular needs, whether you need sign language interpreters, large print or audio information. Many of our activities can be done by post or phone so even if you cannot leave your house you can still participate! We plan to do more engagement activities using the internet and video conferencing options to encourage customers to get involved.