A number of departments within The Riverside Housing Group regularly hold public meetings to consult with residents on topics such as rent reviews or changes to terms and conditions. With the right training and insight, Riverside representatives could become even more productive in the planning and running of these meetings.
Senior management recognised that representatives would be more confident to present Riverside policy if they received personal training on how to plan for, structure and manage the resident meetings. To make the meetings run more effectively and make good use of everyone’s time, representatives needed the skills to handle residents’ concerns with empathy but direction, facilitate engagement from the group and adopt a more consultative approach to the discussions.
Working closely with the Housing Services team, RoleplayUK designed a LIVE Learning programme to introduce participants to key facilitation skills and increase their understanding of effective communication. It also included useful presentation tips on how to control personal nerves and anxiety and how to handle difficult situations with increased confidence. The one day programme provided plenty of time for participants to practise their newly learned skills and receive constructive feedback on the impact of their presentation.
Participants benefited from the tailored nature of the learning and that it specifically addressed real situations they faced in the workplace. The opportunity to trial run in roleplay scenarios, was also a major influence on the success of the programme.
“The team were apprehensive when they knew it would involve role play but afterwards their feedback was really positive. I will definitely consider using this kind of training in the future.”
Course participant
