As part of our 35 years of West Kent campaign, we’re focusing on the support our teams have provided to our residents and communities.
In 2021, we were proud to win the Tpas ‘Excellence in Tenant Communication Award’ for a co-creation project that saw residents shaping our new domestic abuse policy.
Domestic abuse is still a largely hidden crime, but as a housing provider we are well placed to recognise the signs of domestic abuse and to work proactively to offer support. We feel very privileged that our residents feel able to share their experiences with us to help us achieve a policy and campaign that is effective, sensitive and shaped by survivors.
Our domestic abuse policy and procedure review started in early 2020 and was the first step on the journey to co-creation. Our communications and marketing and resident involvement teams worked closely with our residents and DAVSS, a Kent based domestic abuse charity, to ensure residents were put at the heart of the review. In late 2024, we again worked with a group of residents and DAVSS to review and update the policy.
We have continued to develop a broader approach to co-creation over the years since, launching a dedicated communications co-production group in 2024. This group is made up of residents who actively support the communications and marketing team in creating, shaping, and evaluating campaigns and publications.
To find out more about the group, please visit our resident involvement page.
For all our 35 years of West Kent stories, please visit: www.westkent.org/35years