On Monday 16th June, residents from Gosport, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight came together for Abbeyfield’s first-ever Resident Roadshow. It was a day brimming with connection, conversation, and collaboration, setting a fantastic precedent for future resident engagement events.
Kicking off with shared values
The day began with an engaging icebreaker, encouraging residents to share what they value most about their homes. It was wonderful to see themes like shared living, peace of mind, and strong relationships quickly emerge, filling our "values wall" with valuable insights.
Shaping our services together
A core part of the roadshow was the themed table discussions, where residents delved into topics crucial to their daily lives: maintenance, food service, and resident communication. Small groups rotated through these discussions, sharing their experiences and offering thoughtful suggestions. This direct feedback is invaluable and will play a key role in shaping our future service improvements.
We also held a unique “living library” session, where residents and staff shared their personal stories about resident engagement, highlighting the importance of collaboration and listening to our residents’ views.
Embracing a greener future
After a delicious lunch, we were joined by Abbeyfield’s Environmental Sustainability Officer, Nicola Collins. Nicola delivered an insightful presentation on our ongoing efforts to become a greener organisation, sparking plenty of interest. This was followed by a game of Sustainability Bingo, a fun and interactive way to explore everyday eco-friendly habits. With chocolate prizes up for grabs, the friendly competition made for a memorable close to the afternoon!
Valuing our residents' voices
The feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, and their insights will directly inform how we continue to improve our engagement events, ensuring they are inclusive and meaningful for everyone, as we're committed to making sure every resident feels heard and valued.
Ongoing resident engagement
This event was designed to be relaxed and accessible, celebrating positive feedback from satisfaction surveys while also exploring areas for improvement, with the aim to promote ongoing engagement opportunities like our Resident Panel and WhatsApp network.
We're excited about the future of resident engagement at Abbeyfield and look forward to even more opportunities to connect and collaborate with you.
Abbeyfield's National Residents' Panel is a resident-led initiative, meeting virtually each month to gather insights from residents across all locations.
The panel has already developed a Resident Commitment outlining service expectations, is actively working on digital inclusion, and launched a Resident's Network.
Moving forward, they will be key in addressing satisfaction surveys and serving as a vital link to the Abbeyfield Board. All of our residents are invited to join.
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