Director of People and Places, Hayley Selway ” The Welsh Veterans Partnership promotes the wellbeing for forces veterans and service leavers in Wales and aims to provide families with the support that they need to adjust to life outside of the armed forces. Focusing on housing, the charity aims to secure suitable accommodation for the families that they support. Taff are delighted to be working with the Welsh Veteran Partnership. “
We have had many visits to Clos Parc Morgannwg talking with residents about how the scheme has positively impacted on veterans lives, and the wider community, by working with Welsh Veterans Partnership.
One resident said –
“That’s me, I’m not moving again. I am happy here and I enjoy living here”
Working in partnership with Taff Housing, has been absolutely brilliant. They have shown nothing but support towards our veterans their family’s, the project and The Welsh Veteran Partnership! Helping out with community fun days and even providing educational courses and pathways for the whole family.
Proud to say we are Partners.
Taff Housing Association Building Foundations for Better Futures through innovation, investing in home and communities and listening to people.
At Taff, we core fund a careers programme called ‘Building Futures’ that brings opportunity to tenants, service users, the local community and staff.
By working in partnership with organisations that share our commitment to building futures we are able to offer a wide range of training courses at a relatively low cost to the association. This allows us to offer opportunities and fund specialist training courses that are not commonly offered elsewhere due to cost. We believe in smart working – focusing on making a long term, sustainable impact to the communities in which we operate.
Courses are free, ensuring that everyone has access to learning. We found that many learners deal with issues of anxiety. By providing soft skills courses alongside accredited courses we have reduced isolation, created friendships and developed confidence among some of society’s most vulnerable. This includes veterans, refugees and asylum seekers. From regular learners Taff are able to identify a situation that a learner may be facing and support them before it becomes a bigger, and more disruptive, problem. We strive to work with partner organisations where possible to help an individual achieve their dreams and full potential.
Alongside Taff’s Building Futures programme, tenants are also able to participate in a variety of groups including special interest groups, equality groups and consultation groups that help shape the work of the association and help improve our services for all Customers.
In the past year Taff’s groups and the tenant voice have been instrumental in big changes that have happened across the organisation, including a change to our customer services team. But away from the board room, the allotment group has been a particular success in the past year following its reconstitution.
The allotment is an inclusive community that share ideas and is used for a variety of reasons. Veterans, for example, are using the allotment as a way to relieve anxieties relating to PTSD, others use their plot as a way to teach their children about the origin of their food and whilst others dedicate their time to reap the physical benefits – with one allotment grower stating ‘this is the best cure for a quadruple bypass operation I’ve found, and trust me, I’ve tried everything.’. As a result, Taff’s allotment is home to food from across the world ranging from Chinese Spices, maize and your traditional potatoes and carrots. By sharing ideas and experiences the allotment has become a support network. With raised beds, it is fully accessible for those with additional physical needs and it has encouraged those who may otherwise exclude themselves to leave the house and participate in an environment where they know that they will not be judged.
