Colin and Justin in Arden: quick fix or long lasting solution?
Alasdair McKee, Chief Executive, Glen Oaks Housing Association Ltd
Debbie Christie, Executive Producer of "Colin and Justin on the Estate", IWC Media
Clive Douglas, Technical Director, Glen Oaks Housing Association Ltd
Shirley Duguid, Resident, Arden
Sarah Duguid, Resident (aged 12), Arden
Delegates gathered in numbers to hear more about the Colin and Justin initiative in Arden. This session started with a few clips from the opening and closing episodes of the four episodes showing clearly the impact of their work. John Mills then introduced the interview he conducted with the dynamic duo.
Colin and Justin revealed how the show had allowed them to get away from the 'ownership' end of the housing market that they had so far been associated with and do something a bit 'more meaty'.
They explained how they were shocked when they first visited Arden by the standards of the properties. However, they did say that the new build homes in the area signified hope for the future. They also applauded the housing associations involvement in the area although they did say they were shocked by the lack of funding the association had to work with.
In looking at the bigger picture of what housing associations were trying to work with in terms of resources Colin and Justin stressed that people shouldn't be expected to live in poor quality of housing they found. They said we should all be working to deliver in homes and estates that people can be proud to welcome others to.
They ended the interview by lamenting our obsession with home ownership as this has relegated renting to a second choice. They said that people needed to be able to live in public sector homes of a decent standard and, in their own inimitable style, challenged encouraged government 'to get off their arses' and properly fund regeneration of estates like Arden.
Delegates also heard from Alisdair McKee, Chief Executive of Glenoaks about the difference that their involvement with the programme has made to the estate and the organisation. Seeing people working together and how effective some of their solutions were has really made a difference to Glenoaks.
Debbie Christie, Executive Producer of the programme from IWC media highlighted that the company had aimed to do a series on social housing that would connect with the wider audience and highlight some of the major issues that affect housing organisations and people that live in estates like Arden.
There was some time at the end of the session to hear from residents still living in Arden who had participated in the programme. Shirley and Sarah Duguid (aged 12) told delegates how pleased they were to have taken part in the initiative and how proud they were in what the community had achieved.