A Kidderminster-based social housing provider has won a national award for the digital support programme to support tenants during the COVID-19 crisis.

Community Housing, who offer homes throughout the Wyre Forest, have celebrated winning the ‘Best Digital Inclusion Scheme’ award at the Housing Innovation Digital Awards. The award ceremony, which was held at Edgbaston Cricket Ground on February 10, showcased the very best in innovation across the social housing sector.

The award was recognition for the team’s use of ‘Deployed Video Calling Technologies’. This allowed vulnerable tenants to access support when this was most required during the recent pandemic, without putting themselves at risk by foregoing social distancing.

Kate Schofield, head of care and supported housing, said: “We could see that customers were struggling to cope so we brought together community housing teams who had the skills and resources to give that extra support and reassurance.  Just knowing that someone was there at the end of the phone who could get the right help and speak to the right people and organisations on the customer’s behalf, made such a difference”

Community Housing has recently undergone a merger with their sister group Amica24. Matt Cooney, chief executive said: “In October 2021, we launched a new corporate plan which aimed to simplify our business so that we could concentrate on our core services. We rebranded our teams under the Community Housing brand to symbolise our intent to work together as One team. Amica24 customers will still get the same great service and 24 hour monitoring and support, but they will see a new name, Community Housing Technology Enabled Care Services together with a new logo and website”

For more information about Community Housing and the services they offer, visit: communityhousing.co.uk/