If you want to learn new skills, increase your confidence and find out more about The Hyde Group, then you may be interested in attending a course on our Resident Training Programme

Training courses are available for residents who are involved in the following ways:

• Hyde 5000 members
• Resident Board members
• Panel members
• Forum members
• Residents Assurance Committee members
• Residents Association members
• Community groups
• Anyone interested in becoming involved.

Courses are held either in central London or at a local venue depending on the demand. Courses run throughout the year, avoiding peak holiday times. Most courses run on weekdays or in the early evening from around 5pm to 8pm. If there is enough demand, then we can run courses on Saturdays.

Core training
For all involved residents and those interested in getting involved

• Diversity and Inclusion
  Ensuring that everyone is treated fairly, what involved residents should know.
• Introduction to Social Housing
  History of social housing, funding and services provided.
• Induction to Hyde
  Find out more about Hyde, its history, structure and services provided.
• Data Protection and Confidentiality
  What Hyde must do and what involved residents should know.
• Personal Effectiveness and Assertion
  Improving your confidence and communication skills.
• Different Ways of Getting Involved
  Find out more about how you can get involved with Hyde.

Influence and Scrutiny
For residents on formal Boards and Committees

• Complaints
  Complaints policy, monitoring and learning from complaints
• Understanding Performance Information
  Purpose of performance information at Hyde, trends, asking the right questions.
• Financial Information and Budgets
  Understanding more complex financial information and reports.
• Challenge and Negotiation Skills
  How to challenge constructively and negotiate effectively.

Running Groups
For Tenants and Residents Associations and community groups

• Effective Meeting Skills
  Making the most of meetings, chairing skills, agendas and minutes.
• Producing Newsletters, Writing skills
  Creating an impact and getting people interested.
• Accounts and Budgets
  Basic budgets and accounts.
• Fund-raising
  Finding local funders and tips for successful fundraising.
• Running Community Events
  How to make your local event a success.

Service Specific Training
For service improvement groups, special project groups, resident inspectors

• Customer Services
  The standard of service you can expect, and giving your feedback on services.
• Antisocial Behaviour (ASB)
  Learn about Hyde’s policy and how to work together to tackle ASB.
• Repairs
  Hyde’s repairs service, your rights and responsibilities.
• Procurement
  Find out how Hyde buys in goods and services and how you can get involved.
• Leasehold Management
  Understanding your lease and service charges.

Service Testing and Research
For resident inspectors, mystery shoppers groups

• Mystery Shopping
  What is mystery shopping and how residents can test Hyde's services.
• Resident Inspector Course
  Skills for inspecting Hyde's services as part of Hyde’s internal inspection programme.

Certificated training involves getting a nationally recognised qualification that shows that you have reached a certain standard. We offer accreditation for some of the short courses on the programme under the Qualification and Credit Framework. This is mainly for the Scrutiny and Influence and Running Groups courses.

We are also able to sponsor some residents to take longer courses leading to the Chartered Institute of Housing Level 2 Award in Community Action, Level 3 Award in Resident Scrutiny (QCF), or the Level 4 Award in Governance.

These courses are a longer term commitment and require residents to attend up to 10 training days over several months. There will be a formal application process for these courses, and residents may have to pay a small fee of between £25 to £50. If you are interested, please contact the Central Resident Engagement Team to find out more.

All courses on the main programme are free to Hyde residents, and we can pay any reasonable travel expenses or carer’s costs to support you in attending a course. We do ask that you let us know as soon as possible if for any reason you are unable to attend, so that we can offer your place to another resident.

We will ensure that everybody can access training opportunities, and we will use training methods adapted to individual needs. All venues are accessible for wheelchairs users or those with limited mobility. Hearing loops can be supplied for those with a hearing impairment. We also provide signers, interpreters and translations upon request.