Our Programmed team recently fired up the BBQ, bringing tenants together with local community organisations and igniting community spirit at Canberra’s latest ‘Trade for a Day’ event.
Our Trade for a Day initiative involves regular community BBQs, designed to bring people together, empower tenants, strengthen communities, and to help ensure maintenance issues are raised and fixed promptly.
The most recent iteration of Trade for a Day was held at a Housing ACT aged persons unit, providing a great opportunity to connect with a group often vulnerable to social isolation.
"Some older people can feel socially isolated, and some tenants are unsure about raising smaller property maintenance requests," said Gregory Lackey, Programmed's Social inclusion Manager.
"By hosting regular events like today, we bring people together and see the smiles on their faces, as well as checking in with each tenant, to make sure people are connected, properties are well maintained, and people feel happy in their home.”
The event also involved safety and information talks from a variety of local organisations, including Housing ACT, the ACT Police, ACT Fire & Rescue, and Aged Care services.
On the day, tradespeople serviced all aircon units throughout the Housing ACT units, replacing lights with LED energy efficient lighting and replacing taps with lever taps (which can be easier for people with arthritis to use).
In outside communal areas some slip/trip hazards were identified and fixed by a concreter on site. A team also set about painting and sealing garden furniture, freshening up the outdoor communal spaces.
Our regular Trade for a Day events form part of our commitment to delivering social inclusion programs, connecting people and building stronger community networks.
“Seeing the connections being made on the day – neighbours forming friendships and learning about local support available, is heartwarming to see," said Gregory Lackey. "The highlight for me was speaking with a tenant who said that the day had really lifted their spirits and made them feel valued.”
We look forward to many more Trade for a Day events to come!