21 July 2009
Steven Becomes Scotland’s Youngest Tenant Assessor
[Click here for a text copy of full press release]
At an age when many of his contemporaries demonstrate little enthusiasm for community matters, Steven Black stands out as commendably different. Not for him are hours spent playing on a games console, listening to music online, or slumped in front of the telly.
Just turned 24, Steven’s life has a strong focus on helping others and getting things done. By day he is a social care officer at a children’s home in Fraserburgh. By night you will probably find him either helping out at local youth clubs in Peterhead or Cruden Bay, helping to organise a junior archery club, or carrying out his various committee duties with Tenants First.
Steven almost seems surprised when I ask whether he wouldn’t rather be taking things more easily. “I’d much rather do something with my life,” says Steven, with disarming simplicity. “I just enjoy helping and meeting new people.”
Now, that drive has seen him volunteer for yet another responsibility. He has just been appointed one of Scotland’s 25 volunteer Tenant Assessors.
In this new role, Steven will provide a tenant’s perspective for the Scottish Housing regulator’s inspections of more than 200 social landlords. His first assessment is in September, when he will be working alongside his mentor, Tenants First Vice Chair Martin van der Lee.
Michael Cameron, is head of inspection with the Scottish Housing Regulator. “It’s great to welcome Steven to our team,” he says, “and to recognise this as a real achievement on his part as he becomes our youngest ever tenant assessor.”
The age thing is quite important to Steven. “I have an interest in showing that you don’t have to be a certain age to do something,” he explains. “I want to demonstrate that you can make a difference and be able to do the job, without necessarily having years of experience.”
It is important that members get involved in this, even if they have no experience
Steven Black
Committee of Management, Tenants First
Steven has been actively involved with Tenants First’s committees for the past four years. He had gone along to the AGM and, when volunteers were sought for the Tenant Management Board, he had no hesitation in raising his hand.
The problem was that Steven lives with his parents at Slains Court in Peterhead. He is the youngest in a family of six, with three brothers and two sisters. As it was his parents that were the tenants, not Steven, he could not be a full member. Keen not to loose out on his obvious enthusiasm, Steven was co-opted onto the board.
Clearly this was something of a frustration for someone with Steven’s drive and energy. He had no vote and he didn’t feel as though he really had a voice in decisions. Others might have been disheartened, but Steven was determined to make his mark.
The solution, when it came, was as simple as it was neat. Steven was added to the tenant agreement alongside his parents, giving him full membership rights.
Since then he has gone on to be involved in other areas of Tenants First, including the Committee of Management and the newsletter editorial panel. This has allowed him to press home his own particular perspective on issues and interests.
Working in a children’s home, its perhaps not surprising that he should be so keen that Tenants First developments take full account of the needs of younger children. He also has a keen interest in architecture and design, perhaps not surprising for someone who holds an HND in Multimedia Design and Production. At this point he assures me that he even finds time to feed his architectural interest by watching Grand Designs on television.
Steven’s third great passion is technology. He applauds Tenant First’s innovative approach, so well demonstrated in 2005 with the completion of the award-winning pilot in Ballater of five technically-advanced homes that pioneered the closed-panel construction method in this country.
This technology was then adapted for use at Tenants First’s Roanheads development featured in last year’s Annual Report. Now the co-operative is about to launch a trial with energy-efficient homes from Canada and also starting out on a three-year quest – in partnership with the Mackintosh School of Architecture – to create zero carbon homes.
Steven believes the co-operative is the ideal structure to take this innovative approach forwards. “The best thing about the co-operative is that, unlike with the council or other housing organisations, we own the co-op and so we have a real say in how it is run and in its future,” he enthuses.
It is a testament to the forward-thinking of the members that they have driven this forward-thinking approach. The aim is to create homes that provide high quality standards, while reducing running costs and environmental impact with ever higher standards of efficiency.
“It is important that members get involved in this, even if they have no experience.” Steven concludes with a smile: “I did not have any idea what I was doing when I first started, but everyone is really friendly and welcoming and you can ask anything if you get a little lost.”
Clearly he relishes the thought of other community-minded people with similar levels of enthusiasm joining Tenants First committees.
