Remember when a suggestion box in the lobby and an annual satisfaction survey were considered "job done" for tenant engagement? We've certainly come a long way, haven't we?

As housing professionals, we all know that meaningful resident involvement isn't just a nice-to-have anymore - it's absolutely essential for creating thriving communities and delivering services that truly meet residents' needs. But what does effective engagement actually look like in 2025?

The Evolution of Tenant Participation

At Supporting Communities, we are driving the evolution of tenant participation through our partnerships with policymakers and housing providers across the region. We successfully collaborated with the Department for Communities to bring about the first Tenant Participation Strategy for Northern Ireland, embedding the requirement that all social housing providers plan to engage with their tenants. We’ve instituted the ‘TP Standards’ and Accreditation, allowing landlords to effectively benchmark and measure their work across the sector, fostering some healthy competition for top marks along the way. Our first All-Ireland Tenant Engagement conference sold out, demonstrating the huge appetite for new and innovative ideas in this field. Tokenistic approaches just don't cut it anymore, that’s for sure!

Today's tenants expect and deserve participation that is:

Genuinely inclusive – reaching everyone from your digitally-savvy young professionals to your older residents who prefer face-to-face conversation
Actually meaningful – not just asking for opinions but demonstrating how their input shapes real decisions
Truly diverse – offering multiple ways to get involved that fit different lifestyles and comfort levels
Clearly reciprocal – closing the feedback loop so residents know their time was well spent

What's Working? Innovative Approaches We're Seeing on the Ground

Through our work with housing providers, we've spotted some brilliant approaches that are generating real results:

Digital Tools That Actually Enhance Connection

We all know technology isn't a silver bullet, but when implemented thoughtfully:

Apps are transforming day-to-day interactions - imagine tenants reporting repairs with a photo, booking community spaces, or weighing in on decisions, all while waiting for the kettle to boil
Virtual reality walkthroughs are helping residents visualise and provide meaningful input on regeneration plans before a single brick is laid
Moderated online communities are creating spaces where residents connect with each other and your staff in ways that complement (not replace) in-person engagement

Co-Creation That Goes Beyond Lip Service

The most successful housing providers we work with are bringing residents into the process from day one:

Design panels where tenants work alongside your architects and planners, spotting potential issues you might miss and suggesting practical improvements based on lived experience
Service redesign workshops that start with a blank canvas and the question, "If we were building this service from scratch today, what would make it work better for you?"
Resident-controlled budgets for community improvements - because who knows better than your tenants what would make the biggest difference on their estates?

Community-Led Models That Build Lasting Capacity

Want to create sustainable engagement that doesn't constantly drain your resources? The key is empowering residents to lead:

Tenant champions who receive proper training and support to become the vital link between your organisation and harder-to-reach communities
Pop-up engagement hubs in places where residents already gather - think local cafés, community centres, or even the school gates at pick-up time
Resident scrutiny panels with the training, access, and authority to really dig into service performance and make recommendations that carry weight

Hot Off the Press: “Tenant Engagement Stories”

We wanted to capture some of these real-life examples on paper, so we asked our members to contribute to a collection of best practice stories of what’s happening now, in 2025.

This isn't just another dry best practice guide gathering dust on your shelf. It's a vibrant collection of real-world success stories from housing providers across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland from organisations facing the same challenges and opportunities as yours.

Inside you'll find:

Candid case studies that share not just what worked, but what didn't (and what they learned along the way)
Practical frameworks you can adapt to your specific context, because we know one size definitely doesn't fit all
Tangible outcomes that demonstrate the social value of effective engagement, perfect for making the case to your board
Step-by-step guidance for implementing these approaches in your own organisation

We're excited to launch the hard copy of the compendium at the International Social Housing Festival in Dublin on June 4th.

Where Is Tenant Engagement Heading Next?

Based on our conversations with forward-thinking housing providers, we see several trends emerging:

Hyper-local approaches that recognise the unique character of each neighbourhood, because what works brilliantly on one estate might fall flat on another.
Blended engagement strategies that seamlessly integrate digital and in-person methods to meet residents where they are.
Smart use of data to identify participation gaps and tailor your approach accordingly.
Cross-generational initiatives that bring together the fresh perspectives of younger residents with the deep community knowledge of long-term tenants.

Let's Continue This Conversation!

If you're nodding along thinking, ‘Yes, this is exactly what we need to focus on,’ then we'd love to see you at our upcoming All-Ireland Tenant Engagement Conference! It's the perfect opportunity to:

Connect with peers who are tackling the same challenges
Hear directly from residents about what meaningful engagement means to them
Workshop new approaches in a supportive, collaborative environment
Get practical tools and techniques you can implement right away

Nothing beats the energy of housing professionals coming together to share ideas and push the boundaries of what's possible in tenant engagement.

Moving Forward Together

At Supporting Communities, we firmly believe that effective tenant engagement isn't just about ticking regulatory boxes - it's about creating housing services that truly work for the people who use them and communities where people actively want to live.

Whether you're just starting to rethink your approach to tenant participation or you're looking to enhance already strong practices, we're here to support your journey. Because when housing providers and residents truly work together, everyone wins.

Are you ready to move beyond the suggestion box and transform your approach to tenant engagement? Let's talk!

Find us at the International Social Housing Festival in Dublin’s Convention Centre to get your copy of the ‘TP Compendium’. Our session, ‘C’mere till I tell ya’, is on 4 June at 2:45 pm in Liffey Meeting Room 2a.