Tenants must get more involved with their housing association if they want a real say in how their communities take shape in the future, Queens Cross Housing Association said today as it lent its support to Scottish Housing Day.

Queens Cross chief executive, Shona Stephen, stressed that tenant-led Community Involvement Groups (CIG) are not mere talking shops, members’ opinions matter and are key in shaping future investment and housing stock management decisions.

Ms Stephen said: “We have tenant led Community Involvement Groups (CIG), a scrutiny group, housing and factoring boards that are crucial in guiding how we manage our services and make decisions.

“We are a community led organisation; community involvement is a cornerstone of what we do. Without tenants’ involvement we cannot make measured decisions in their best interests.

“Our appeal on this, the second national Scottish Housing Day is, get involved.”

Queens Cross chair, Marilyn Clewes, started off her involvement with the association by becoming CIG member.

“I’ve been a Queens Cross tenant for ten years and saw straight away that the only way for the association to deliver the type of improvements I wanted was to get involved,” said Marilyn.

“The opportunity to shape your neighbourhood is there and I would urge residents, owners and tenants, from all backgrounds to take it.

“Qualifications are not needed, support is there. It’s about much more than housing it’s about creating communities by looking after the local environment, providing facilities and activities for children and teenagers, lunch clubs and groups for older people. We help people with their benefits and money worries.”

Marilyn added: “But to keep doing all of this and more we need more local people to get involved, we cannot do it alone.”