Accreditations

Disability Symbol - Two Ticks

Jobcentre Plus, through the Disability Employment Advisers, operates a programme for employers to allow them to make use of the Disability Symbol, which demonstrates a commitment to meeting the needs of disabled employees.

Cunninghame Housing Association has been recognised as demonstrating our commitment to meeting the needs of disabled employees since 2000.  To be permitted to use the Disability Symbol, employers have to agree to deliver on 5 main commitments as listed below. The Association is assessed annually against the criteria the most recent assessment was successfully carried out in November 2007.

5 Commitments

Commitment 1:

To interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.

Commitment 2:

To ensure there is a mechanism in place to discuss, at any time, but at least once a year, with disabled employees what they can do to make sure they can develop and use their abilities.

Commitment 3:

To make every effort when employees become disabled to make sure they stay in employment.

Commitment 4: 

To take action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make your commitments work.

Commitment 5:

Each year, to review the five commitments and what has been achieved, to plan ways to improve on them and let employees and Jobcentre Plus know about progress and future plans.

Employers in Voluntary Housing

Employers in Voluntary Housing is the employers federation that exclusively deals with the Housing Association Sector Coniditions of Service and Salary Scales in the West of Scotland.  It also offers its members a wide range of services including advice on Employement Law, Health and Safety, Human Resourse Management and training for voluntary committee members.

This assocation has been a member of EVH since 1988 and we currently have a principle representative and two substitute representives.

Investors in People (IiP)

The best organisations know that their people make the biggest difference between success and failure. Investors in People provides a framework that helps organisations improve their performance through their people and has been used by over 4,000 organisations in Scotland.

Cunninghame Housing Association has been recognised as an Investor in People since September 1999 and was the first RSL in Ayrshire to be recognised by IiP.  The Association achieved successful re-accreditaion in 2000, 2002 and 2005 and we are scheduled for review again in November 2008.  Over the last ten years the Association has embedded the principles of people development into the culture of the continuous improvement and business growth.  The ethos of the award is now central to the culture of the organisation and our Values of Customer Focus, Quality, Fairness, Investment, Involvement and Innovation are all achieved through the effective management and development of people. 

Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (S.F.H.A.)

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has 147 housing association and 63 Local Housing Organisations in Scotland as Members.  The SFHA was established in 1975, commercial businesses involved or interested in the housing sector may also join as Commercial Members.

The SFHA is owned by its membership and exists to support the work of housing associations and co-operatives in Scotland by providing services, advice and good practice guidance.

Vision

“Supporting successful housing and community development in Scotland.”

Mission

“We represent and lead the housing association sector in Scotland by:

• Influencing government policy
• Anticipating and responding to the needs of our Members
• Providing services and advice to Members
• Providing leadership to the sector.”

Objectives

• To be the leading voice of the housing association sector
• To promote excellence
• To support our member organisations
• To promote and support the community ownership programme
• To influence the future shape of the housing sector
• To be effectively governed and efficiently run

Cunninghame Housing Association has been a long standing member of the SFHA since 1989.  Morew information can be found at the S.F.H.A. web site