theblueballroom to PR major housing association research

Sept. 27, 2013 - PRLog -- Award winning integrated agency theblueballroom has been awarded a minimum 12 month contract to communicate the objectives and stories surrounding a new research project run by g15.

Bringing together 15 London housing associations, the g15 represents one in ten Londoners, and the research project, to be run by the University of York’s Dr Julie Rugg and colleagues, will explore ‘Real London Lives’, focusing on how welfare reform affects Londoners, and documenting change to their situations and sentiment.

The PR brief includes opinion former activity, a corporate identity, microsite, and a collection of films throwing the spotlight on Londoners’ stories, as well as press office support. Under the banner of ‘Real London Lives’, the PR work will carry the objective of raising the profile of the research amongst key influencers in Westminster and beyond, and beginning to challenge some of the perceptions surrounding housing association residents through content, such as the commissioned films.

Toni O’Sullivan, g15’s Account Director at theblueballroom, said “This is such an interesting and important piece of work to be awarded as an agency, and we are looking forward to offering creativity and great value to g15 over the coming year.”

Brendan Sarsfield, chair of the g15, explained: “We want to be able to identify the challenges that our residents face and give a voice to the one in ten people in the capital who we house. This will allow people to hear more about the experiences of ordinary Londoners living in housing association homes.”

Ends.

For further information please contact Toni O’Sullivan or Rebecca Pain at theblueballroom on 01252 899950, or via email tosullivan@theblueballroom.com or rpain@theblueballroom.com

Notes to Editors:

About theblueballroom:

www.theblueballroom.com

Doing business in the 21st century requires specialist skills and experience across internal and external communications.

Recognising the growing need for an integrated approach to communication, internal communications (http://www.theblueballroom.com/what-we-do/consultancy/internal-communications) agency theblueballroom and its sister pr company (http://www.theblueballroom.com/what-we-do/consultancy/public-relations) thebluedoor worked more and more closely together over a five-year period, helping businesses to increase their profile through media relations and pr, their productivity through employee engagement (http://www.theblueballroom.com/blog/employee-engagement-a-practical-resource), their all-round success.

Founded in 2001, Surrey-based agency theblueballroom has an outstanding track record across all aspects of internal communications, from strategy to solution, print media to bespoke digital networks, live events to video.

thebluedoor, a pr consultancy established in 2008, provided a comprehensive range of public relations services, and is widely recognised for its leading use of social media, its track record in business to business pr, and online public relations.

In 2012 we took the decision to bring all of this specialist know-how together more formally.

We now offer a comprehensive service that addresses every aspect of communication… inside, outside, or across your business. Working with us is a positive, friendly, professional experience, and we all work according to our values (http://www.theblueballroom.com/about-us/our-values): bold, inspiring, collaborative, honest and always learning.

About the research:

The g15, a group of London’s largest housing associations, have commissioned a major new study which will identify the key current challenges facing affordable housing residents and give a public voice to the one in ten Londoners they represent

This ground-breaking study will follow the lives of housing association residents across the capital providing an insight into their hopes and aspirations, and will carry out more than 1,500 quantitative interviews as well as 60 in-depth qualitative interviews.

The longitudinal study will explore the impact of welfare reform and the current difficult economic climate on affordable housing residents in London.  As well as identifying the specific challenges they face, it will also highlight the role these ordinary Londoners play in their local communities.

Led by Dr Julie Rugg, the independent research is being carried out by the Centre for Social Housing Policy at the University of York.

Residents will also have the opportunity to tell their own stories, illustrating the whole range of different experiences of Londoners who live in affordable housing.

About the g15:

http://g15london.org.uk/

The g15 is made up of London’s 15 largest housing associations. A2 Dominion, Affinity Sutton, Amicus Horizon, Catalyst, Circle, East Thames, Family Mosaic, Genesis, Hyde, L&Q, Metropolitan, Network, Notting Hill, Peabody and Southern. Between them the g15 owns or manages more than 420,000 homes, builds 15,000 new homes annually, and invests over £25m a year in economic and community development

About the Centre for Housing Policy the University of York, and Dr Julie Rugg:

The research team is based within the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York. The research will be led by Julie Rugg, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre.

Dr Julie Rugg has substantial expertise in conducting large-scale, complex qualitative and quantitative research projects, and devised the framework for the initial Pathfinder LHA evaluation commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions. She oversaw the completion of two of the separate Pathfinder case studies and managed the landlord stream of the programme. She has substantial expertise in understanding housing benefit from a tenant perspective.  Julie will be working on this project with her CHP colleagues David Rhodes.