2021 CIH all-Ireland housing awards shortlist announced

CIH Northern Ireland is delighted to announce the shortlisted nominees for the 2021 all-Ireland housing awards.

Given the unprecedented challenges of the past year, CIH looks forward to recognising and celebrating the creativity, passion and innovation of housing organisations and individuals across the sector in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland at our upcoming awards ceremony. Though we will be unable to celebrate together as has become tradition, we hope you will still be able to join us virtually on our new online platform.

The 2021 shortlisted nominees are as follows:

Best housing story:

• Liscarroll Residents Group - coming together, Respond
• Step Down Care at The Bank, Choice - Maple and May
• The Big Sleep Out, First Housing Aid & Support Services
• Burnvale Community Association Rises to the challenge, Radius Housing
• House in The Wells, Apex Housing Association
• Not just Houses but Homes, Habinteg Housing Association Ulster Ltd

Working in partnership:

• VHE and Choice Investment Project, Choice in partnership with Victoria Housing Estates (VHE)
• Working together to combat COVID-19 and Homelessness in Northern Ireland, Council for the Homeless in partnership with Northern Ireland Housing Executive
• Newington Student Bursary Scheme, Newington Housing Association in partnership with Newington Credit Union
• Onside - the Outreach & Naivigation for Social Inclusion and Digital Engagement Project, Housing Executive in partnership with Supporting Communities and Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI).
• Cliff Edge Coalition NI NIFHA, on behalf of the Cliff Edge Coalition NI
• Festival In A Box, Radius Housing in partnership with Clanmil and Apex Housing Associations
• Joint Support Project for Derry and Strabane, Apex Housing Association in partnership with DC&SDC, GSAP, Triax, Waterside NP, Outer North CP, SCP, Easilink, SCPDV, Foyle Foodbank and Fareshare
• Turnaround in sheltered schemes’ gardens helping transform lives, Alpha Housing in partnership with

Team of the year:

• Staying Connected, Staying Apart, Clann Housing
• Belfast Floating Support, MACS Supporting Children and Young People
• Hope From Home, First Housing Aid & Support Services
• Housing Team of the Year, Radius Housing
• Ark Housing Development Team, Ark Housing Northern Ireland
• Choice Housing Association
• Newington Housing Association Team of the Year, Newington Housing Association

Excellence in housing innovation:

• Radius Design Guide, Radius Housing
• Pilot Project to End Destitution and Homelessness, Choice
• Restoring the Georgian Heritage - Mountjoy Square, Dublin, Respond
• Prison Resettlement Team, MACS Supporting Children and Young People
• Shared Tenancy, MACS Supporting Children and Young People

Excellence in health and wellbeing:

• Extern Alcohol Housing Support Team, Extern
• Radius Promoting Health and Wellbeing in Lockdown, Radius Housing
• Tuath Care 2020, Tuath
• Reducing Isolation Promoting Inclusion, Habinteg Housing Association Ulster Ltd
• Choice Employee Health & Wellbeing Programme, Choice
• Health & Wellbeing, Connswater Homes
• Clanmil Health and Wellbeing submission, Clanmill Housing Association Ltd

Excellence in customer service:

• Innovation in Tuath Housing Tenant Engagement with focus on Digital Engagement with Older Residents, Tuath Housing
• Supporting our customers during COVID-19, Co-Ownership
• Apex Housing Team delivering excellence, Apex Housing Association
• Everybody In, Housing Executive
• Simply the Best, First Housing Aid & Support Services

Communications in a crisis:

• At home should not mean at risk', Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid
• Radius Tenant Engagement, Radius Housing
• Covid Communications Strategy, Habinteg Housing Association Ulster
• Radius " Art from the Heart", Radius Housing
• Clanmil Health and Wellbeing submission, Clanmil Housing Association Ltd
• STAY HOMEless, PROTECT THE NHS, SAVE LIVES, Simon Community NI

Excellence in championing equality and diversity:

• Listen Share Change, Housing Executive
• Choice Equality and Diversity Programme, Choice
• Radius Championing Equality and Diversity through lockdown and beyond, Radius Housing
• Old Mill Court, Sion Mills: Housing for All, Rural Housing Association

Supporting communities award:

• Supporting Carrosyl in Lockdown, Carrowshee Park and Sylvan Hill Community Association (Carrosyl)
• North Belfast Connected Homes Project, Newington Housing Association
• Community Chest Covid 19, Radius Housing
• Fareshare Northern Ireland, Council for the Homeless Northern Ireland
• Respond
• Clann Housing
• Staying Connected, Habinteg Housing Association Ulster Ltd
• Covid-19 Community Grants, Housing Executive
• Simon Community Northern Ireland staff team, Simon Community Northern Ireland

Inspirational young housing professional:

• Mark Scott, Housing Executive
• Gerard Lewsley, Housing Executive
• Catriona McCann, Choice

Housing Hero:

• Louise Grant, Respond
• Jim Dennison, Simon Community NI
• Michael Lynch, Clann Housing
• Rosemary Diver, Radius housing
• Barry Shields, Habinteg Housing Association Ulster Ltd

CIH Northern Ireland chair Eileen Patterson commented:

“CIH is delighted to be able to host our Ireland awards next month. Despite the circumstances, it is good news that the sector can still come together online to celebrate the achievements of members during what has been a very difficult year.

“Those shortlisted have served their tenants and communities with commitment, compassion and resolve. The quality of nominees this year is testament to the dedication of housing professionals in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, even during the most testing of times.” 

CIH Northern Ireland director Justin Cartwright added:

“Although the awards will look somewhat different this year, we are nonetheless pleased to be able to host them using our excellent online platform. We know the challenges many of our members have faced this year, and to see the sector step up to the mark and provide first class services and support has been wonderful.”

For more information and to book your place, please visit the CIH housing awards event page.