Success
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Living It award winners, pictured with Cllr Alan Rudge & programme manager Hazel Broadhouse, on main steps in Birmingham Council House
District Services Management Team building Success through joint working
The District Services Management Team based in the Chief Executives Directorate have used one of their BEST workshop actions to help tackle anti-social behaviour.
BEST Leader, Caroline Stewart, and her team who are located at Greencoat House used the BEST workshop experience to increase joint working with the Environmental Crime Unit.
The Environmental Crime Unit help solve issues such as fly-tipping, litter problems and car audio noise. ECU also has links with the Police and Fire Service. This joint-working initiative has meant that members of the public have received additional services throughout evening and weekends due to staff from both teams working together.
Additional funding has also been located to deal with environmental issues and the section has also been made more aware of the services provided by other teams in similar service areas.
BEST Dragons’ Den
Following feedback received from BEST Leaders and teams throughout 2007, including feedback from the BEST Open Space event held in September 2007 and Employee Excellence Focus Groups , the BEST Support team launched ‘BEST Dragons’ Den’ based on the popular BBC2 series.
The pilot for the BEST Dragons’ Den took place on 8th of May at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. The five Dragons in attendance that day were Jason Lowther – Strategic Director for Policy and Delivery, Richard Billingham – Head of Organisational Development and Training, Raffaela Goodby – Employee Engagement Manager, Jill Cheshire – BEST Programme Manager for Children Young People & Families Directorate and Tony Ashfield – Regional Manager for West Midlands Regional Improvement & Efficiency Partnership.
To win a spot to face the dragons, BEST Leaders, managers and Teams sent in application forms with a description of the actions that they needed funding for. Applicants were shortlisted and invited to attend and pitch their ideas to the dragons. Out of the five teams four were successful on the day.
First off was the team from Reameadow Children’s Centre, in the Children’s Young People and Families directorate, who applied for assistance to complete their sensory garden. They were awarded the maximum £1000 funding to help them purchase outdoor furniture and paint and musical instruments such as wooden pipes for the children to use. They are also going to be holding a parents “Bring a Plant” day to help them populate the garden with flowers. The dragons also donated the services of the BEST team to go and assist for the day in doing some of the hard work and ‘getting their hands dirty’.
Next to enter the den was Kevin Duffy – District Librarian for Perry Barr & Hodge Hill based in Housing and Constituencies, who attended on behalf of his staff at Shard End Library. Kevin wanted to reward the dedication that his staff show to their community by arranging a team building event and achieving extra funding for their upcoming Community Fun Day which is taking place on 14th June and will include, the Birmingham Poets Laureate, face painting, circus skills performers, bouncy castles, magic shows, workshops and perhaps most importantly- cream teas!
The staff and service users from Ebrook Day Centre, in the Adults and Communities directorate, impressed the BEST dragons with their interactive presentation surrounding the renovation of an old storage room into a pleasant and useable coffee lounge for service users, staff and visitors to use in break times to relax and socialise. The money will be used to help towards new carpet and comfortable seating and giving the room a fresh modern look.
Finally the Transport Strategy team from Development & Culture led by Sinead Stevens, approached the dragons with an unusual idea to combine team building and research. The team plan to travel to London to investigate 6 different methods of sustainable transport used within the city to see how they could be used with Birmingham. They will be looking at cycle lanes, the bus service, the London Underground the use of boats and much more. The team have also arranged to meet with Ken Livingstone to discuss the transport schemes that he initiated during is time as Mayor for the city. The entire team will be going on this trip and they will be having a team lunch with certificate presentations to members of staff. The findings and results from this trip will help the team develop future transport strategies for the city.
The day was a great success with both the Dragons and applicants leaving feeling invigorated . Dragon Jason Lowther said “I left thouroughly refreshed by the passion displayed by our front-line teams!”. The BEST team were thrilled to see so many staff demonstrating Birmingham City Council’s Core Values of Belief, Excellence, Success & Trust. Dragon Richard Billingham said: ‘ I thought the standard of the applications was excellent and highlighted how our staff really understand their customers, and how small changes can make a big difference.’
Regulatory Services – helping to tackle noise levels
The team at Tyburn Road Regulatory Services decided to design a leaflet as one of their BEST actions to help them improve on customer service and support the core value of Success.
During their BEST workshop the team noted that they received many complaints related to noise due in part to the large amount of construction going on in the city. It was decided that they should produce a standardised leaflet in plain English informing businesses, customers and colleagues of the rules and procedures concerning working hours and noise levels
The team , based in the Chief Executives Directorate, have received excellent feedback from contractors who were unaware of the regulations and are now operating within the guidelines as a result of this leaflet.
Colleagues at the Birmingham City Council Consumer Shop are also really happy with the new leaflet because they are able to advise service users more accurately and efficiently.
Shelforce- Living the BEST Values everyday!
Shelforce, a Direct Employment group prove that by living the Councils Core Values everyday; teamwork, service performance and customer satisfaction can all be improved. They are truly ‘living’ and celebrating Success!
Shelforce is a trading business in the Council’s Development and Culture Directorate. They are based in Erdington and are a direct employment group who manufacture and supply PVCu doors and windows to the social housing market.
Shelforce actively seeks to employ people with a disability who would find it difficult, if not impossible, to secure and maintain employment in mainstream workplaces.
It is split into two distinct business areas:
Shelforce Employment Support- which offers support to people with disabilities seeking employment by facilitating job searches and providing support though the selection process. Shelforce also offers support to employers by providing training workshops and events.
Shelforce Windows and Doors- manufactures and installs PVCu windows and doors in the social housing sector. Currently over 75% of people employed in this area have a disability
Shelforce have had an amazing year, surpassing all targets
Their Growth in 2007/8 is a wonderful:
- 32% increase in the sales of windows and doors- Turnover is now an incredible £5.35miliion!
- 29% increase in productivity to 25 500 units
- 27% increase in productivity per person
Andrew Fellows, general manager of Shelforce, said: ‘Next year will be even better than this year and this year has been the BEST ever!’
To help every Shelforce employee celebrate their amazing year an awards ceremony was held in Shelforce canteen area on Friday 28th March.
Each team within Shelforce was awarded a framed certificate on behalf of each team member: recognising the fact that Shelforce’s success is down to every individual employee’s hard work and commitment.
The managers over at Shelforce were not forgotten either, each received a box of chocolates as a thank you for helping make this year their most successful.
If you would like any more details about Shelforce and the work that they do then please contact Andrew Potter, BEST Programme Manager for development and Culture on 675 1574.
South Yardley Library - going the extra mile for customers
The staff at South Yardley Library have gone the extra mile for their customers by living the core value of Success everyday.
During a BEST workshop led by Sally Naven the team identified that the residents of Bakeman House, a local residential development mainly inhabited by the elderly, has been undergoing a thorough and serious renovation whilst the residents are still living on the premises. This has dramatically affected their quality of life as most of the building has been covered in opaque polythene sheeting whilst the new windows are fitted, asbestos is removed and other necessary works take place.
The staff felt very strongly that they wished to do something for the residents whilst they were going through this stressful time. The team decided to hand deliver invitations to the 120 residents inviting them to a special coffee morning held at the library. At the coffee morning the Library team also took the opportunity to promote the Library’s facilities and residents were also given a tour of the newly renovated building.
The residents also received information on “Wired Up to Well Being” which is a special programme of 6 modules developed by Yardley Libraries to improve the IT skills of the over 50’s.
Newly appointed Councillor for South Yardley Daphne Gaved also attended the event.
Community Librarian Eileen Kenny said she was very proud that her staff have shown such willingness to support their customers and impressed at their positive attitude to working in a creative way to attract new borrowers. This team are truly demonstrating the value of success.
