Wanted: Lyng residents with the X factor

Published by kerri smith for Lyng Community Association in Housing and also in Communities

Hundreds of letters will this week be sent to homes in a pocket of West Bromwich in a bid to discover residents with the X factor.

Lyng Community Association (LCA) is scouting for talented local people to join its Board of directors. The organisation, at the heart of a multi-million pound regeneration of the Lyng, is on the cusp of a new chapter in its relatively short history and wants to recruit like-minded residents.

The ambitious association, which already owns 184 homes for rent on the estate, has branched out from its traditional landlord role into community development work and wants to build on this in the coming months and years.

Examples of this type of work to date include LCA:

arranging to take responsibility for the public realm, including Lyng Park, when redevelopment is completeteaming up with Sandwell Council’s Think Local recruitment team to help residents improve their CV, search for jobs and prepare for interviews.

The recruitment campaign coincides with the start of this year’s ITV talent show The X Factor. Thankfully, Lyng hopefuls won’t be subject to nail-biting auditions, boot camp and a televised live final. Instead they will receive guidance and ongoing support from existing LCA Board members and training to help them in the voluntary role.

The Board has an evening meeting approximately every six weeks in LCA’s purpose-built office in Frank Fisher Way, West Bromwich. Board members – all directors of LCA, a registered charity – discuss every aspect of the business and make decisions with residents in mind. Board members do not receive a salary but are reimbursed any out-of-pocket expenses.

The invite is, of course, open to tenants of LCA but also to owner occupiers, shared owners and tenants of other landlords as long as they live in the Lyng. Specific skills and experience are not required but those interested should be passionate about the area, have a desire to improve it for generations to come and be open to the ideas and opinions of others.

Current Board member and mother-of-three Corilee Williams said: “What we’ve achieved so far is fantastic and now that our attention is turning to other areas we’d love new people to get involved. The opportunity to make a difference is there and I can honestly say it’s a brilliant experience and would recommend it to anyone.”

To find out more, contact Liane Ralley at LCA between 10am and 4pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday on 0121 525 5969 or email ralleyl@btconnect.com