The Challenge

The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) is a charitable housing association with it roots stretching back over 100 years. It strives to be a housing association that is sustainable and engaging, provides high quality and continuously improving services and decent affordable homes in well managed communities prioritising those in greatest need.

Established in 1998, Hartrigg Oaks was the first continuing care retirement community in the UK. It has 152 one or two-bedroom bungalows, care in the home, an onsite care setting for both residential and nursing care as well as community facilities including a gym, library, coffee shop and health activity centre.

At its inception, the community was considered novel in the UK and treated as a social experiment. Now, over 25 years on from its launch, JRHT invited its residents to take stock, reflect on the journey thus far, and lay foundations for the future.

The Approach

DJS Research designed a consultative research study to engage residents in the 25-year review process. As an independent third party, our role was to collect, collate and report on the perceptions of current residents of Hartrigg Oaks.

Qualitative consultation:

We conducted 14 x 2-hour focus groups, 13 of which were in-person on site at Hartrigg Oaks and 1 of which was virtual, to allow attendance from those with limited mobility or other disabilities.

Each group focused on one of three key areas of discussion.

We provided feedback cards and online survey links at the end of each session, to allow participants to share further thoughts in private after the groups.

The Results

The research provided the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust with an in-depth analysis of current residents’ perceptions of Hartrigg Oaks today, and their views on its future.

The report identified key areas of strength, highlighting those expected to be key opportunities for the Trust to harness in the coming years to ensure the continued success of the community. Risks that might pose a threat to the community in the future were also identified, including internal factors, and those relating to contextual and societal shifts.

DJS Research suggested a priority action plan to leverage opportunity and mitigate risks, to build for the next 25 years of Hartrigg Oaks.

Testimonial

"It’s been a real pleasure working with DJS Research, and the outputs have already proved valuable in helping us think about the next 25 years of Hartrigg Oaks. Particularly pleasing has been the positive feedback from residents who attended the focus groups about the approach adopted by DJS and the quality of its final report."

Managing Director, JRHT