We ask five people speaking at this week鈥檚 NHF conference why they like their jobs, how they got there and how we should sell the sector to potential recruits. Age
43
CV
Started as a volunteer in a housing advice centre in Newcastle in 1984 and worked there as a case worker until 1987. He then moved to the National Homeless Alliance as a campaign worker, followed by the London Housing Unit as a senior policy officer. After this he joined North British Housing Association as regional director, then ASRA as chief executive. In the mid-1990s he joined Hexagon Housing Association as chief executive and in 2000 joined the Audit Commission as 鈥渂est value鈥� northern region director. He became chief executive of Luton council in 2001. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
I think it鈥檚 about having a job that offers affordable housing to those in need. It鈥檚 an opportunity to learn and respond and develop services. How would you sell a job in housing?
You need to stress the good achievements of housing associations and promote the good elements that can be achieved. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
People need to get the information when they are making their career decisions. When kids leave school, that鈥檚 when jobs in housing need to be marketed and highlighted at job fairs. And we need to make use of youth MPs, school councils and the basic education system to inform and raise housing鈥檚 profile.Age
40
CV
Left school at 16 to work as a clerk at Birmingham鈥檚 housing department. After working her way up through the council, she obtained a professional housing qualification in 1987 and an MBA in 1994. In 1997 she was appointed housing director at Kirklees council and in 1999 she became executive director of housing at Sheffield. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
It鈥檚 a big management responsibility but rooted in it is the fact that we are making a difference to people鈥檚 lives. I love Sheffield. It鈥檚 a challenging council and it鈥檚 innovative and it lends itself to creative management. This job has a lot of scope and it enables us to make a difference. How would you sell a job in housing?
It鈥檚 a job with a range of opportunities and it enables people to develop their skills. People can grow in their roles and do a variety of things. For instance, you can deal with the most vulnerable people or focus in the design of buildings. There isn鈥檛 another job in the country like it. People can develop their skills in housing, management and design. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
We don鈥檛 celebrate our profession enough and we don鈥檛 have sufficient role models. We need more high-profile people, and housing managers need to make the job attractive 鈥� we need to be out there at recruitment fairs engaging with people.Age
39
CV
Before joining West Midlands as a board member, she spent two terms (1993鈥�1998) on the board of Black Country Development Corporation and English Partnerships. Before working at English Partnerships she was with the Community Development Foundation and undertook projects there on how companies can work with communities. She is also currently director of Barrow Cadbury Trust, a charitable organisation based in Birmingham. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
I think there is a sense of civic responsibility. You have a responsibility for matters of public concern and things that are significant to families and communities. How would you sell a job in housing?
I think we are talking about essential services and mainstream issues. These days, with so much public investment, there is a lot of flexibility and opportunities for people to develop and move between the public and private sector. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
I think by letting people know about the achievements of graduates and professionals. By informing people of what they have achieved it makes the sector become more meaningful because housing and development can be quite an abstract concept.Age
47
CV
Started career as a train driver and studied for his A-levels at night school. He then studied for a degree in economics and geography, followed by a PhD in British housing policy. In 1982 he started working for Manchester City Council as a principle housing strategy officer, during which time he took a two-year secondment to the House of Commons. In 1996 he joined Irwell Valley as chief executive. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
I have the power to make a difference and to use it in a responsible way. The most important thing is the opportunity we have to change the mess that has been built up inadvertently and I am proud that we can challenge tradition and improve homes. How would you sell a job in housing?
In terms of associations it allows us to be ethical entrepreneurs and combine the two, whereas normally there is a tension between them. You can make a difference to those people who occupy social housing and it is a very challenging job. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
I think you have to change the way you approach your staff first and that will lead to more people becoming interested. People have to have an understanding of the business of housing, and associations need to generate space in an organisation that allows creativity. You have to show that to make staff feel like they are an asset.Age
50
CV
Joined the Central Council for the Disabled as a housing policy officer in 1976 and got involved in lobbying and politics. After that went to the Housing Corporation and worked on a number of projects. In 1981 got a job at Look Ahead as joint chief executive. Six years later got the post of chief executive. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
It鈥檚 completely different all the time, I鈥檝e been here 21 years and there are always new challenges. It can be difficult at times but it is never boring and it鈥檚 great to have contact with the people we are helping. How would you sell a job in housing?
One thing people say is that they don鈥檛 realise how varied the work is going to be. There is a sense of purpose and commitment in this job. Also as a sector we are flexible and we are sensitive to the lives that people have outside of work. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
We want to attract people who have the right skills and we need people from different backgrounds and ages. We need to think about taking people who don鈥檛 necessarily have a formal education but have other skills. There are all sorts of routes into housing and it is easy to get hooked on mechanisms that just replicate the same kinds of people.
Darra Singh, Chief executive, Luton council
43
CV
Started as a volunteer in a housing advice centre in Newcastle in 1984 and worked there as a case worker until 1987. He then moved to the National Homeless Alliance as a campaign worker, followed by the London Housing Unit as a senior policy officer. After this he joined North British Housing Association as regional director, then ASRA as chief executive. In the mid-1990s he joined Hexagon Housing Association as chief executive and in 2000 joined the Audit Commission as 鈥渂est value鈥� northern region director. He became chief executive of Luton council in 2001. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
I think it鈥檚 about having a job that offers affordable housing to those in need. It鈥檚 an opportunity to learn and respond and develop services. How would you sell a job in housing?
You need to stress the good achievements of housing associations and promote the good elements that can be achieved. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
People need to get the information when they are making their career decisions. When kids leave school, that鈥檚 when jobs in housing need to be marketed and highlighted at job fairs. And we need to make use of youth MPs, school councils and the basic education system to inform and raise housing鈥檚 profile.
Joanne Roney, Executive director, Sheffield council
40
CV
Left school at 16 to work as a clerk at Birmingham鈥檚 housing department. After working her way up through the council, she obtained a professional housing qualification in 1987 and an MBA in 1994. In 1997 she was appointed housing director at Kirklees council and in 1999 she became executive director of housing at Sheffield. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
It鈥檚 a big management responsibility but rooted in it is the fact that we are making a difference to people鈥檚 lives. I love Sheffield. It鈥檚 a challenging council and it鈥檚 innovative and it lends itself to creative management. This job has a lot of scope and it enables us to make a difference. How would you sell a job in housing?
It鈥檚 a job with a range of opportunities and it enables people to develop their skills. People can grow in their roles and do a variety of things. For instance, you can deal with the most vulnerable people or focus in the design of buildings. There isn鈥檛 another job in the country like it. People can develop their skills in housing, management and design. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
We don鈥檛 celebrate our profession enough and we don鈥檛 have sufficient role models. We need more high-profile people, and housing managers need to make the job attractive 鈥� we need to be out there at recruitment fairs engaging with people.
Sukhvinder Kaur Stubbs, Board member, Advantage West Midlands
39
CV
Before joining West Midlands as a board member, she spent two terms (1993鈥�1998) on the board of Black Country Development Corporation and English Partnerships. Before working at English Partnerships she was with the Community Development Foundation and undertook projects there on how companies can work with communities. She is also currently director of Barrow Cadbury Trust, a charitable organisation based in Birmingham. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
I think there is a sense of civic responsibility. You have a responsibility for matters of public concern and things that are significant to families and communities. How would you sell a job in housing?
I think we are talking about essential services and mainstream issues. These days, with so much public investment, there is a lot of flexibility and opportunities for people to develop and move between the public and private sector. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
I think by letting people know about the achievements of graduates and professionals. By informing people of what they have achieved it makes the sector become more meaningful because housing and development can be quite an abstract concept.
Tom Manion, Chief executive, Irwell Valley Housing Association
47
CV
Started career as a train driver and studied for his A-levels at night school. He then studied for a degree in economics and geography, followed by a PhD in British housing policy. In 1982 he started working for Manchester City Council as a principle housing strategy officer, during which time he took a two-year secondment to the House of Commons. In 1996 he joined Irwell Valley as chief executive. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
I have the power to make a difference and to use it in a responsible way. The most important thing is the opportunity we have to change the mess that has been built up inadvertently and I am proud that we can challenge tradition and improve homes. How would you sell a job in housing?
In terms of associations it allows us to be ethical entrepreneurs and combine the two, whereas normally there is a tension between them. You can make a difference to those people who occupy social housing and it is a very challenging job. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
I think you have to change the way you approach your staff first and that will lead to more people becoming interested. People have to have an understanding of the business of housing, and associations need to generate space in an organisation that allows creativity. You have to show that to make staff feel like they are an asset.
Victoria Stark, Chief executive, Look Ahead Housing Association
50
CV
Joined the Central Council for the Disabled as a housing policy officer in 1976 and got involved in lobbying and politics. After that went to the Housing Corporation and worked on a number of projects. In 1981 got a job at Look Ahead as joint chief executive. Six years later got the post of chief executive. What鈥檚 so great about your job?
It鈥檚 completely different all the time, I鈥檝e been here 21 years and there are always new challenges. It can be difficult at times but it is never boring and it鈥檚 great to have contact with the people we are helping. How would you sell a job in housing?
One thing people say is that they don鈥檛 realise how varied the work is going to be. There is a sense of purpose and commitment in this job. Also as a sector we are flexible and we are sensitive to the lives that people have outside of work. How would you get the message across about your achievements?
We want to attract people who have the right skills and we need people from different backgrounds and ages. We need to think about taking people who don鈥檛 necessarily have a formal education but have other skills. There are all sorts of routes into housing and it is easy to get hooked on mechanisms that just replicate the same kinds of people.
Source
Housing Today
No comments yet