12 Sep 2024
Get ready for the Big Conversation 2024: A day to inspire, learn and connect
Are you ready to disrupt the housing sector? Do you want to grow your network, develop your career, and deep dive into the housing issues that matter most to you? Then The Big Conversation is the event you can’t miss!
Join us on 27 November 2024 at the Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline, for a day packed with innovative discussions, inspiring stories, and the chance to connect with other young and upcoming housing professionals.
Our unique and unconventional conference style is designed to make you feel at ease, leaving you motivated and inspired to take the next step in your housing career.
What can you expect?
This year’s discussions will focus on:
- Disrupting the housing sector: How can we lead change?
- Leading through change: What does leadership look like in a shifting landscape?
- Housing 2031: What the sector wants.
You'll leave with:
- New connections with like-minded housing professionals
- A clearer sense of your career aspirations and the opportunities ahead
- A voice in the debates shaping the future of housing.
Meet the speakers: Inspiration from experience
Two of our key speakers, Geraldine Howley and Trevor Smith, bring a wealth of knowledge and a passion for empowering the next generation of housing professionals. Here’s a glimpse into their journey and what motivates them to keep The Big Conversation alive:
"As a lifelong housing professional and CIH fellow I have been privileged to experience innumerable learning events, and I believe life long learning is the oxygen of my successful housing career.
"My passion for learning lead me to co-founding the Gem program back in 2009. This experiential learning programme is growing stronger than ever in 2024.
"My involvement with CIH and my experience of the Gem programme inspired me to focus on young people during my term as CIH president.
"During that year, I brought the campaign to life through the inauguration of The Big Conversation (TBC) which was designed to give access to young housing professionals to learning experiences normally only available for senior teams.
"Since its inception we have delivered TBC in Brighton, London, Leeds, Manchester and Scotland.
"I am delighted that TBC is still continuing in partnership with CIH and looking forward to an inspiring day with you in Dunfermline on 27 November."
"In the early stages of my career, as a graduate trainee, I was fortunate to experience a world class learning programme. The programme opened my mind to personal development and the importance of strengths based psychology at work. That consciousness let the genie out of the bottle on how I defined myself and my strengths, and led me to a fundamental career change.
"I gave up working in operations and logistics to follow a career in people development. That decision put me onto the most fulfilling pathway and a journey which seems to generate its own energy for going go on and on.
"Real learning is like that! It’s never ending and that transformation led to me co-founding the GEM programme fifteen years ago with Geraldine Howley. We wanted to create a learning programme that helped up coming housing professionals open their minds to what housing is all about, and grow as a person of influence in the housing sector.
"In 2015 when Geraldine became CIH president, we wanted to bring the energy and dynamics of the GEM programme to more upcoming housing talent and introduced The Big Conversation (TBC). This inclusive learning event has been highly successful in creating access to a variety of learning experiences normally limited to more senior colleagues.
"So we’d love you to join us for TBC on 27 November in Dunfermline and let your learning genie out of the bottle!"
Don't miss out – Book your ticket
Be part of a conversation that will shape the future of housing. Find out more, see the full programme, and book your ticket today.
