How peer support advanced my career in housing

“What prompted you to pursue a career in housing?” or, “How did your career in the housing sector begin?”. Those are questions that I think everyone in the sector has probably been asked or reflected upon at one stage or another.

In my experience, I think a significant level of my desire to pursue a career in housing, comes from hearing others who were already involved in the sector talk of the importance of having an impact within their communities, but also the ‘housing community’ - the network of professionals who work together as a team to support each other and their tenants.

The housing sector can be challenging and there is perhaps part of you that relishes being innovative and responsive to a changing environment. However, both national and local authorities across Scotland have declared housing emergencies. The opening session of this year’s annual CIH Scotland Housing Festival was when CIH Scotland’s national director Callum Chomczuk declared a housing emergency on behalf of CIH Scotland. More recently, CIH Scotland also published a report which highlighted that “there has been no systematic approach to recruitment in the social housing sector and instead, practitioners often consider themselves as having ‘fallen’ into housing”. So, we have challenges from both a policy perspective and a recruitment perspective.

Amongst that challenging backdrop, there has been an increasing and welcome focus on promoting housing as a career of choice, the aim to get individuals to actively seek a career in the housing sector. This is something which is at the forefront of CIH Futures, and peer support has a role to play in developing this further.

I joined the CIH Futures board in 2023 for numerous reasons, but perhaps the most pressing was the idea of being connected to a group of career professionals who are as passionate about the sector as I am. You may be sitting at your desk, faced with a fresh repair to manage or a new tenancy arrears system to learn. Peer support has been invaluable as I looked to progress my career. What does that mean though?

That team spirit, the people who will support you as you navigate your first role in the sector, the people who understand why you are so passionate and care so much about your job, that is the reason I was inspired to join the Futures board.

My very first interaction with CIH Futures was based on peer support. The first ever CIH Futures event that I attended, was a zoom call for Blue Monday. The event was designed to create a space for housing professionals to have positive conversations.

The CIH Futures networking events, are an evolution of this peer-to-peer support, giving young professionals, the chance to get to know other professionals from across the UK. If you are looking for a space to share challenges and be exposed to a different perspective, then this is it.

When I started in the sector I had so many questions, that’s normal and if you have questions after reading this post I’d encourage you to get in touch.

The CIH Futures board has provided me with the opportunity to hear from my fellow professionals about the advice they’d give themselves starting out in the sector, which has been supportive advice and feedback.

What could this peer-to-peer support network mean for you? The support has provided an environment where, I can experiment with new ideas and talk them through with a wider audience including the network of CIH members. Everyone has something to contribute to the table.

Just starting out in the sector? The CIH Futures Scotland network can offer that opportunity to help you discover a career path.

Been in the sector for years and are looking for that platform to offer support to new entrants into the sector? Then CIH Futures Scotland is for you.

CIH Futures Scotland will be brand new, so that provides an exciting opportunity to shape the sector and be part of that peer support that has had such an impact on my career, for the person who you inspire to pursue a career in the housing sector. By being part of CIH Futures Scotland you could not only develop in your own career, but also support the development of someone else’s.