Cabinet Secretary for Housing launches the latest cohort of frontline policy advisory board

Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, has launched the new cohort CIH Cymru’s Housing Futures Cymru project.

Housing Futures Cymru was created in 2017 to get young frontline housing professionals directly involved in the decision-making process in Wales by establishing a young professionals’ policy advisory board.

The new appointees to the advisory board are:

• Olivia Richards, Social Research & Policy Advisor, Newport City Homes
• Daniel Campbell, Rent & Income Officer, Adra
• Mike Reardon, Director, Loft Pro Cardiff
• Bethan Young, Communications Officer, Hafod
• Jessica Jones, Business Improvement & Performance Partner, Cartrefi Conwy
• Jazmin Pugh, Housing Officer, Barcud
• Anna Kaczmarczyk, Housing Support Officer, North Wales Housing
• Lucy White, Housing Advisor, Speakeasy Law Centre
• Joe Stockley, Governance & Compliance Partner, Valleys to Coast

The Cabinet Secretary said: “I’m delighted to launch the latest cohort of the Housing Futures Cymru Group and to meet the newly appointed members who will help shape the future of housing policy in Wales.

“It’s so important that we create opportunities for housing policy leaders of the future to contribute fresh insights and generate new ideas about how we can meet the needs of the sector.

“Our collaborative approach is our strength, and by investing in these talented professionals today, we're building a stronger, more responsive housing sector for tomorrow."

Matt Dicks, national director of CIH Cymru, said:

“It is fantastic to have continued Welsh Government support for this successful CIH Cymru project.

“Our young professionals are often the people who experience the sharp end of the decisions taken by the policy-makers, and often the ones who come up with the best solutions to the problems created by those decisions.

“Since I have been involved with the housing sector in Wales, I have spoken to many young professionals in the sector and their enthusiasm and social heart has really struck me.

“We need to harness that resource and ensure that it informs future policy development in the sector.

“They are our leaders of the future so we must start listening to them now.”