Practical, evidence-based guidance and tips for communicating about homes in the UK. 

How we talk about homes matters. We all have power as communicators to tell a story about homes that builds understanding and support for solutions to make our housing system better. 

We need a new conversation about housing in the UK, to build greater public support and action to deliver quality homes for everyone. 

That's why Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Nationwide Foundation have been partnering with FrameWorks UK to understand how people think about homes in the UK and to find communications strategies that we can all use to reframe our communications.  

In this series, Sophie Gordon, principal communications strategist from FrameWorks UK will share insights, guidance and tips, useful for anyone communicating about homes, and those with an interest in how we can build support for change. 

The past few years have been extremely testing for the housing sector, with more challenges on the horizon. So, how can you and your boards play a pivotal role in navigating this? 

Watch this Building Better Boards session to hear the headline predictions from CIH policy experts across the UK. With a general election on the horizon, they'll be sharing their insight on the current state of the nation(s), key policy and legislative changes, and the role of boards in helping organisations to manage the demands, opportunities and challenges ahead. 

Why watch?

• Hear firsthand from our panel of policy experts 
• Participate in the conversation - we encourage attendees to challenge, debate and share their own thoughts and insights 
• Communicate and share ideas with fellow board members, senior level officers and governance professionals to help guide your organisation through the year ahead.

Your speakers:

• Chair: Gavin Smart, Chief executive, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Rachael Williamson, Head of policy and external affairs, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Justin Cartwright, National director for Northern Ireland, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Cerys Clark, Policy and public affairs manager, CIH Cymru
• Callum Chomczuk, National director, CIH Scotland and chair, CIH EDI group

Recent events have highlighted the importance of ensuring landlords are taking appropriate and timely action when responding to damp and mould in tenants’ homes.

At CIH we want to ensure that our members are equipped with the knowledge and skills to tackle this problem at its root cause.

Why watch?

• Learn from the experiences of housing organisations in Ireland and the UK on how to combat the issue
• Understand the importance of engagement with residents to help to tackle it effectively
• Explore the value of technology to help identify the homes that are most at risk
• Learn how better data is the key to dealing with damp and mould.

Your speakers:

• Nick Sheward, director of property services, Tuath Housing Association
• Rebecca Bealing, Project Director LCDM, Clarion Housing
• Chair: Paul Hogan, architect, Housing Agency

Following a new approach introduced by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the aim of these changes is to strengthen the accountability of social landlords for providing safe homes and quality services, and treating residents with respect. The Regulator of Social Housing will now be able to carry out integrated and active regulation across all standards, and for all types of landlords, including (where relevant) local authorities.

In this session, we heard from the Regulator on what you need to be doing to adapt to the new standards regime from 1 April.

Your speakers:

• Will Perry, director of strategy, Regulator of Social Housing
• Chair: James Prestwich, director of policy and external affairs, Chartered Institute of Housing

The first of the network’s virtual meetings took stock of the emerging regulatory framework in which we operate, and you can catch up on it here.

The new consumer standards framework, which will go live in April, will give the Regulator of Social Housing stronger powers to hold landlords to account and include regular inspections. To prepare for this, the Regulator has run a series of consumer inspection pilots with housing associations and local authorities to test and refine its approach before wider roll-out.

In this webinar we’ll hear from the Regulator of Social Housing about the changes that are being made to the regulatory framework, what the inspection process will look like and key learning points arising from the pilots.

On 6 February, the government opened a consultation on its proposals to introduce a new, regulatory standard relating to the competence and conduct of social housing staff. This standard will require senior managers and executives to have, or be working towards, a relevant qualification. It will ensure that staff have up-to-date skills, knowledge and experience, and that they exhibit the right behaviours to deliver a high quality, professional service and treat residents with respect.

During this lunch and learn, discover more about the government’s proposals for the Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing. We were joined by representatives from the Department of Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to talk through the proposals and what they mean for the sector.

Why watch?

• Hear directly from government representatives about the proposals
• Listen to the audiences questions about the proposals, and what they will mean for our own roles
• Listen to the discussion about the proposals to shape CIH’s response

Your speakers:

• Charlotte Hilliard from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Sarah Dunkerley, director of professional development, Chartered Institute of Housing
• Chair: James Prestwich, director of policy and external affairs, Chartered Institute of Housing 

In this podcast, CIH Futures board member Ryan Barclay is joined by Michaela McCusker (workforce development assistant manager at Northern Ireland Housing Executive), Carlie Dunbar (housing apprentice at South Liverpool Homes), and Louise Moules (director of operations and membership at Scottish Federation of Housing Associations) about making housing a career of choice, and the many different options and roles available to you.

Mentoring is a great way to support your professional and personal development. The CIH mentoring programme, hosted by PushFar, is designed to support you to identify relevant development opportunities and give you the tools to make impactful connections to help your career soar.

Why watch?

In this membership session, we were be joined by Ed Johnson, CEO and co-founder at PushFar who gave an insight into the benefits of mentoring and an overview of the platform and it’s incredible functionality. Some current CIH mentors and mentees also came along to share their first-hand experience of mentoring and how it’s enhanced their career and professional development.

Your speakers:

Ed Johnson, CEO and co-founder, Pushfar

Brendan Morrissey, assistant director of customer and communities, Clanmil HA

Chair: Jill Allcoat, regional manager, CIH

A career in housing is exciting and can provide an incredible variety of options, from housing management to resident involvement, and from development to supported housing – to mention just a few. Here at CIH Ireland we want to ensure that our members are equipped with a career development toolkit to in order to progress within the sector.

For this interactive workshop, hear from career consultant, Susan Keating, who will explore what a career brand is and how you can effectively design and develop yours. Susan will offer insights into how to leverage your brand for greater planning and opportunities for your career in housing. There will also be a career Q&A with Ali Burdis Leech, and Ali will talk about her career progression journey at Tuath Housing.

Why watch?

• Discover how to create, manage and promote your personal brand as part of a successful career management strategy
• Learn how to use a mentoring relationship as a key career resource
• Find out how to leverage your connections for career success
• Explore how to develop a plan to take your housing career to the next level.

Your speakers:

• Susan Keating, consultant career coach and trainer, Onelife Coaching
• Ali Burdis Leech, housing services manager, Tuath Housing Association