The skills gap in the housing sector is widening by the day. How can we bridge that gap and build a future-ready workforce?

In this episode, Greg Reed, Group Chief Executive at Places for People, shares his
views on why the sector struggles to attract talent and the forward-thinking
strategies he's using to tackle these challenges.

With a background in banking and financial services, Greg brings a fresh perspective to the UK’s largest social enterprise focused on affordable housing and community development. He shares how Places for People is addressing the skills gap through collaboration, grassroots talent development, and innovative initiatives like PfP Thrive.

PfP Thrive is a charitable foundation dedicated to training apprentices in trades and housing management. Designed to benefit the wider sector, it serves as a resource for other housing associations, fostering collaboration to tackle skill shortages and create lasting change.

In this episode, we cover:

● The obvious gap in skilled trades—and a growing area you might not expect.
● How to be an attractive employer and retain skilled tradespeople.
● Strategies to attract a diverse workforce in housing and construction.
● How large and small housing providers can work together.
● Why selling job opportunities based on salary alone isn’t enough anymore.
● Greg’s vision for housing associations to act as catalysts for community growth and engagement.
● How the PfP Thrive Academy is training apprentices and creating community-driven workforce development.

Discover how Places for People is reshaping workforce development and how
housing associations across the UK can join in to bridge the skills gap and empower communities.

LEARN MORE
PfP Thrive Academy - https://www.placesforpeople.co.uk/pfp-thrive/
Places for People -https://www.placesforpeople.co.uk/
Andersen James - https://www.andersenjames.com/

CONNECT
Greg Reed on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryreed/
James Leighton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-leighton-65023b11/

LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1JHMfNs33BK4UTOgaYt3cB
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-hip/id1576686644
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7vH1zt3GSm3_B_-OhDSlRg

Domestic abuse affects 2.4 million adults in England and Wales each year. But how
can the housing sector step up to challenge misconceptions, support survivors, and shape better policies?

In this episode, Jacque Allen, CEO of Your Housing Group, is joined by an expert
panel:

Kate Green, the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, champions the Gender-based Violence Strategy.
Nicki Clarke, Head of Housing at Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse,
brings extensive experience in housing.
Gail Heath, CEO of the Pankhurst Trust, focuses on the impact of domestic
abuse on women and children.
Dr Kelly Henderson, co-founder of the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance
(DAHA), emphasises the link between housing and domestic abuse response.

Together, we shine a light on the complexities of domestic abuse, debunk myths, and share innovative strategies set to reshape how we support victims of domestic
abuse.

We delve into the urgent reforms needed in housing and justice systems, the
importance of a coordinated community response, and the role of housing providers in offering sanctuary to survivors.

Covered in this episode:

● The vital role housing providers play in offering safe spaces for survivors.
● Four myths surrounding domestic abuse that perpetuate misunderstanding.
● Why a domestic abuse policy may not go far enough.
● How domestic abuse impacts children and why early intervention matters.
● The impact of temporary accommodation and the ‘postcode lottery’ survivors face.
● Learn the most dangerous time for victims in the cycle of domestic abuse.
● How organisations can collaborate to build a cohesive response.
● One housing-related decision that should always be victim-led.
Join four inspiring leaders who are using their expertise and their platforms to drive change and tackle domestic abuse. Listen now to learn how, together, we can make a difference.

LEARN MORE

Guidance for Social Housing Providers -
https://www.dahalliance.org.uk/guidance-publications/guidance/
Greater Manchester Gender-based Violence Strategy -
https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/safer-and-stronger-communities/gender-based-violence
Your Housing Group - https://www.yourhousinggroup.co.uk/
Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse - https://www.standingtogether.org.uk/
The Pankhurst Trust - https://www.manchesterwomensaid.org/
Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance - https://www.dahalliance.org.uk/
Andersen James - https://www.andersenjames.com/

CONNECT

Kate Green on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deputymayorofgm/
Dr Kelly Henderson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kelly-henderson/
Gail Heath on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gail-heath-942a0862/
Nicki Clarke on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicki-clarke-20b6bb98/
Jacque Allen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacque-allen-cihcm-36071b86/

LISTEN

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1JHMfNs33BK4UTOgaYt3cB
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-hip/id1576686644
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7vH1zt3GSm3_B_-OhDSlRg

Harpreet Rayet currently holds the Managing Director role at TWO organisations - Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing and Cornovii Development. He’s been working in property development and housing for nearly 18 years and in this episode, we discover his story.

Harpreet stepped up as MD for STAR Housing as his first MD role. We dive deep into his experiences with taking on the ‘number one’ role and ask him what experience he was expected to have prior and what he needed to upskill in. Harpreet’s two roles keep him busy and we ask how he’s able to prioritise between the roles and ensure he retains a work-life balance.

STAR Housing is an ALMO, and we speak about the importance of their relationship with the local authority and how they’ve worked together to better support the local community. Harpreet offers advice for anyone looking to take on a leadership role in the sector and on how he’s putting together a board that’s right for the organisation.

Finally, we also look to the future and discover Harpreet’s long-term vision for both organisations. We also ask Harpreet what the future of development could look like with an impending change in government.

In this episode, we cover:

• The skills required to move into an MD or CEO role.
• How Harpreet manages to balance and prioritise between his two MD appointments.
• Why many ALMOs are going in-house.
• How Harpreet and his board brought the business into the modern era.
• How Harpreet reintroduced and cemented the organisation’s values.
• Putting the right board together.
• Tips for future leaders in this challenging time for the sector.
• Harpreet’s insights into what the future of development could look like with change in government.

Is this year the year you start to prioritise EDI in your organisation? Chief Executive of Manningham Housing Association, Lee Bloomfield, joins us in this episode to take a deep dive into building bridges within communities and how the organisation has levelled up its EDI approaches.

We find out about Lee’s journey into housing that left him in charge of bringing Manningham Housing Association up to a compliant level again. He shares the steps they took to do so and to becoming the first housing association in the world to achieve the global Standard for Diversity and Inclusion in HR Management.

He speaks about the Building Bridges Bradford program, which was built to strengthen the bond between the association and the community it serves. Lee shares with us the benefits of this initiative and explains the steps they've taken to improve customer satisfaction.

We also speak about the pressing housing needs in Bradford and Manningham Housing Association's commitments to new housing. Lee sheds light on their efforts to make the recruitment process more inclusive, emphasising the importance of recruiting for potential and sharing insights on how organisations can prioritise EDI effectively.

In this episode, we cover -

• How Lee got into the housing sector.
• The actions Lee took to get Manningham Housing Association compliant.
• How working towards and achieving accreditations has benefited Manningham Housing Association.
• How digitisation has allowed the organisation to provide better customer service.
• The Building Bridges Bradford project.
• The state of housing requirements in Bradford today.
• How to make the recruitment process more inclusive.
• What steps can organisations that want to prioritise EDI take?

Tina Barnard spent her early career as an accountant before moving into the housing sector. She’s now Chief Executive at Watford Community Housing and in this episode, we discover her journey into housing and get her expert insights into funding, joint ventures and more.

Watford Community Housing has established joint venture companies with local authority partners. We get a behind-the-scenes on how these partnerships came about and how Watford Community Housing has been leveraging them to create a win-win situation for all parties, as well as the challenges that had to be worked through to make them happen.

We also dive deep into the challenges that the industry faces today. We speak about how important it is that we keep building homes, securing government funding and what the future looks like for Watford Community Housing and the industry as a whole.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Tina found her way into the industry and her Chief Executive position.
• What a ‘numbers person’ brings to the table.
• The benefits of joint ventures and insights into the partnerships that Watford Community Housing has formed.
• The challenges they’ve faced in establishing joint ventures.
• The challenges the sector is currently facing and what organisations should be seeking government financial support for
• Watford Community Housing’s plans for tackling EPC C and net-zero targets.
• What does the future of social housing look like?
• How we can get more people interested in a career in housing?
• How can we better inspire and develop the next generation of leaders?

When Clare Budden joined ClwydAlyn Housing Association as Group CEO, she knew that change was sorely needed. Clare believes that social housing is a people-first industry, but staff satisfaction wasn’t where it should have been.

Since joining, the organisation has increased its housing stock by nearly a thousand and turnover from 40 million to 64 million. Staff satisfaction has also increased and the refreshed values of the organisation have been cemented throughout.

Clare shares with us the key changes that she made within ClwydAlyn that brought the organisation into the present day and helped instil trust from colleagues and customers.

Clare has a passion for the sector, and we discover the inspiration that led her to choose it and step into the Group CEO role.

We speak about the actions that ClwydAlyn is taking to give back to the community and support the most vulnerable. We also learn about the thirty new roles that ClwydAlyn are opening up and the trainee programme that aims to bring more graduates into the sector.

In this episode, we cover -

• How a visit to an RAF station inspired Clare’s journey into housing.
• How Clare was able to win back colleague’s trust and confidence when she joined the organisation.
• Tips for organisations looking to improve their values and how to get them to stick.
• The elements of private sector organisations that don’t work within a housing association.
• ClwydAlyn’s unique approach to servicing its customers.
• What’s next for ClwydAlyn over the next 5 years?
• ClwydAlyn’s plans for 30 new roles.
• Advice for those considering moving into the housing sector.

In this episode, former healthcare professional, Debi Marriott-Lavery, now Chief Executive at Magenta Living, shares with us the skills that she brought to the sector and her journey so far.

Magenta Living is a Wirral-based housing association that owns, manages and
provides support to thirteen thousand homes across the region. 

Debi previously saw herself as a ‘great number two’, as opposed to leader material. We speak about why this mentality can hinder progress and how she broke free from it.

Debi also speaks about her podcasting ventures. She currently hosts her second podcast, Beyond the Dots, which she recently launched. We speak about how creating content has benefited her as a leader.

Magenta Living champions its customers, community, and culture. Debi shares how Magenta Living empowers colleagues to take action and be willing to do right by customers.

It’s no secret that the industry and the country have had their fair share of challenges over the past few years. We ask Debi how she has maintained staff morale throughout these challenging times. And finally, we learn what 2024 and beyond has in store for Magenta Living.

In this episode, we cover:

• Pushing past the ‘number two’ mentality and aiming for a leadership position.
• The benefits that podcasting has had on Debi as a leader.
• How Magenta Living connects with its customers.
• How to empower colleagues to do right by the customer.
• The 2024 roadmap for Magenta Living.
• The challenges CEOs face in creating long-term plans.
• The challenges we can expect to see in the housing landscape over the next few years.
• How to maintain staff morale through challenging times.
• How we can attract new talent to the sector.

To kick off The HIP for 2024, we sit down with Mark Howden, Chief Executive of Peaks & Plains. Peaks & Plains is a social housing provider based in Macclesfield which Mark joined as Interim Chief Executive after his tenure with Balfour Beatty.

Mark shares with us his interesting path into housing and his experience transitioning from the private sector to the public sector. We speak about the regulatory challenges that Peaks & Plains faced in the past, and how Mark was able to galvanise the organisation during this time and eventually regain its G1 status.

We speak about Mark’s mantra of ‘profit for purpose’ and why profit is seen as a taboo subject in the sector. We also touch on what needs to be done to improve things for the sector long term, and how a change in government could affect it.

In this episode, we cover:

• Mark’s intriguing journey into housing.
• The experience of transitioning from the private sector to the public sector.
• How Mark pulled his teams together to regain their G1 status.
• Why Mark has resisted the return to the office for his staff.
• Will things change in the sector with a government change?
• Why is profit a taboo subject within the social housing sector?
• The future for Peaks & Plains in 2024 and beyond.

By fostering an environment that prioritises honesty and encourages people to ‘speak up and challenge’, without fear of being ‘wrong’, organisations can benefit from a wider breadth of knowledge and skills.

Jamie Ratcliff, Chief Communities & Sustainability Officer at SNG joins us in this episode to share his passion for having an impact on people’s lives through his work.

Jamie has spent nearly 20 years in housing and it’s his passion for human rights that drew him in.

Sovereign and Network Homes merged to form SNG this October (2023). Jamie gives us a look into the merger and their goal of creating “The best merger the housing association sector has seen”. He shares how the organisation will align the two visions and strategies and gives insight into how the 10-year, £100 million investment into local communities will be utilised.

We also discuss how we can improve the sector with more positivity and by creating more inclusive organisations. We speak on the issues we’re seeing in recruitment practices within the sector, and Jamie shares how he would improve things.

In this episode, we cover:

• Jamie’s journey into the housing sector.
• A view of SNG post-merger.
• The Community Foundation investment that SNG is bringing to local communities.
• Why we need more positivity in the sector.
• Prioritising honesty over perfection as a leader.
• The benefits of having experience out of sector.
• Fostering an environment that encourages people to ‘speak up and challenge’.
• How do we unlock more diverse voices in our sector?
• Does anonymous recruiting work?

True transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, and it takes a strong culture. In this episode, Donna Cezair, Chief Executive at Worthing Homes joins us to talk about transformation and change management and her journey into the sector.

Donna has taken on multiple CEO roles, including her role at First Choice Homes Oldham which she took on during the pandemic. We speak to her about the challenges she faced as a new chief executive during this time.

We speak about her work with Worthing Homes and the transformation she’s overseen for the organisation. We dive deep into culture and discuss what good and bad culture look and feel like to leaders, colleagues and customers. Remote working can leave colleagues feeling isolated if it’s not done right. Donna gives her thoughts on how to ensure colleagues feel valued while remote working.

Donna gives her thoughts on the skills required to be a CEO vs. other leadership roles. She also gives her thoughts on how we can attract more talent into the sector, and what needs to change if we are to solve the housing crisis.

In this episode, we cover:

• What does true transformation look like?
• How Donna overcame the challenge of stepping into a chief executive role during the pandemic.
• How to keep culture and people feeling valued during remote working.
• The skills required to be a CEO.
• What do good and bad culture look and feel like?
• How to get the most out of a team’s diverse skillsets.
• Non-exec roles and the benefits for leaders stepping into them.
• What would Donna change to bring us closer to solving the housing crisis?

CEO at Circle Voluntary Housing Association, John Hannigan joins us in this episode. Circle is Ireland-based, but John has had extensive experience in the housing sector in the UK, as well, and we discover how he got ‘hooked’ on housing and reached his position.

We dive deep into the major differences between the Irish and UK housing
markets in terms of the size and number of HAs and their long-term housing plan. With about 3000 homes owned and managed, Circle is in Ireland's top 5 largest HAs. They’ve managed to retain a consistent general satisfaction rating of 94% from tenants, and John gives insights into how. Off the back of Covid, Circle went 100% agile. John shares how productivity has changed as a result of this.

We also talk in-depth about the housing crisis, or ‘housing emergency’ as John describes it, which poses the same challenges in Ireland. John gives his insight into what needs to change for us to begin reaching housing targets while continuing on the path to net zero.

John shares with us what he wants to see from the sector in the future and how we make the sector more appealing, so we can bring in much-needed talent.

In this episode, we cover:

• What got John ‘hooked’ on housing?
• The key differences and similarities between Ireland’s and the UK’s housing landscapes.
• How Circle has attained a consistent general satisfaction rating of 94%
  from it’s tenants.
• How productivity has changed for Circle since going 100% agile.
• Removing the stigma around social housing.
• Why John refers to the ‘housing emergency’ rather than the ‘housing crisis’.
• The keys to meeting housing targets.
• How do we make the sector more appealing as a career option?

We are facing an unprecedented rate of change and new challenges in our industry. It takes bravery and resilience to weather the storm and stay focused on the outcomes.

We sit down with Fiona Fletcher-Smith in this episode. Fiona is the Group Chief Executive at L&Q Group and is the current chair of the G15. She also held a 10-year role working with the Greater London Authority. We discover how she got into the industry and the changes that she’s seen in her 35 years of service.

We speak in depth about the biggest challenges that the UK faces today. Fiona gives her views on what we should be prioritising in order to solve the housing crisis and the skills shortages. We speak about the impacts that these chaotic times are having on our sector and we ask Fiona how she’s built a team with the resilience to weather the storm. We also find out Fiona’s plans for her G15 tenure.

Fiona gives us insights into where L&Q stands today and their ambitious plans for development and regen. We find out more about L&Q’s ongoing Major Works Investment Programme, which is the industry’s largest investment programme with almost £3 billion in spending planned over 15 years.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the housing industry has changed in the past 35 years.
• Why has homelessness in London and other urban areas increased so much?
• An overview of L&Q Group and their development plans.
• Cultivating a resilient team in times of great change and the importance of bravery as a leader.
• Fiona’s views on how we can tackle the industry’s biggest challenges.
• Getting clear on mergers vs. acquisitions.
• What is Fiona going to use her G15 tenure for?
• How we can bring more people into the housing sector.

Why are repair demands higher now than a decade ago? And how can we meet this rising demand, cut costs, and still maintain our quality of service?

In this episode, we speak with Paul Walker, Executive Director of Repair and
Maintenance at Home Group—one of the UK’s largest housing associations and
social enterprises.

Paul shares his extensive cross-sector experience and forward-thinking strategies for managing increasing repair needs, while balancing customer expectations and
improving service efficiency.

We dig into the real reason behind this surge in repairs, the changing expectations of customers and the potential for collaboration within the housing sector to reduce costs and boost service delivery.

Paul reveals his outside-the-box thinking and experience in developing partnerships and in-house models to improve efficiency. He highlights sector-wide challenges, like attracting skilled tradespeople and balancing urgent repairs with long-term asset management.

Covered in this episode:
● How COVID changed customer behaviour around repairs.
● 3 reasons the frequency of property repairs are going up.
● The untapped potential for collaboration in the sector.
● One reason organisations struggle to innovate.
● A better way to track and flag potential issues like damp and mould.
● Why data visibility is key to driving efficiency in repairs and maintenance.
● How Home Group is addressing skilled trade shortages.
● How to use data to predict and address customer failures before they
escalate.
● The importance of balancing planned work with reactive repairs to reduce
demand on services.
● How adopting a DLO maturity model can optimise resources and costs.

Packed with actionable strategies and real-world examples, this episode offers
inspiration for housing professionals looking to set the standard in repair and
maintenance.

LEARN MORE
Home Group - http://www.homegroup.org.uk
Andersen James - https://www.andersenjames.com

CONNECT
Paul Walker on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-walker-6843b11a/
James Leighton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-leighton-65023b11/

LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1JHMfNs33BK4UTOgaYt3cB
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-hip/id1576686644
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7vH1zt3GSm3_B_-OhDSlRg

Regeneration specialist, RE:GEN Group has been working with Durham based housing association, believe housing on a project that’s so far resulted in 1186 properties becoming more energy efficient across the North East.

Two guests join us on The HIP in this episode. Ruth Dent - Director of Assets and Compliance at believe housing and Brian Bedford - Sustainability Director at RE:GEN Group. We discover how the two companies came together to deliver this outcome and the future plans for the project.

We also dive deep into how the project has impacted residents and the local
community. Communicating the benefits of regen activities to residents can be a challenge. Our guests give their thoughts on what we need to do to win them over.

Ruth gives insight into how they make use of local labour and the positive effects this has had on the local economy, the environment and workers’ well-being.

Ruth and Brian also give us insight into how they attract talent into their organisations, and how we can get the word out on the benefits of a career in housing.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the partnership with RE:GEN Group & believe housing came about.
• What does the next phase of the plan look like?
• What were the key factors in choosing a delivery partner for believe housing?
• The environmental and economic impacts of making use of local labour.
• How to communicate regen projects to customers.
• A touching story of the real impact that regen can have on people’s lives.
• The importance of government messaging in winning over customers.
• The obstacles in the way of delivering EPC C targets.
• How do we get the word out on the benefits of working in the housing sector?

Mansell Building Solutions has been providing local homes for local people by local people for generations.

In this episode, we speak with Managing Director, Angela Mansell. The specialist contractor, based in Horwich, Bolton, was founded by Angela’s dad in 1991 and now has Angela and her sister at the helm.

We discover Angela’s journey into her role and the trigger that pushed her into housing. We ask Angela what it’s been like to take on the legacy of the business and we get insight into how Mansell became a leader in their speciality of dry lining.

Angela is not fond of the term sub-contractor... we find out why this is and the alternative she puts forward that she feels better suits the organisation’s role. We speak about the power of people and how to forge the right relationships with contractors.

We go deep into MMC and its benefits and challenges. We speak about how we can bust the jargon to make things clearer for customers and third parties. And, we ask one of the National Federation of Builders’ Top 100  Most Influential Women in Construction her views on the solutions to solving the housing crisis!

In this episode, we cover:

• How Mansell Building Solutions became a specialist in dry lining.
• How Angela has built on the legacy of the organisation.
• How can we better communicate MMC with tenants?
• Why is Angela not fond of the term sub-contractor?
• How do we solve the housing crisis?
• Becoming more inclusive through changing the way we build.
• What does Angela want to see for Manchester and the organisation in the next 5 years?

Achieving net zero targets and making our homes more comfortable in the process is a net gain for everyone. Even so, it’s not always an easy sell.
In this episode, we speak with Tom Sowerby, Customer Relationship Director at Wates.

Tom has a passion for sustainability, which comes across in his work with Wates. Tom goes into three key focuses - reaching net zero targets, fire safety and damp & mould. We discover how Wates is tackling these focuses.

We dive deep into the net zero agenda. We speak on the drivers for net zero carbon and how they relate to social housing. Unlike the more immediately tangible benefits of the Decent Homes Programme, the benefits from improvements made to homes under the net zero agenda can be less obvious to residents. Tom shares tips on how we can help residents understand those benefits.

We speak about the state of housing stock in the UK vs the rest of Europe and why UK housing stock is suffering. Tom also gives his views on the importance of government funding, and how organisations should be focusing their efforts if they want to secure their share. Finally, we go in depth on the skills shortage challenges that arise from these agendas and how we can ensure our people are prepared.

In this episode, we cover:

• How the net zero agenda ties into social housing.
• How organisations should be focusing their efforts in order to receive funding.
• Tips on how to educate residents on the benefits of retrofitting.
• How Wates is making the best use of its data.
• Why do so many homes in the UK suffer from heat loss compared with the rest of Europe?
• How do we plug the skills gap?

An enduring sense of purpose is what keeps teams focused on achieving an
organisation’s vision. But keeping that purpose at the forefront for decades can be a challenge.

In this episode, we sit down with Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing Group. Michael celebrates his 20-year anniversary at Broadland this year and we take a look back at how the Norfolk-based housing association has evolved over the years.

Michael chose a career in housing. He’s a chartered surveyor by background and has found his home at Broadland. He shares with us his journey into the Chief Executive position, and his thoughts on what it is about the Group that has kept him aligned to its purpose.

Broadland has been around since 1963, and while a lot has changed over the years, its values have remained the same. Michael gives insight into how Broadland has digitised and evolved its offering to customers.

We speak about Michael’s time as Global President of RICS and Broadland’s involvement with the Independent East partnership. We talk about the homelessness challenges faced in Norfolk today and the solutions. We also get Michaels's thoughts on professionalisation within the sector and get actionable advice for those looking to become leaders in housing.

In this episode, we cover:

• Michael’s path to his Chief Executive position.
• How have things changed in the sector and at Broadland Housing in the last 20 years?
• What has kept Michael in the same organisation for 20 years?
• The Independant East partnership and its impacts.
• How Broadlands Housing has been able to evolve and improve its service over the years while retaining its focus and vision.
• The homelessness challenge within Norfolk and the solutions.
• Should housing managers have a professional qualification?
• What are the skills needed for people to become leaders in the housing sector?

The number of mergers in the housing industry has been growing in recent years. But with mergers can come challenges. Mark Pearson, Managing Director at 54North Homes joins us this week to speak about his journey into housing, and the story of 54North Homes so far.

Mark took up the MD role at 54North around 9 months ago and now holds 26 years of experience in the sector. Mark shares what he’s witnessed of how the housing landscape has changed in that time.

Mark oversaw a massive period of transformational change during his time with Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association before the organisation merged with York Housing Association under the Karbon Homes banner towards the end of 2022.

Mark shares with us how he overcame the challenges he’s faced so far. We dive deep into the merger and learn about how Mark and his team prioritised customer-focused aspects whilst ensuring that culture and staff engagement doesn’t fall by the wayside. 

Mark shares with us the benefits that have come from the merger and how they’ve retained autonomy and identity. Finally, we touch on the challenges that Mark expects to see in the near future.

In this episode, we cover:

• Mark’s journey into the housing sector.
• What’s changed in the housing landscape in the last 26 years?
• Advice on staying calm in challenging periods and communicating in a way
  that doesn’t cause panic.
• How to prioritise successfully.
• How to ensure that the best of both worlds are retained as a result of a
  merger.
• Ensuring that colleagues are supported throughout periods of change within
  an organisation.
• The meaning behind the name ‘54North’.
• What near-future challenges for 54North does Mark envision?
• How can we attract new talent to the sector?

“There’s only one team and everyone is on it.” This has been a key message that Jacque Allen, Chief Executive Officer at Your Housing Group has championed since she joined 3 years ago, at the start of lockdown.

In this episode, Jacque shares with us her journey into the CEO role and the challenges that joining on the first day of lockdown posed. Jacque never saw herself as a senior leader, and we go deep into how she pushed through the negativity, both internal and external.

We dive deep into culture, and what great leadership looks like. Jacque shares with us the key messages that she instils into her team that establish inclusivity and openness across the group, and how she has gotten everyone on board.

We get insight into YHG's partnerships, including their work in suicide prevention with CALM and Papyrus. Jacque is passionate about supporting her team and customers. We ask her how she ensures that she looks after her own wellbeing as a leader while providing that support. And finally, we find out what's next on the horizon for YHG.

In this episode, we cover:

• The experience of joining an organisation as a CEO at the start of lockdown.
• Building new homes while keeping the focus on quality.
• The differences between the challenges faced working for a small housing association vs. a large one.
• Creating a culture of openness and inclusion.
• What makes a great CEO?
• How can a leader continue to support their colleagues whilst ensuring that they’re looking after their own wellbeing?
• Your Housing Group’s work with Papyrus and CALM in suicide prevention.
• What’s next for YHG?

Housing associations in rural areas have unique challenges compared with their urban counterparts.

In this episode, we speak with Gail Teasdale, Chief Executive at Broadacres Housing Association in North Yorkshire. She reflects on the last 5 years with Broadacres and her 20 years in the industry.

We dive deep into the challenges that rural housing associations commonly face today and how they’re working to overcome them. We learn about Broadacres's corporate strategy and how focuses have shifted since Gail joined.

We speak about the difference between customer service and customer experience and what great examples of these look like in housing. Gail also gives insight into how Broadacres has digitalised in a way that still gives their customers a choice. We also find out how they’ve made their stock significantly more efficient across the board, while also bringing up the level of satisfaction and why building new homes is still essential.

In this episode, we cover:

• The unique challenges faced by rural housing associations.
• Broadacres corporate strategy.
• The key difference between customer service and customer experience.
• How the housing market has changed in North Yorkshire as a result of Covid.
•  How Broadacres brought up the level of satisfaction for their re-let homes to 94%. 
• The education needed to ensure that residents get the most out of new energy technologies.
• Why it’s essential to keep building new homes in North Yorkshire. 

Safety and compliance isn’t a topic that instils excitement for a lot of people… But our guest in this episode manages to keep it compelling! We sit down with Wayne Cole, Group Director of Property Safety and Compliance for Places for People.

Places for People is the UK’s leading Social Enterprise with a very diverse group of about 18 businesses. Wayne shares with us the fascinating story of his career, from his time in the Navy to the tragedies that Wayne witnessed later on in his career that led him to safety and compliance. Wayne gives his in-depth insight into safety and compliance within the housing sector. We learn about his straightforward approach to process and how consistency is achieved across the group.

We learn about how the “Don’t Walk By” initiative is used to reduce incidents, and what the real cause of mistakes is. We also talk about culture and how harbouring a culture that promotes honesty and trust is essential in improving safety.

Wayne gives his thoughts on the state of safety and compliance in the sector and the biggest challenges that the sector is facing from a safety and compliance lens.

In this episode, we cover:

•  What Wayne witnessed that led him into safety and compliance.
• The biggest difference between the private and public sectors.
• How Wayne achieves consistency of approach across the group.
• The “Don’t Walk By” initiative.
• The real cause of mistakes.
• How to harbour a culture that promotes safety.
• What would Wayne change about the sector?
• How Wayne's team is thinking about using ChatGPT to save days of labour.
• The key challenges in safety and compliance

The housing sector, like any sector, faces challenges and has made mistakes in the past. It’s how we react to those challenges and mistakes that define us. We speak with two Stockport Homes Group experts in this episode - Helen McHale, Chief Executive of Stockport Homes who has spent 38 years in social housing. And Carmel Chambers, Executive Director of Resources who holds a 17 years tenure with Stockport Homes. 

We speak about some of the biggest challenges that the organisation has faced over the years. They remain humble about the poor performance and reputation that Stockport had when Helen stepped into the role. Helen and her team turned the organisation around and she shares with us how they did it and what the key turning points were. 

Stockport Homes enter Best Companies every year to keep themselves accountable for ensuring staff are motivated and feel a sense of belonging. Helen and Carmel give insight into how they’ve kept up the multi-award-winning status and how they're changing the way that colleagues are supported. We also learn about the way they’ve created their new office building into a hub for both Stockport Homes and their customers. We speak about scrutiny and regulation and how the sector can embrace them in a way to improve itself. And finally, Helen and Carmel share actionable advice for future leaders in the sector, and how employers can better support them.

In this episode, we cover :

• How Helen and her team were able to turn around Stockport Homes.
• Keeping customer service at the forefront.
• How Stockport Homes have kept up their multi-award-winning status.
• The strategic decision that Stockport Homes made to invest in their new office.
• Why scrutiny and regulation can be a good thing.
• How to fit in prioritising staff with a focus on customers.
• Advice for future leaders in the housing sector. 

We sit down with Dave Richmond, CEO at St Leger Homes of Doncaster in this episode to tackle some critical issues. Dave has an interesting story to share, pulling from his experience as a social worker for nearly 20 years, and his work in local government. We discover how these roles prepared him for and led him to the housing sector. Dave looks back on the drastic changes he’s seen within the sector and the housing market. 

We dive into the affordability challenges that are holding people back from stepping onto the property ladder and the current state of the private rental sector. We speak about St Leger Homes’ shared accommodation scheme that provides homes to care leavers and how the local council has gotten involved. Dave also shares his thoughts on how the professionalisation of the sector could be a positive change, and what skills are needed today for those looking to enter the housing sector. In this episode, we cover:

• How did working in local government prepare Dave for working in housing?
• How has the housing landscape changed in Yorkshire? 
• Today’s affordability challenges.
• Can professionalisation help the sector?
• What skills does someone looking to move into the housing sector need today
• The current state of private renting and social housing.
• The damp and mould problem - the causes and solutions.
• St Leger Homes’ care leavers housing scheme. 
• St Leger Homes’ work with the local council. 

No one really wants to have to contact their housing association. But do we
understand why?

In this episode, Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Homes, Jonathan Cowie,
shares his strategy for understanding and improving customer experience, and his
vision for the future of housing.

Jonathan holds 14 years experience in the sector, with 20 years of commercial sector experience prior, working for major international telecoms organisations such as Vodafone and BT. Jonathan now leads the second largest housing provider in the Southwest—managing about 70% of the social affordable housing in the city of Plymouth. He is also a non-executive director of the Institute of Customer Service and a board member at Magna.

We dive into what it really takes to elevate customer service in the housing sector.
Jonathan shares invaluable insights into creating a service that truly serves residents at every touchpoint.

Jonathan’s approach prioritises an understanding of what residents genuinely need and expect from housing services, with practical strategies for aligning delivery to meet expectations.

This episode is packed with actionable strategies and inspiration for housing
professionals looking to lead the way in customer service.

In this episode, we cover:

● What we can learn from out-of-sector experiences.
● How to encourage team buy-in of new strategies.
● Jonathan’s 5 strategic priorities to deliver better customer service
● How customer data is leading to some surprising insights.
● How to identify the most creative problem solvers within your organisation.
● What to prioritise each month to continually drive change within your organisation.
● Striking the balance between digital and in-person engagement.
● The one area the sector needs to improve in order to genuinely transform
customer services.

LEARN MORE
Plymouth Community Homes - https://www.plymouthcommunityhomes.co.uk/
Andersen James - https://www.andersenjames.com/

CONNECT
Jonathon Cowie on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-cowie-1b732143/
James Leighton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-leighton-65023b11/

LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1JHMfNs33BK4UTOgaYt3cB
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-hip/id1576686644
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7vH1zt3GSm3_B_-OhDSlRg

In this episode, we speak with CEO of bpha, Richard Hill. Richard shares with us his journey into his new role. We also learn about Richards's tenure as vice chair of the G15 and get insight into the group’s inner workings.

Richard gives us an overview of where bpha stands today and what the organisation is planning on implementing in the near future. With the variety of locations that bpha serves, it’s unsurprising that they need to tailor their service to the different communities. We learn how bpha is staying connected with its residents through good communication and its ‘Community Hubs’ 

We also get Richards's thoughts on the state of hybrid working and getting the balance right, as well as how to guide the culture of an organisation. We speak about professionalism in the sector and whether or not qualifications are a positive, or if they could have a negative impact on attracting talent. And Richard offers tips for aspiring leaders in housing and his thoughts on how we can attract more of them into the sector. 

In this episode, we cover:

• What has changed in the sector over the past 20 years? 
• Insights into the G15
• How bpha is utilising its ‘Community Hubs’ to support residents and get them talking.
• Have we got the balance right yet on hybrid working?
• The part that regen is playing in bpha’s strategy.
• Richard’s take on the key challenges the sector is facing.
• Is professionalising the sector a positive move?
• How do we get more people moving into the sector? 

What does it mean to be ‘customer obsessed’? In this episode, we sit down with Louise Swain, CEO at Alliance Homes Group. Alliance is a customer-focused housing association providing housing in the West of England.

Louise shares the story of her lived experience that led her towards working in social housing. She gives her thoughts on how the sector has changed in the last 20 years and how Alliance has evolved with it. In line with its customer-centric approach, Alliance are looking to implement  ‘MOT’ model that allows them to be more proactive rather than reactive to issues that customers are facing.

We also speak about hiring, and how Alliance were able to rally teams behind their mission, whilst also becoming Great Place to Work certified. Alliance began offering agile working options pre-pandemic, and Louise speaks about how this has evolved.

It’s a challenging time to be a CEO in the sector, and Louise shares insights into how Alliance is navigating the current challenges while also ensuring that they’re building homes that they can be proud of.

In this episode, we cover :

• How has the sector changed in the past 20 years?
• What does it mean to be ‘customer obsessed’ and how does Alliance make it happen?
• How Alliance finds the right people and gets them on board with the mission.
• Alliance’s agile working policy and how it’s helped with recruitment.
• How The Great Place to Work scheme works and how Alliance got certified.
• How does Alliance use technology to give customers a better experience?
• The work of Homes for the South West.
• Alliance’s plans to ensure that they can be proud of every one of their homes.

What does it mean to truly be ‘resident-led’? In this episode, Chief Executive of Phoenix Community Housing, Denise Fowler, joins us to give us insights into how Phoenix is building a community of residents.

Denise shares with us her inspiring journey and the deeply personal reason that she decided to join the sector. Phoenix Community Housing is a housing association with a difference. The organisation has a stock of around 7600 homes in South London, and its residents are involved in decision-making at every level. We discover the wins that this resident-led approach has brought Phoenix.

We speak about the importance of good housing and how it should be seen as a vital part of the country’s infrastructure. Poor quality housing and lack of suitable housing are something that many still suffer from, and we speak about the inequalities in this area, too.

Phoenix offers more than just housing, it offers a community. From the Phoenix Festival and Chat & Chips events to the hardship fund that Phoenix has put together to help residents through the cost-of-living crisis, we get insights into the thought processes that have gone behind these schemes. Denise also gives insight into how to get valuable feedback from residents and how they’ve used the data they’ve gathered to improve their offerings and prioritise better.

In this episode, we cover:

• How housing policy has shifted over the years.
• How Phoenix Community Housing involves residents in every decision and the benefits this has.
• Inequalities in finding suitable housing.
• The events and support that Phoenix has put in place to improve the lives of the community.
• The effects that poor housing has on our health.
• How to build trust with tenants and get useful feedback.
• RSH’s consultation on consumer standards and how it will affect the industry.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to customers or colleagues, and Irwell Valley Homes’ flexible approaches are a key part of its culture.

In this episode, we sit down with Sasha Deepwell, Chief Executive at Irwell Valley Homes. Sasha’s wide range of experiences in different sectors led her into housing three decades ago and she shares with us what’s changed in those 30 years. We speak about the ‘cycles’ that the industry goes through and the challenges that have become a theme of Sasha’s career.

Irwell Valley Homes offers a multichannel approach to service to ensure that the diverse needs of its customers are met. The housing association also takes a similar approach with its colleagues after making the switch to a completely agile and flexible, trust-based approach to working in 2019.

Sasha's passion for EDI shines through as she speaks about the DICE group she chairs and offers her insights into how we can tackle the challenges of lack of diversity in the sector.

We also speak about the Regeneration of the Year award that Irwell Valley Homes received at the Northern Housing Awards. Sasha speaks on the importance of regeneration and how they’re approaching upgrading existing stock. And finally, Sasha shares her insight into the future of Irwell Valley Homes.

In this episode, we cover:

• What’s changed in housing in the last 30 years, and the cycles that the sector goes through.
• Why did so many housing associations start life in 1973?
• Why Irwell Valley Homes switched to flexible, trust-based working
  pre-pandemic.
• How have customers’ expectations changed based on the introduction of
  technology?
• Why now is the time to be investing in the regeneration of existing stock.
• The EDI challenges the sector still faces.
• How do we meet people where they are and bring more people into the
  sector?
• What’s next for Irwell Valley Homes?

For most in the housing sector, housing chooses them. Emma Palmer, CEO at Eastlight Community Homes, chose housing as a career from the start. In this episode, Emma shares with us her story and gives insights into what attracted her to the sector and how it’s changed since she joined it at 18.

Eastlight was formed from the merger of Colne Housing and Greenfields Community Housing in 2020. Three years later, we ask Emma how the organisation has benefited from the merger, including now having a 60% female board. Emma also shares with us how they managed to bring the merger to fruition during the pandemic.

Emma recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Housing Heroes Awards and while she remains ever humble, we grill her for her thoughts on why she won! Emma shares with us a ton of fantastic advice for aspiring future leaders. She has some fascinating insights into how leaders can prioritise today’s challenges of the sector and whether or not the CIH Qualifications are a positive to the sector.

Finally, we get Emma’s thoughts on what the future looks like for housing.

In this episode, we cover:

• What attracted Emma to the housing sector from the start?
• Emma’s winning of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Housing Heroes
  Awards
• What is a Community Gateway organisation?
• Eastlight’s Resident Academy and what it gives to residents.
• How has Eastlight benefited from the merger?
• Top advice for aspiring leaders.
• The CIH qualifications - are they helpful to the sector?
• How do we attract new talent to the housing sector?
• What do the next 5 years look like for the sector?
  
  

There isn’t just one path into the housing sector. And with the wealth of experiences many bring in from outside of the sector, this can be a huge positive.

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Forrest, Chief Executive at Thirteen Group. Matt joined the landlord and housing developer around 7 months ago, and we find out how his experience has been so far.

Matt has had what he describes as a ‘squiggly career’. He started out as a geography teacher and has taken on a variety of roles before reaching the housing sector. We discover what skills and experiences from outside of the sector he’s been able to apply to housing. He also offers advice for any future leaders coming into the sector from outside of housing.

Thirteen prides itself on customer satisfaction. We speak at length about what the organisation is doing to ensure that customers are satisfied and feel at home while retaining human touchpoints. Matt explains Thirteen’s approach to ‘good growth’, which allows them to expand while bringing customers everything they need.

We also cover the £300 million property investment that Thirteen has committed to over the next 5 years and the Homes England grant. We speak about funding, how the sector can afford to build at the rate it needs to and whether or not our data on our housing stock is accurate enough to make the right investments.

In this episode, we cover:

• The value of utilising outside-of-sector experience.
• Comparing linear career paths with ‘squiggly’ careers.
• What has changed in the sector over the last 30 years?
• How to grow sensibly and retain the human element.
• Is our data on our housing stock accurate enough to make the right
  investments?
• How do we fund the growing need for new housing stock?
• Advice for future leaders coming into the sector.

A lot has changed in the sector over the last 40 years. George Paterson, Executive Director of Property at Together Housing Group has spent his whole career in housing, and we get to tap into his wealth of knowledge and experience in this episode.

We discover George’s journey through the sector and with Together Housing. He shares with us the organisation’s most significant achievements and the biggest challenges that he’s faced. George also tells us what he feels are the biggest game changers that the sector has seen in the last 40 years.

We ask George how Together Housing is striking the balance between new homes and maintaining existing stock. We touch on the decent homes standard and discuss the potential need for its review. We speak about the professionalisation of the sector and ask George his thoughts on whether or not it’ll fix any of the problems we face. 

To Together Housing, the repairs team is the eyes and ears of the organisation. We dive deep into recruitment and why it’s becoming harder to find the right people for trade roles. Skills and attitudes go hand-in-hand, and George gives his insights into how organisations can ensure they’re getting people that are the right cultural fit, as well as having the right skills and attitudes. George shares his thoughts on the values of bringing in fresh faces vs promoting within, and he shares the story of one of the best recruitment moves they’ve ever made.

In this episode, we cover:

• The biggest game changers in the sector over the last 40 years.
• How to strike the right balance between building new homes and maintaining
  existing stock.
• Do we need to review the decent homes standard?
• Will professionalising the sector solve any of its problems?
• How can people test and ensure they’re getting people that are the right
  cultural fit?
• The value of bringing in fresh faces vs promoting within.
• How we encourage more people into the sector?
• What’s coming next for Together Housing?

The media loves to highlight the negatives of the housing sector, while much of the  good that housing associations do tends to fly under the radar.

In this episode, we sit down with David Bogle, Chief Executive of Hightown Housing. David has held the position for over 28 years and has spent even longer within the sector. David is a standout advocate for tackling homelessness in the UK. We tap into David’s experience and find out what’s evolved in the sector over that time and how the sector is doing what it can to help get people homed.

We dive into the housing crisis and while Hightown has exceeded its home delivery target for the year, David shares his thoughts on why we still need to continue building homes. We learn about Homes for Cathy and how Hightown has worked with the charity, Crisis, towards the end goal of ending homelessness.

David also gives us insights into what’s next for Hightown. He shares his thoughts on the challenges that large organisations that have gone through mergers face. And lastly, David gives his insight into what’s to come for the sector over the next five years.

In this episode, we cover:

• What’s changed in the housing sector over the last 30 or so years?
• Why it’s so important that we continue to build new homes.
• Are we ever going to plug the housing crisis gap?
• Why is now such a difficult time to be a chief executive?
• What is Homes for Cathy all about and how can people get involved?
• What can we do to fix homelessness?
• The nine Homes for Cathy commitments.
• David’s five-year vision for the future of the sector.

Cobalt Housing isn’t looking to take over the world. But by focusing on local communities in North Liverpool, they are able to make a huge difference.

We’re joined by Claire Griffiths, Chief Executive at Cobalt Housing in this episode. Claire was a graduate trainee in the housing sector straight out of university. She has a huge passion for social housing and we discover her journey towards becoming a CEO, and what it was about the industry that pulled her in.

Claire reflects on the last 12 months of her CEO position and offers insights the into skills and attributes that a CEO needs. We look back even further at what has changed since Claire started working in the industry, and why it still feels like a niche sector despite its growth.

Cobalt is a committed, community-based housing association that hires value-driven teams. We speak about how they hire for these values, and how the pandemic has made leaders more human. Claire shares insights into how the landscape has changed in Merseyside over the last few years and how political and social changes have affected the housing market in North Liverpool.

We also get insights into the deal with Lovell, as well as Cobalt’s new corporate plan and its key strategic aims. Cobalt speaks about their intentions to level up their digital offering and we touch on the positives that can be taken from waiting before taking that leap. Finally, we find out Claire’s views on how we can make the sector more appealing to the next generation.

In this episode, we cover:

• Claire’s reflection on the last 12 months as Chief Executive.
• Claire’s lifechanging experiences working overseas with international homeless organisations.
• What it takes to be a CEO.
• The importance of building a collaborative team.
• Cobalt Housing’s position in the market today.
• How the pandemic made leaders more human.
• How the landscape has changed in Merseyside over the last few years.
• How to manage the priorities of the requirements of the sector today.
• The deal between Cobalt and Lovell.
• The new corporate plan and its key strategic aims.
• Cobalt’s digital plans and why not being first might not be the worst thing.
• How do we make the sector more appealing for the next generation?

Communicating the right way and coming from a place of empathy can help to
maintain good relationships with customers. This is why Rooftop Housing is focusing on the basics and avoiding ‘holding customers at arm’s length’.

In this episode, we speak with Boris Worrall, Chief Executive of Rooftop Housing Group. Boris has an eclectic range of experiences from 8 years in journalism to 5 years in the Home Office and now with over 10 years experience in housing.

We talk at length about Boris’ journey into housing and how his other experiences have shaped him as a leader in the housing sector. He gives insights into the transition into the sector and the additional skill that he had to level up in. Boris took the reins from a Chief Executive who’d held the position for the previous 20 years. He gives us a look into his action plan for modernising the organisation and speaks on what they got right and wrong during that process.

We talk about Rooftop’s digital transformation and the challenges that they’ve faced with providing efficient service while tempering expectations. Boris shares how Rooftop is focusing on the basics and giving customers what actually matters to them and supporting them in the way that they need it.

Boris explains Rooftop’s USP of culture and values and the ‘feel’ of working at the organisation. We ask Boris how Rooftop’s experience has been with striking the right flexible working balance and balancing high performance with flexibility. And finally, Boris gives us his views on the CIH qualification and what’s next for Rooftop and the sector as a whole.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Boris’ journalism experience shaped him as a leader.
• How Boris went about modernising Rooftop and shedding its ‘local authority skin’.
• Giving customers what actually matters to them.
• Getting key customer-centric messages across to tradespeople.
• How has Rooftop tackled flexible working?
• Balancing high performance with flexibility.
• How is Rooftop continuing to build enough homes?
• How do we make housing a career of choice and why is it such a challenge with our sector?
• The CIH qualification and what it means for the sector

We tap into our guests' HR expertise in this episode to find out how they’re taking
EDI seriously in their hiring.

We speak with Aimee Woodcock - People Services Project Lead and Katherine
McGough - Head of People Services for North Star Housing Group.

North Star Housing recently took part in a board diversity program to develop the
board members of the future. They share the challenges they faced with hiring for
these high-level positions and how they overcame them. Aimee and Katherine share insights into their unique hiring processes that help build diverse teams whilst making it fair for all involved.

We also learn how North Star Housing has taken action on data collected from their staff demographics questionnaire and how they’ve improved overall well-being as a result. They also advise those looking to follow in their footsteps and make the move into housing.

Covered in this episode -
● How North Star Housing Group has worked towards building a board that’s
representative of its community.
● Challenges with recruiting people into senior positions.
● Getting more out of your interviews.
● The ‘Rooney Rule’ and why it’s relevant to hiring in housing.
● How to encourage responses to staff questionnaires and leverage the results.
● How North Star Housing Group has supported staff wellbeing.
● Advice for those looking to move into HR in the housing sector.

LEARN MORE
North Star Housing Group - https://www.northstarhg.co.uk/
Andersen James - https://www.andersenjames.com/

CONNECT
Katherine McGough on LinkedIn -
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-mcgough-00804324/
Aimee Woodcock on LinkedIn -
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimee-woodcock-71712a2b4/
Amy Corke on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-corke-36b546106/
James Leighton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-leighton-65023b11/

LISTEN
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1JHMfNs33BK4UTOgaYt3cB
Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-hip/id1576686644
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7vH1zt3GSm3_B_-OhDSlRg

Grand Union Housing Group wants to be a force for good. And this is clear with their focus on compassion, kindness and open and honest leadership.

In this episode, we speak with Aileen Evans, Chief Executive of GUHG. The housing association provides homes around Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

Aileen is also on the board of CIH and previously held the President position. She gives us insights into her tenure as president and how and why she made mental health her focus. We go deep into the mental health piece, speaking about how GUHG handled the pandemic and how they were able to provide office options that suited the needs of individuals.

Aileen shares some top tips on protecting your mental health so you can perform at your best and show up for your employees. We also speak about how we can  encourage our teams to protect their own mental health.

We also speak about the ways in which GUHG support their tenants as individuals in the ways that they need. And Aileen shares her ethos on leadership and culture. 

Kindness and respect are the big themes here, as well as an open style of leadership that can help to create the leaders of the future and attract talent.

In this episode, we cover:

● Insights into Aileen’s President position with CIH
● Top tips on protecting your and your employees’ mental health
● Advice for instilling good mental health habits in our children
● What’s changed in the last 30 years for the sector?
● The power of open and honest leadership
● What is psychographics and its benefits over demographic segmentation
● Why did GUHG switch OFF their support chatbot?
● What has GUHG done to ensure its culture is flexible and inclusive?
● How do we make housing a career of choice for young people?
● What does Aileen want for the sector and GUHG?

The housing sector faces questions that can at times seem too big to answer. How can we build enough homes to meet demand? How can we free up enough land to build them on? How do we ensure equitable access to housing?

In this episode, Geeta Nanda, CEO at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, shares her thoughts on the answers to these challenging questions. MTVH is a large housing association with its portfolio spreading across London, the South East, East Midlands and East of England. With a variety of stock including shared ownership, key worker housing and homes for migrants through the Migration Foundation.

Geeta has spent her 30-year housing career in a wide range of roles, from several years at a local authority to moving through various housing association roles before reaching her CEO position with MTVH. We discover what changes in the sector Geeta has noticed in the last 30 years. She speaks on how the sector has become more complicated leading to wide-reaching changes.

Geeta speaks about the challenges the sector has faced, and why it feels like there’s been a housing crisis for the whole of her career. We also ask Geeta about her key achievements, and Geeta shares her thoughts on the G15 and we learn about her chair position.

We speak about house building and Geeta gives her insights on how and where we can build. We also get insights into the joint venture with Legal and General Homes and speak about the power of collaboration. We touch on Geeta’s thoughts on MMC and the challenges with scaling MMC to be viable in a stop-start housing industry.

And finally, we go into Geeta’s thoughts on leadership and how she believes we can encourage the next generation of talent to join the sector.

In this episode, we cover:

● What changes has Geeta seen across the sector in the last 30 years?
● Why it seems like we’re always in a housing crisis
● How the Migration Foundation is supporting refugees and asylum seekers
● The joint venture with Legal and General Homes
● Insights into G15
● How do we free up enough space to build enough homes?
● The challenges with scaling MMC
● How do we attract the next generation of talent into the sector?
● The future of MTVH

“...all we’ve ever wanted to do, is where other people run away from things, we lean into things.” This is from Ryan Geldard, Director at modular building specialist M-AR Offsite, where adaptability to change is key.

We sit down with Ryan and Head of HR, Jess Rose for this episode to get their insights on MMC and growing a business in today’s market. M-AR started around 15 years ago creating modular buildings for hire, before moving into manufacturing. They’ve always aimed to stay flexible to what customers are asking for, and adaptable to changes in the world.

Ryan and Jess address the challenges that they’ve faced with finding the right people with the right values and attributes, not just those with a long career history. We speak about scaling and how, along with remote working, workforces are becoming disconnected. Jess shares some tactics they’ve used to keep their people connected.

We also speak about the pay challenges that many sectors are facing and what M-AR has offered staff as support. We go into how motivations, particularly for young people are changing and how M-AR’s values have been put across to attract them. As well as creating a more inclusive environment and tackling stereotypes, particularly in the typically male-dominated sector of construction. Ryan and Jess share their thoughts on remote working and what they’re offering to their staff.

In this episode, we cover:

• The importance of flexibility and adaptability in today’s market
• Challenges with finding the right people
• Tactics M-AR has used to keep the workforce connected as the business grows
• How M-AR has tackled pay challenges
• Finding people with the right experiences and attributes, not just with a breadth of experience
• Remote working options for varying preferences
• The dual benefits for senior people working with less experienced people
• How MMC is set to grow in the future and choosing the right location for factories
• How the housing sector can become more inclusive and attract new talent

Do we make housing too complicated? Do we focus more on the process than the outcome and the impact? At Livv Housing Group, they’re focusing on simple messages and simple targets. In this episode, we speak with the CEO, Leann Hearne, about their mission, the impacts they’ve made and the journey Leann has been on with the group.

Livv Housing Group is a local business at heart, with thirteen thousand homes around the Knowsley Borough and just over 500 employees. Leann shares with us her experiences at the helm for 5 years, and her story of transitioning from engineering into housing.

Leann shares details about the £181 million they’ve invested into the community. Social impact is foundational to Leann’s mission, particularly with Knowsley being one of the most deprived areas of the UK.

We get the lowdown on the rebranding to Livv Housing and discover how the organisation made the process a collaborative effort across the company. Leann speaks on Livv Housing’s corporate plan and the focus on making it memorable across the whole organisation.

We also speak about customer service and why other housing associations aren’t the benchmark. Leann also gives insights into how Livv Housing is keeping ahead of the curve with zero carbon and how we can get more young people into the industry.

In this episode, we cover:

• The key differences Leann found when moving out of the private sector and into a housing association
• The rebranding of First Ark Group to Livv Housing Group
• Writing an effective corporate plan that’s memorable for the whole organisation
• What should we be investing in to stop hampering the sector?
• The Men vs Food project that Livv Housing was involved in
• How Livv Housing is breaking the barriers of the class divide
• Why Livv Housing is putting a focus on shared ownership and rent-to-buy
• The partnership with NatWest to build 1700 new homes
• How do we get more young people into the industry?
• Hopes for the future of Livv Housing and the sector

The importance of social housing in our society can’t be understated. But with the challenges that the sector currently faces, how do we ensure that we’re providing enough supported living while also innovating and supporting individual needs?

This week we sit down with Jacqui De-Rose, Group Chief Executive at Progress Housing Group. Jacqui shares with us the story of what got her hooked on housing. She has been at the helm of Progress for 20 years, and with that experience comes a wealth of knowledge of the industry.

Jacqui shares her view of how Progress and the industry as a whole have changed in the last 20 years. She gives us insights into the merger with Reside Housing Association and its impacts. We speak about how Progress is helping people gain independence and how supported living has evolved in general.

Jacqui also shares her thoughts on digitisation and how technology can help the industry become more inclusive. We speak about Progress’ involvement with Project SEARCH - the program that gets people with learning difficulties and autism into employment opportunities. Jacqui shares her experiences with hiring for a more diverse board and offers essential advice for aspiring leaders.

In this episode, we cover:

● The importance of supported living for people with disabilities
● The Progress/Reside merger
● What’s changed across the housing sector in the last 20 years?
● What is Project SEARCH and how to get involved
● How can bespoke support be provided to meet individual needs while still providing a consistent service?
● The issues with only hiring within sector
● How can we champion more diversity at board level?
● How do we encourage people to be braver when applying for roles?
● How can we tackle the challenges the industry currently faces?

Sinéad Butters, Chief Executive Officer at Aspire Group joins us this week to share her leadership expertise. We discover Sinéad’s fascinating journey into the housing sector and how Aspire has evolved over her 23 years tenure.

We speak about the power of taking risks and being willing to make bold moves. We learn how Aspire became an organisation that is prepared to take those risks and make difficult decisions. We speak about Covid and its delayed effects on the sector that we’re dealing with now. Sinéad also shares her thoughts on how to foster the right culture that enables people to be their best.

We discover the biggest challenge that Sinéad has faced during her time at Aspire so far, and how she dealt with it. We also squeeze in a couple of questions about Sinéad’s plethora of honours including her MBE, honorary doctorates and CEO of the
year award!

In this episode, we cover:

● How Sinéad almost missed the opportunity into the sector
● The biggest challenges that are coming down the pipeline for the sector and
how to weather them
● Why are repairs and maintenance such a key focus for Aspire?
● What would a world-class repairs service look like?
● How has Covid affected the housing industry?
● How Aspire is actively fostering a culture that shuns presenteeism
● What do the next 18 months look like for Aspire?
● Where does Sinéad’s drive and passion come from?

For those with an unwavering desire to make a difference in people’s lives, whichever sector they start out in, those ideals tend to guide their decisions throughout their professional journey.

Guy Stenson, Chief Executive of Gloucester City Homes, has spent the last six years in the housing sector, previously working in health and social care. In this episode of The HIP, we dive deep into his journey into the sector, his principles and vision and we learn more about GCH.

Guy emphasises the link between health and social care and housing and highlights the disconnect that is apparent between the two sectors. He speaks about the changes he has made in the organisation since taking over the CEO role from his predecessor who held the role for 16 years. Guy also speaks on his "Keep It Simple" mantra and how he overcame the challenges of taking over an organisation from a long-standing CEO.

And finally, we dive deep into the changes that the sector sorely needs in terms of tech, EDI and recruitment, and the challenges we face in making those changes a reality.

In this episode we cover:

• What does good customer service look like in terms of team and customer behaviours?
• How do we truly disrupt the housing industry?
• How do we encourage housing associations to build more houses if the money isn’t there?
• The less-than-obvious traits that we should be looking for when hiring
• Why have financial reasons moved down the list of reasons that candidates are looking to change jobs?
• How we can get more people into the sector from an EDI perspective
• Joining the NHF Homelessness National Group
• How we can do better in creating a place where people want to work
• What does Guy see for the future of the sector?

There is a ‘magic pink box’ at Octopus Energy hard at work to cut homeowners' energy bills down to zero. In this episode, we sit down with Michael Cottrell, Product and Partnerships Director at Octopus Energy and find out what this ‘magic pink box’ is all about! We take a deep dive into Zero Bills homes and Octopus' partnership with housing developers across the UK. 

Octopus has achieved tremendous growth since opening its doors in 2015, now serving 5 million customers across 9 countries. Michael gives us insights into his role and the change that he’s seen at Octopus over the last few years. We get a behind-the-scenes look at the partnership with Ilke Homes to discover how it happened and what the future looks like.

We discuss the tech behind Zero Bills homes and how Octopus is able to make it happen. Michael also shares insights into the early indicators of the product’s success. 

We learn about the obvious and not-no-obvious benefits that Zero Bills homes offer and find out how housebuilders can get involved.

You’ll also learn:

• At what point is a home classified as ‘Zero Bills’?
• Why National Grid is paying to turn off wind turbines and waste energy
• Are mortgage lenders taking zero bills into account when  assessing affordability?
• Is there any interest in Zero Bills homes from the luxury market?
• Is there a possibility for the product to be used in flats, etc. or just housing?
• What prevents a new build from being compatible with Zero Bills?

Join in our conversation on this game-changing approach to usage and housebuilding.

Join us and a panel of industry leaders for a deep dive on collaboration and technology! Caithlin Knox hosts our second tech, transformation and change episode where we ask experts to bring their own questions to the table.

Our panel this week:

• Jason Wickens – Interim CIO with expertise in social housing
• Rajiv Peter – Group CIO of Notting Hill Genesis, responsible for technology,
  data and digital transformation
• Simon Sharkey Woods – AD and CDIO of Slough Borough Council
• Darren Ryland – Director of Technology and Transformation at Network
  Homes with over 15 years of experience in housing
  
  Hear our panel’s insights on:
• The benefits of collaborating with other organisations
• What are the barriers stopping us from collaborating and adopting each other’s technology?
• How do we attract or appeal to talent towards the technology and transformation space in the housing sector?
• What behaviours are the most important to achieve good levels of collaboration?
• How to encourage team members and others in your organisation to exhibit good behaviours
• How the conversation around hybrid work can affect collaboration
• How to get started with having conversations outside of our own organisations
• The skills shortage in the tech space and how we can tackle it

Don’t miss this special episode. Discover how you could be benefiting from a collaborative approach.

The challenges that we face in the housing sector are equally affecting retirement homes. On top of that, social isolation is a dangerous reality for many in later life.

In this episode we sit down with Katie Fisher, Divisional Managing Director at McCarthy Stone for the Midlands. We discover how McCarthy Stone is tackling these challenges as well as improving the lives of older people.

McCarthy Stone is the leading developer and provider of retirement communities within the UK. The organisation provides an end-to-end life cycle, driven entirely by the customer. Katie shares McCarthy Stone’s purpose of “championing the role, wellbeing and happiness of older people in society”. She shines a light on the effects of social isolation, particularly the dangers of living alone in later life.

Katie also speaks on her transition from the healthcare sector to construction, and how she was able to apply her skills to another sector. We speak about the construction sector and how we can give women the confidence to apply. Katie shares actionable tips on how to write job descriptions and articulate a role in a way that attracts people with the right skills, whilst still being inclusive and allowing for diversity of application.

We also cover -

• The plethora of services that McCarthy Stone provides
• Changing the mindset that society has towards older people who have
  already contributed so much
• The power of marketing through storytelling
• How are the housing shortage and cost of living crises being tackled for
  retirement living?
• The impact of MMC on retirement living and McCarthy Stone’s MMC targets
• How we can break stereotypes that society has about certain roles and
  sectors
• How do we change the perception of how care home products sit in society?
• The importance of having diversity of thought on your board
• When do we start the conversation with young people to get them interested
  in the sector and how can we meet them at their level to get them engaged?
• What does Katie want to see for the future for the business and the sector

Katie walks the walk and talks the talk. Her passion and enthusiasm for McCarthy Stone’s purpose is infectious.

Inspiring the next generations of leaders is about more than just imparting knowledge; it's about empowering them to envision and create a better future.  involves nurturing their talents, encouraging their ambitions, and guiding them through the challenges they will face.

To round off our incredible first season of our new Housing Fringe series, we speak to a panel of true trailblazers, Jacque Allen, Amanda Newton, Alison Dean & Mushtaq Khan who share their unique journeys, highlighting the challenges and triumphs that have shaped their paths along the way in a bid to define their leadership DNA. 

We give plenty of airtime to delve into the crucial role that Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) play in effective leadership, emphasising how these principles shape today’s workplace culture. 

We also cover -

• The importance in remembering that the housing sector is all about people, it's crucial to know yourself and your values and consistently live by them, even under pressure.
• Being yourself shouldn't be hard - it’s about seeking respect and authenticity, not approval.
• As leaders, we have responsibilities for the future but there’s a need to recognise that building future diverse leaders won't happen overnight.
• What are the 8 key features of an empowering leader in housing? 
  
  
  

What an inspiring and uplifting episode! It’ll certainly give you lots to think about!

LEARN MORE

Your Housing – https://www.yourhousinggroup.co.uk/ 

Rochdale Boroughwide Council – https://www.rbh.org.uk/ 

Great Places - https://www.greatplaces.org.uk/ 

Housing Diversity Network - https://www.housingdiversitynetwork.co.uk/ 

LISTEN

Spotify: The HIP | Podcast on Spotify

Apple Music: The HIP on Apple Podcasts

Youtube: Andersen James - YouTube

David Done is not afraid to climb mountains - whether that’s the mountainous task of building an organisation that provides the best customer service in the UK, or the mountains that he’s summited!

David is stepping down as RHP’s Chief Executive at the end of March, and we’re
lucky enough to have him on the show to share his journey. David shares with us
how he managed to turn the organisation into an award-winning housing association in the last 23 years. David’s dream for the organisation since its inception was for it to be absolutely brilliant at service. To achieve this, he has had to create the right culture and recruit people with the right attitudes.

We also touch on technology and how using tech in the right way makes service better and keeps an organisation from interfering in customers' lives. RHP launched one of the first fully digital housing services of its day. Now, they are focusing on what matters most to customers and what makes the biggest difference. David also shares insights into the leadership style that led to succeeding in the mission to make RHP a great place to work.

We also cover:

•  How to rally an organisation towards huge goals
• How do you keep culture consistent throughout challenging periods
• RHP’s key milestones including being voted the best medium-sized company to work at in the UK
• What technological advancements and innovations have benefited the housing sector the most?
• Why don’t housing associations get talked about in a more positive light
• Actionable insights into visible leadership and how to keep track of culture for large organisations
• Expert advice for people stepping into their first CEO role today
• David’s next moves and the future of RHP’s leadership

Don’t miss this conversation with David, his inspiring ambition and self-awareness are infectious!

With rising costs and a growing need for new homes and sustainability goals that
need to be met, does modular housing play a role in the solution?

In this episode, we speak with Andrew Shepherd, Managing Director at TopHat.
Andrew shares with us his journey and gives us key insights into the behind-the-scenes of Top Hat, and how its modular products are tackling the challenges people are facing today.

We learn about the changes that Top Hat has gone through in the last few years and the learning culture that Top Hat has ingrained to ensure that positive change is always being made. Sustainability has taken over cost as the number one driver of conversation for Andrew, and he shares how modern methods of construction (MMC) is essential in supporting people and the planet

We also cover -

• What are Top Hat’s core markets?
• The benefits of modular over traditional building
• How Andrew has built a strong leadership team and has given them the autonomy to deliver
• Why has the number of people working in construction decreased?
• The huge upfront costs involved with homebuilding and the importance of securing investment
• Insights into Andrew’s time with Laing O'Rourke
• The tech that’s building the homes of the future
• How can we implement technology to increase productivity?
• How Top Hat’s new factory is creating jobs and hugely benefiting the organisation’s growth potential

Don’t miss Andrew’s expert insights into sustainability and MMC.

A first for The HIP! Caithlin Knox hosts a panel of guests speaking on Tech, Transformation & Change within the sector. Caithlin is joined by Nick Atkin, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Housing and Jason Wickens, Chief Information Officer at Southern Housing Group. We dive deep into tech within the housing sector, with Nick and Jason bringing their own questions along to answer.

We get the panel’s expert insights on:

• What one thing would they change about the way that housing services are currently delivered?
• What are the main areas of opportunity for digital transformation within the
  sector?
• How should technology in the sector be modernized?
• Up-and-coming smart home tech
• How to address the talent drain within the housing sector
• The real risks of cyber-attacks in the sector and how organisations can defend
  themselves against these threats
• How tenants view their landlords
• What the housing sector can learn from other industries
• Using LinkedIn to understand your own staff better

This is a fascinating episode and not one to be missed! Don’t forget to follow The HIP to catch the next episode in this series with a new panel.

In this episode, we sit down with Kate Davies, Chief Executive of Notting Hill Genesis for a fascinating chat. Since starting in the housing sector as an administrator around 30 years ago, Kate’s career progressed through multiple CE roles before her 18 year tenure with Notting Hill Genesis. Notting Hill Genesis has grown significantly since Kate started, with real estate holdings totalling £21 billion. Kate gives us an insight into how Notting Hill Genesis has changed and grown over the last 30 years.

We speak about the organisation’s two-pronged approach - bringing in a significant profit to fund its charitable activities. Kate is also a passionate ambassador for and she shares her progressive approach to hiring for a more representative board. 

And we ask Kate about the most difficult thing she’s ever executed in her career - the merger with Genesis.

We also cover:

● Why did Kate Davies step down from Notting Hill Genesis?
● Who will be taking over as Chief Executive?
● NHG’s in-house, end-to-end housing management system - WorkWise
● The issues with today’s interview process
● The Homes for Heroes scheme
● The process of being offered and accepting a CBE
● What does Kate hope NHG looks like in ten years?

And finally, don’t miss Kate’s top two insights at the end of the episode!