New Chapter - Head of Community Investment - United Welsh Housing Association

After nearly 3 years of running my own freelance consultancy I am delighted to be joining United Welsh Housing Association as Head of Community Investment. It’s an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and ambitious team that wants to build sustainable communities. The role of Head of Community Investment is an opportunity to build on the work that United Welsh has delivered to date and identify new and innovative ways of squeezing as much value across the organisation and with partners from existing work and new investment.

The last 3 years has been a real learning experience! It was the first time I have ventured into the world of self employment with all the challenges and oportunties that go with it.

The highs were definitely the opportunity to with some remarkable social enterprises and development trusts and to help them bring forward really ambitious projects. The ones that stand out (in no order of importance) are:

Ebbw Vale Institute, Blaenau Gwent - Working with Marco Gil Cervantes and his team at ProMo Cymru to help shape the business plan and develop a partnership to drive plans for a cultural enterprise centre forward. There is a long way to go but what grit and determination!

Blue Lakes, Ebbw Vale and District Development Trust - Supporting EVAD to develop a business plan to develop the Blue Lakes into an Urban County Park. Again there is a long way to go but real momentum has build up around the project and fingers crossed that John Davies and his team will secure funding in the next month or so.

Social Enterprise Business Incubation - Supporting Paul Nagle and his team to create a business incubator to help nurture more social enterprise activity in the Rhondda Cynon Taff and neighbouring areas. The need is definitely there and this new approach is so refreshing.

Regen School Wales - Taking part in Regen School Wales by providing mentoring support to Mike Jones at Tredegar Communities First Partnership. What a privilige!

Community Housing Cymru - Supporting the CHC team on a range of projects - building relatiosnhips with emerging housing stock transfer organisations, training, social media, energy, mentoring – and input into event/network/conference format design and delivery. What an opportunity to work with such a creative team who are helping to set the housing agenda for Wales in the 21st century

And many more great projects. The chance to work with fellow associates was also a real high - so many thanks to Gareth Kiddie ,Geoff Cheason Architect, Katherine Hughes, Martha Harding and Mel Witherden

The lows were mainly down to struggling at times to juggle multiple projects: probably taking on too many projects and not saying no - and if I am brutally honest not managing my time effectively enough. This comes with the consultancy territory and has been a massive learning curve.

So looking to the future is really exciting and I am looking forward to developing the community investment agenda with organisations and partners I already know and building a whole new set of working relationships.

In some ways it seems like going full circle. I started out working in housing as a trainee with Slough Borough Council in the early 1980s – eventually leading the Allocations and Housing Needs team that was responsible for all application for housing – from waiting and transfer lists as well as assessing all applications from homeless families. I vividly recall the day when the team placed the 200th family in squalid, scandalously expensive bed and breakfast accommodation. That experience taught me so much. It brought home to me how important a good supply of affordable and high quality housing is to enable people to lead fulfilled and dignified lives.

With housing again returning centre stage this is an important time and place to help make a difference.