Posted 26.06.14
Frontline housing professionals believe they will need to work more closely with residents and more creatively in the future according to new research.
The Frontline Futures study found that people who work in social housing think doing things with residents, rather than doing things to or for them, is the way forward, and also that following set procedures should become less important because it is not the most effective way of getting the best results.
The UK-wide research, commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and Wheatley Group, was launched at Housing 2014 - CIH's annual conference and exhibition in Manchester.
De Montfort University's Centre for Comparative Housing Research (CCHR) carried out the study, which saw 1,054 housing professionals and tenants responding to online surveys.
As reported in the interim findings in March, welfare reform, lack of housing supply and the increasing gap between income and housing costs are having the biggest impact on frontline housing roles. Many people who live in social housing need increasing levels of support, and in many cases housing professionals are expected to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of other services.
Dr Jo Richardson of CCHR said:
"There are many positive stories of organisations adapting to the new circumstances their customers find themselves in.
"However, it is important to recognise that 'crisis' can now be a daily part of frontline workers' lives and this has a significant emotional impact on them.
"Resilience is a word that emerged time and again as being important in the future."
The research found that frontline workers want their employers to provide education and training, but also wellbeing support to help them cope with fear, distress and suicide threats from tenants under increasing pressure.
It also found that housing professionals expect being commercially-minded to become increasingly important in the future, with the most effective frontline workers having a social heart and a commercial head. Working with professionals from other areas, such as care and support, is expected to become increasingly critical too.
In housing education, the study found that housing employers are increasingly demanding more flexible and bespoke courses, while professionals feel that more needs to be done to promote the value of housing education and of housing as a career.
