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Gavin Smart is chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing
Professionalism in housing goes beyond achieving a qualification
The government has proposed mandatory qualifications for housing managers. Gavin Smart argues that professionalism in housing goes beyond having achieved a qualification
The government has proposed mandatory qualifications for housing managers, but professionalism in housing goes beyond having achieved a qualification, says @GavinSmartCIH #UKhousingThere has been a growing discussion in the housing sector in recent years about the meaning and importance of professionalism. Those debates were brought into sharp focus by the tragedy that unfolded at Grenfell Tower and by the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in Rochdale.
This week, the government introduced legislation to require mandatory qualifications for senior housing managers and directors, bringing both a step change and structure to these debates.
“[Professionalism] goes beyond the need for a qualification, including the need to display the right behaviours, attitudes and empathy and to operate within an ethical framework”
At the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), professionalism is at the heart of everything we do. It’s our job to support everyone who works in the housing sector to create a future in which everyone has a place to call home.
This means ensuring that tenants and residents have access to good-quality, affordable homes; that they are treated with dignity and respect; and that their voices and views are heard and taken account of in decisions that affect them, their homes and the communities they live in.
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The recently published recommendations from the Better Social Housing Review, conducted by an independent panel, responded to both the Grenfell fire and the death of Awaab Ishak. It also addressed wider concerns about well-publicised failings in the quality of some homes and services.
It presented a series of recommendations which included highlighting the need for properly skilled and experienced staff members in key roles, adding yet more support for the professionalisation agenda.
It’s encouraging and important to see professionalism being taken seriously by the government as it takes concrete steps to support its growth and development across the sector. This change highlights the importance of social housing in relation to other sectors providing frontline services – such as social work, teaching, health and care services.
We are determined to support our members and the profession as we collectively respond to this agenda.
As the professional body for housing, we have already made it very clear what we think professionalism means in a housing context. It’s important to recognise this goes beyond the need for a qualification, including the need to display the right behaviours, attitudes and empathy and to operate within an ethical framework.
“We are determined to continue and to expand this work as the profession and the sector look to respond to the new regulatory standards that the government will introduce shortly”
That’s why, in addition to the learning we provide, we also have a robust code of conduct and code of ethics for our members, and why we have developed professional standards for housing. This set of seven characteristics comprehensively reflects our collective identity as a profession; an understanding of what’s important, what we stand for and what we’re trying to achieve.
These three elements of membership set out very clearly the expectations of knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes, values and ethics that we think are required to be the best modern housing professional.
They also fit the breadth and diversity of individuals who work across housing – whatever their role, position or specialism.
We want as many housing professionals as possible to demonstrate their professionalism by becoming or continuing to be a member of the CIH. All our members have a duty to adhere to our codes of conduct and ethics, and are able to access our professional standards and the accompanying self-assessment tool. This allows the opportunity to engage in continuous professional development and regularly assess performance and behaviours to identify strengths alongside areas for development.
We spend a lot of time working with groups of members and organisations across the UK to support them in putting our vision of housing professionalism into action. Many spend time mapping the standards to their current organisational values, tapping into the resources and training we provide.
We are determined to continue and to expand this work as the profession and the sector look to respond to the new regulatory standards that the government will introduce shortly.
I’m proud to be a housing professional and I know this is a sentiment that is echoed right across the sector. However, we must all be alive to what it means to work in this ever-changing industry, while also considering the transformational impact we can have on the individuals and communities we work with and for.
Gavin Smart, chief executive, Chartered Institute of Housing
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