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From the frontline - Andrew Bishop

We speak to Andrew Bishop, a tenancy plus officer at Family and Optima (part of WM Housing), who helps residents in need and wants to play guitar in the Foo Fighters

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From the frontline - Andrew Bishop

What does your job involve?

I work with tenants who are in some way struggling to maintain their tenancy. I meet with each tenant and, through regular contact, we can put an action plan in place to work gradually through the issues so that their tenancy becomes more manageable again.

How did you get into housing?

I have worked with people with mental health problems for more than 20 years and, more recently, homeless people with multiple complex needs. These skills have transferred well into the housing sector as many of the tenants that I work with have mental health issues as well as other issues, which from time to time can cause them to be less able to maintain their tenancy on their own.


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How do you help people in debt?

Family Optima has an excellent team of advisors including a money advisor and income officers who I can refer my tenants to for any support around debts and rent arrears. A lot of my role is having contact with other services that can provide support in this area.

For example, when a tenant I was supporting moved to new accommodation outside of Family Optima I was able to signpost her to external services in order to continue the debt support we had started.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The variety. Each tenant is different and presents with a different set of support needs.

And the most challenging?

The most challenging, and yet also the most rewarding, is trying to make tenants believe in their abilities to solve their own problems with a little assistance. It’s good to break down a problem and come up with solutions together.

What is your dream job?

Playing guitar in the Foo Fighters.

What does a good day look like?

Meeting tenants and helping them to maintain their tenancy.

How about a bad one?

Being in the queue on the phone to the Department for Work and Pensions when tenants have had their Employment and Support Allowance stopped. This has happened numerous times.

What’s the first thing you’d do if you became prime minister?

Make it illegal to cut or privatise NHS services. Then I would drastically improve mental health services.

What would be your superpower and why?

The ability to feel other people’s emotions and physical pain, so that I can truly empathise with how they are feeling.

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