First staff complete their CIH Housing Practice qualification

The first round of staff from our Housing team and Care and Supported Housing have passed their CIH housing qualification.

Staff started working towards gaining the Level 3 certificate in Housing Practice last February and have now been presented with their certificates for completing the course.

The qualification covers eight key areas of essential housing knowledge. These include Housing system, Occupancy Tenure and Letting, Rental Income Management, Managing Leasehold Housing Services, Managing Empty Properties, Dealing with anti-social behaviour in housing, Legal Framework for Housing, and Professional Practice Skills for Housing.

We are the first housing provider to commit to putting all housing staff through a professional course with CIH.

Director of Housing Peter Gill said: “Well done to the 15 staff who have passed and achieved their Level 3 in Housing Practice.

“They have all achieved a highly respected qualification with the sector’s professional body.

“The qualification takes 9 months to achieve and consists of five assignments which includes a mix of face-to-face study and individual research. Staff have done really well to achieve the qualification and have worked so hard.”

As part of the course staff get access to ongoing support from a tutor and resources via CIH’s Housing Academy. They also get student membership of the CIH until they are qualified, and Citizen will pick up ongoing membership.

Peter added: “More than 250 staff will gain this qualification and it is being rolled out in cohorts of 16 people with two cohorts a year.

“We are the first provider to commit to put all housing staff through a professional course with the CIH, which is fantastic.”

Head of Learning and Development Lisa Robertson said: “Well done everyone who has worked on this qualification over the last year – you have done an amazing job!

“The skills will help staff throughout their whole career.”

Neighbourhood Officer Clare Walford is one of those who has qualified.

She said: “The course gave me the opportunity to work with different colleagues across the group and share ideas. The day sessions with the tutor were beneficial too.

“I have learnt more about different areas of housing. I have already found this beneficial in my role as a Neighbourhood Officer. It has enabled me to give other options consideration, rather then just the normal routes we may follow.”

Specialist Housing Coordinator Rob Breeze added: “Each module gave me further insight into other parts of the housing aspects which I had not been involved in. I also found the CIH Tutor face to face days were well facilitated, along with group work, sharing examples of our housing practice with others and the vast amount of knowledge around the table.

“It was a nice relief to pass the course and a sense of real achievement and reward of the hard work I put in.”

For media enquiries contact our Communications Team.