Laurice Ponting has become chief executive of Mercian Housing Association in the West Midlands. She was previously head of housing strategy at Sandwell council. She has worked in social housing for local authorities for 22 years and is "delighted" to be moving to a housing association. As one of just a handful of female chief executives in the region's housing associations, she hopes to "have more of an influence over the work of women in social housing now".
Caroline Diggines
Caroline Diggines, who works for a City investment firm, becomes board chair at Women's Pioneer Housing. She began her career at Beaver Housing Society in London and joined WPH's board as a volunteer in 1999 through the National Housing Federation's Get On Board scheme. She succeeds Anne E King, a director of housing and management consultancy Newbury King, who steps down as chair but will remain on the board.
Kelvin Kift
Anglia Housing Group's new group head of development is Kelvin Kift. He joins Anglia from Places for People, where he was head of development. He has previously worked for Guinness Trust and Ealing Family Housing Association and has spent his whole working life in social housing, starting as a junior administration assistant in the housing association section of Kensington and Chelsea council in 1979 the week after leaving school.
Dennis Laws
Dennis Laws has become the first chairman of the board of directors of Chelmer Housing Partnership, where he is also a tenant. Initially anti-transfer, he came round to the idea after joining a tenant's group. He went on to become chair of the shadow board and tenants' forum, which he joined at the suggestion of Chelmsford's then head of housing Stuart Stackhouse. Stuart became chief executive of Chelmer at the same time as Dennis joined its board and their good relationship continues. Dennis has started a youth club, to be built on land donated by the parish council, which will stay open in the summer holidays when the council's youth facilities close.
Helen Twohey
Focus Housing's Birmingham youth services division has appointed Helen Twohey as its first Connexions personal advisor under the government's new Connexions service for 13 to 19-year-olds in England. Helen will help young homeless people to find training, education and employment and will help Focus' key workers. Helen is working as part of a pilot scheme run as a joint venture by the Birmingham and Solihull Connexions and the voluntary sector.
Olu Olanrewaju
Olu Olanrewaju has become the new managing director of Midland Area Housing Association. His appointment comes after the association joined the Keynote Housing Group. Olu joins from United Housing Association in Bristol, where he has been chief executive since 1999. He is a member of the Housing Corporation's national advisory group on black and minority ethnic housing policy. He is also on the board of East Thames Housing Group and chairs East Thames Housing Association.
Job of the week
Patrick Fowler
New job
Tenant participation manager at Atlantic Housing Group in Hampshire. “My job is to get tenants involved in many different ways such as websites, forums, questionnaires, and emails. We consult on what works, what to improve, new ideas and feedback. I also help other colleagues to do that with tenants. My hope is to enable tenants to feel they are part of the decision-making process and my favourite part of the job is getting their views.”
Old job
“My wife and I worked in Southampton with people sleeping rough. We went to Romania with a British charity researching a project for street children and then volunteered for a street children’s charity called Happy Child in Brazil. They had a house for girls, a boys’ night shelter and a farm where children can get away from the street life, start school and reunite with their families. “We had to come back to the UK to work out what to do next. I worked for the Asylum Seekers Team run by Southampton City Council. They have a contract with the Home Office to support people while their applications are going through. Once their applications are processed, we tried to refer them to different agencies, including Atlantic.”
If you were housing minister, what would you do to improve the housing situation in the UK?
“I would aim to encourage agencies to work closer together, from advice and information services to government departments and housebuilders. I would provide more affordable accommodation for everyone.”
What advice would you give to someone hoping to follow in your footsteps?
“Volunteer with different organisations and volunteer at weekends if you work during the week. Listen to your clients and advocate for them. Learn all the time and remember you do not know it all. Keep up with what the government is doing and how your local area will be affected.”
Source
Housing Today
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