What is a ... community initiatives officer?

What's your day-to-day work like?
I coordinate and encourage tenant participation in the management of their homes, with the aim of ensuring that services continuously improve. I help set up, develop and support formal and informal, flexible involvement mechanisms. I attend tenant participation meetings, forums, seminars and conferences and ensure that the association has effective liaison on tenant participation matters with external agencies such as councils, voluntary groups and tenant representative groups.

This means I work closely with other members of staff, particularly housing officers and estate officers, to ensure tenants are consulted on all matters affecting the management of their homes.

My job also involves editing and coordinating the production of the tenants' quarterly newsletter, again in liaison with other members of staff and tenants.

In the future, I will be developing and updating the tenants' handbook in conjunction with tenants and other staff members, and setting up effective systems for monitoring customer satisfaction.

Why did you choose this career?
I always considered myself a people person and wanted a career working with the public. For me, job satisfaction is essential and knowing that I'm trying to help people and trying to make a difference to people's lives is where that job satisfaction lies.

Has it been what you expected?
Very much. I meet people who don't want any kind of tenant involvement and don't want to improve or change their lives, but I then meet others who want to have a say and want to get involved. That kind of enthusiasm from tenants is really encouraging.

What's been the biggest challenge?
Getting tenants to participate and getting them interested in various issues is a challenge; so is working with tenants to improve communities.

Long hours?
I work a 37-hour week although I am required to work occasional evenings and weekends.

What's the best thing about your job?
Seeing people's lives change for the better, seeing people gain confidence from getting involved – whether it be through courses that I have organised or becoming involved in various groups. It's also great when I see neighbour disputes resolved through community events.