"It is inspiring to be working for a group that wants to be the best at what it does. It means innovating rather than standing still, or following the crowd." John Mills, Electrical Surveyor
"Helping to prevent someone becoming homeless is a challenge but can be extremely rewarding. In one instance a girl of 16 came into us who had a young baby and had been asked to leave home by her mother. We were able to get her into a mother and baby unit but also referred her to a mediator. This intervention meant that the girl and baby returned home and the whole family was able to live together once again under one roof.
I feel supported in what I do. It feels like a family. People care about you and although the company has grown, it still feels like we are working as one organisation, with a shared goal." Yvette Dodman, Housing Advisor/Home Options Administrator
"My role is a split between site and office-based work. Two to three days a week I carry out stock condition surveys and decent home surveys which is out on site, then the remainder of my time is spent in the office carrying out a clerk of works role, which involves checking contractors work and logging information into our data bases.
I enjoy the variety of my job as it is both site and office based. This allows me to work directly with contractors on site, along with tenants when Major Improvements Works are in progress and I also get to work with my colleagues in the office.
Within my role I have to ensure that timeframes are adhered to with our contractors and the standard of the work we carry out within tenants homes is high." Wayne Tillyer, Surveyor
"A large part of my day is spent out of the office, carrying out home visits to potential new tenants, carrying out tenancy sign ups or visiting tenants to discuss neighbour disputes and incidents of anti-social behaviour. I work closely with the Area Maintenance Officer and together we carry out property inspections both before and after repair and improvement works are carried out.
When I return to the office, I spend the time catching up on paperwork generated by the visits during the rest of the day and answering any telephone enquiries. I am lucky in that we have a Housing Assistant who prepares the tenancy agreements and provides us with general support so this frees up more of my time for visits.
In my role, no two days are ever the same. I work with a brilliant and supportive team and we are used to surprises! Personally, I enjoy the sense of achievement I get when I have helped someone or resolved a difficult problem, like a long-standing neighbour dispute." Anna Whitehead, Area Housing Officer
"I have been with the organisation since launch and have seen real changes in that time.
We have introduced handheld technology which means that more repairs jobs are getting done each day, as it cuts down on paperwork and trips back to the depot.
We are now benefiting from Profit Related Pay, which gives you an added incentive and reward for the effort put in. Some of the other company benefits are really good too. For example, I was able to make use of the career break policy to take four months off to build a bungalow for my disabled brother. I would not have been able to do that otherwise." Scott Bacon, Bricklayer
"I have worked for Futures Homescape (and the borough council before transfer) for nearly 31 years.
I started as an apprentice and now, as a Senior Plumber, help to lead the plumbing team.
I have had opportunities to take up secondments in other teams - for example with the surveyors and customer services teams. This has helped me to get other perspectives on our work and hear how repair calls come through first hand.
I enjoy the fact that the work is varied. I like to feel as though I am helping people, particularly the older generation who might be lonely. Sometimes you feel like a bit of a care worker for them. I like problem solving and going in to check and fix a faulty boiler is satisfying in that sense.
This is a good team to play for. Everybody helps each other out." Paul Hodgkinson, Senior Plumber
