Alanis Rodrigues, External Affairs Officer, B3Living

Alanis joined the housing sector in 2024 as the external affairs officer at B3Living. She works across departments to proactively source case studies and news stories to shape public perception of the organisation. A social housing resident herself, Alanis is passionate about counteracting the sector’s negative reputation through impactful resident and community stories, and nurturing stakeholder relationships to achieve better outcomes for people.

What the judges said: “A strong performer. She made some thought-provoking insights throughout the day”

Georgia Gallagher, Area Tenancy Manager, Brent Council

Georgia began her career in housing in 2019, starting as a housing officer for a local authority in Kent, where she focused on homelessness. She then upskilled to a tenancy officer role and specialised in supporting young people experiencing homelessness. During this time, she completed a Level 3 CIH qualification in Housing Practice. Recently, Georgia transitioned to a new role as an area tenancy manager for the London Borough of Brent. In this role, she works closely with tenants, manages rent accounts, lettings and tenancies, and leads with empathy in addressing tenant queries. She also supports colleagues and contributes to additional projects within the organisation.

What the judges said: “A real character with a winning personality who obviously cares about her work”

Kayley Corry, Communications Partner, ForHousing

Kayley joined the housing sector less than three years ago, after 12 years working in education. Her decision to move sector came from a personal place when she faced homelessness – the support she received changed everything. That experience drives her passion to give back and make sure tenants feel heard, valued and supported, putting tenants at the heart of decision-making.

Now a tenant herself, Kayley believes in putting tenants first and showing up with compassion. She believes communication is a powerful way to build trust, improve services and tenant satisfaction – positively impacting the lives of social housing tenants.

What the judges said: “A passionate and authentic voice for social housing – something that was apparent across the day”

Olivia Richards, Social Research and Policy Advisor, Hedyn

Olivia joined the sector in 2023 as a social research and policy advisor with Newport City Homes, which has since merged with Melin to become Hedyn. She has since gained experience delivering evidence-led research as part of service re-design and implementation throughout the merger. Now working for the second largest RSL in Wales, she is gaining inspiring insight and informing strategic decision making by working closely with the executive and leadership team through service integration.

What the judges said: “An outstanding performer on the day. She was an all-round star who worked well with the other candidates”

Ryan Barclay, Housing Options Broker, Housing Options Scotland

In his role at Housing Options Scotland, a Scotland-wide housing options information and advice charity, Ryan provides housing options information and advice to disabled people, older adults and members of the armed forces community across Scotland. Ryan graduated from the University of Stirling with an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Social policy in 2021, graduating again in 2022 with an Msc in Housing Studies. He’s a board member of Cassiltoun Housing Association in Glasgow and is also on the CIH Futures board, an advisory board to the Chartered Institute of Housing.

What the judges said: “What a trooper. He demonstrated a rigorous approach to the tasks and impressed us all day”

HQN is pleased to announce the semi-finalists for this year’s Housing’s Next Generation competition.

The successful candidates made it through this year’s blogging task, where they had to write 500-word articles answering one of the following questions:

• How do we make social housing a career of choice for young people? What motivated you to seek a role in the sector and how would you encourage others to do the same? 
• How does the social housing sector repair its reputation with residents and the wider public? What do you think we can learn from other sectors?
• ‘It’s time for all social housing staff to work from the office again – it’s the only way to deliver the services tenants expect.’ Discuss.
• ‘Awaab’s Law is great in principle but will stretch housing providers’ resources to the limit and trigger a wave of disrepair claims.’ Discuss.
• How can housing providers ensure they get services ‘right first time’? What do you think are the key ingredients for success?
• Describe how you would make better use of new technology in your team/organisation. Please provide examples.
• ‘The new Consumer Standards and Tenant Satisfaction Measures have had little impact in improving the quality of services.’ Discuss.
• Give us your honest opinion of housing policy under the current government. What changes would you like to see?

Our judges were asked to score candidates on their originality, persuasiveness, written style and how engaging the blog was. They were all impressed with the quality of entry and found it difficult to whittle the 21 candidates down.

Alistair McIntosh, HQN chief executive, said: “To make it through to the semi-final from a field of 80-plus housing professionals is something to be proud of. The standard of blogs this year was exceptional.”

The candidates who have made it through will now compete for a place in July’s grand final at our semi-final day, which takes place at the Sovereign Network Group offices in Wembley, North London, on 11 June.

The semi-finalists

• Abraham Bickersteth, Senior Housing Needs Officer, Barnet Homes
• Alanis Rodrigues, External Affairs Officer, B3Living
• Beth Flexen, Neighbourhood Officer, ForHousing
• Chloe Ramsay, Energy Advisor, Housing Plus Group
• Georgia Gallagher, Area Tenancy Manager, London Borough of Brent
• Jasmine Margree-Coverly, Project Manager, Eastlight Community Homes
• Jonathan Scott, Head of Accommodation, Jigsaw Conferences – Temporary Housing Solutions
• Kayley Corry, Communications Partner, ForHousing
• Olivia Richards, Social Research and Policy Advisor, Hedyn (formerly Newport City Homes)
• Rosie Roylance, Customer Insight Manager, ForHousing
• Rowan Jordan, Graduate Management Trainee, Norwich City Council
• Ryan Barclay, Housing Options Broker, Housing Options Scotland

• Abraham Bickersteth

  Hello, my name is Abraham Bickersteth and I’m a senior housing needs officer at Barnet Homes. I started at Barnet Homes as a graduate trainee within the Housing Options Service in September 2018. After a year I became a housing needs officer and in March 2023 became a senior housing needs officer. My role involves managing the trainee development pathway at Barnet Homes, to enable people with no prior experience to become housing needs officers within our local authority. I also manage complex cases of people that have approached the local authority seeking housing assistance and make decisions on what priority band applicants fall under on the council’s housing allocations scheme.

  It can often be very challenging and moving hearing the hardships people experience. I’m passionate about preventing homelessness and look to always approach people’s situations with empathy and take a person-centred approach. I also enjoy the problem-solving aspect of my work and find it very rewarding working with people to help resolve their housing situation. I cannot always meet people’s ideal preferences but always aim to be accountable and make as positive a difference as possible. I’m lucky to work within a supportive team which is massively helpful. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had so far in my career and always look to give back by helping others learn and develop.

• Alanis Rodrigues

  Alanis joined the housing sector in 2024 as the external affairs officer at B3Living. She works across departments to proactively source case studies and news stories to shape public perception of the organisation. Within her first year, she has successfully pitched over a dozen stories to local and trade publications and coordinated a stakeholder event to launch B3Living’s corporate strategy. She is passionate about counteracting the sector’s negative reputation through impactful resident and community stories, and nurturing stakeholder relationships to achieve better outcomes for people.

• Beth Flexen

  After completing my master’s degree in English in 2020, I knew I wanted a career that supported people in communities like my own. I started in a role – funded and supported by ForHousing – at a primary school which helped struggling families thrive through community connections. As my passion for this developed, I joined the housing sector as community development officer at ForHousing. The role allowed me to support community champions to develop exciting and innovative projects. I quickly moved to the role of neighbourhood officer, which allowed me to work with tenants on a one-on-one basis and support them through a myriad of issues, allowing them to have a successful tenancy.  Going forwards, I will be completing my CIH qualification to further my knowledge and develop my career.

• Daryl Newman

  Hi, I’m Daryl, a dedicated training and quality assurance specialist, EDI frontline officer, and on-call housing manager since 2019. As the leader of ForHousing’s LGBTQ+ network, I’m dedicated to supporting an environment for both colleagues and tenants, ensuring a safe and inclusive community for all. I’m motivated by the challenges social housing providers and tenants face and committed to making a positive impact on people’s lives.

• Jasmine Margree

  I joined the housing sector 2.5 years ago, looking for a role where I could help people. I started as a tenancy sustainment coordinator, supporting tenants to manage their homes and wellbeing. I enjoyed this role, but when an opportunity arose to be a project manager, I saw a chance to influence change at a strategic level. I now lead high-impact strategic projects across the organisation. I love being involved in projects that make a difference, and I feel that my frontline knowledge and empathetic nature gives me the ability to remain customer minded. Outside of work, I’ve spent the last six years completing a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and I’m on track to receive a first in the summer – an achievement that I’m very proud of.

• Jonathan Scott

  Jonny is Head of the accommodation division at Jigsaw, where he oversees the day and out-of-hours account management teams. Drawing on his extensive background in local authority homelessness services and temporary accommodation, Jonny ensures high-quality placements and effective resolution of client and resident issues. He also leads Jigsaw’s Major Decant operations, coordinating large-scale relocations with precision and care. A CIH Certified Professional, Jonny is committed to raising standards across the housing sector through proactive service delivery and continuous professional development.

• Laura Wright

  I began my career in housing nearly four years ago and have worked in a range of roles including recruitment, employee relations, and now safeguarding and process compliance. Across these roles, my focus has always been on making sure colleagues and customers receive the best possible service and support. As safeguarding and process compliance coordinator, I lead continuous improvement across key customer processes and work closely with external safeguarding leads to share ideas and raise standards across the sector. I’m passionate about helping housing services become safer, more responsive, and truly customer focused. Whether that’s bringing great people into the organisation, managing sensitive conduct cases, or leading on safeguarding best practice, I always aim to do the right thing for both customers and colleagues.

• Lucy Doogan

  Hi, I’m Lucy. I had no previous housing experience when I joined ForHousing in 2019 as a neighbourhood advisor. I took every opportunity I could to learn and develop and I progressed to neighbourhood officer in 2022 at the age of 24. I’m passionate about community and personal growth. I bring energy, care and leadership to everything I do, in and outside of work. Supporting residents is at the heart of my role and I’m committed to building strong relationships, listening to their needs and making a positive difference to their lives. I’m currently pursuing a CIH qualification to deepen my knowledge and to continue growing within the sector. I’ve also joined the housing management out-of-hours rota, responding to emergencies outside of normal working hours to ensure consistent support for tenants. I’m dedicated to supporting my colleagues and championing teamwork.

• Olivia Richards

  Olivia joined the sector in 2023 as a social research and policy advisor with Newport City Homes and has since gained experience delivering evidence-led research as part of service re-design and implementation throughout a merger. Now working with Hedyn, the second largest RSL in Wales, she is gaining inspiring insight and informing strategic decision making by working closely with the executive and leadership team through service integration.

  Olivia says: “In a sector committed to making a positive impact to our residents and communities, I recognise there is so much space to make a lasting difference. From a background working with vulnerable groups, and my two years’ experience in housing, I truly believe the provision of safe, secure, and sustainable homes shouldn’t be an aspirational promise, it should be a standard – and that cannot be done without first understanding our residents.”

• Rosie Roylance

  Hi, I’m Rosie and I’m a customer insight manager at ForHousing.

  My career in housing began in 2022 when I first joined ForHousing within the Strategy & Performance team. I then moved over to the data and analytics team in 2023, where I began my present role as customer insight manager, helping to establish the new insight function.

  Prior to working in the housing sector, I held roles in both finance and analytics within the commercial sector for seven years. Transitioning to the housing sector was one of the best decisions I have made. It’s refreshing working in an industry that isn’t profit driven. Being around colleagues that truly care so much for our tenants is inspiring and gives my role a sense of purpose. I love that I can support ForHousing to improve their services through data-driven insight; ensuring that every decision is informed, and every improvement is customer-centric.

• Ryan Barclay

  Ryan Barclay is a housing options broker at Housing Options Scotland, a Scotland-wide housing options information and advice charity. In his role, Ryan provides housing options information and advice to disabled people, older adults and members of the armed forces community across Scotland. Ryan graduated from the University of Stirling with an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Social policy in 2021, graduating again in 2022 with a Msc in Housing Studies. He’s a board member of Cassiltoun Housing Association in Glasgow and is also on the CIH Futures board, an advisory board to the Chartered Institute of Housing.

• Adil Shikder

  I began my journey with Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH) in July 2021, initially joining as a business administrator apprentice in the aids and adaptations team. In this role, I gained valuable experience in administrative tasks while supporting the team in improving and adapting properties to meet the needs of residents.

  After a period of growth and development, I transitioned into the role of a building surveyor apprentice. In this new position, I have been actively involved in surveying a variety of properties, assessing their condition, and assisting with the delivery of maintenance and refurbishment projects. I am continuously expanding my technical knowledge and practical skills, working closely with experienced professionals to gain insights into building regulations, health and safety standards, and the broader scope of property management.

  I am committed to progressing in my career and am actively working towards achieving my RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) chartership. This goal is driving me to further develop my expertise in building surveying, property management, and construction, with the aim of becoming a fully qualified and trusted professional in the field.

• Ben Wyatt

  I’m Ben, part of the customer services team at Eastlight Community Homes. I started working in social housing back in 2022 with no previous experience in the sector. Since then, I have become experienced in multiple facets of the business such as repairs and maintenance, complaints handling, and anti-social behaviour, to name a few.

  Customers are at the forefront of everything that we do, and I get great fulfilment from being the first port of call for our customers and being able to assist in seeing the problem through to its final resolution. The work that we do can often be tough, but it’s extremely rewarding to know that we’re helping to make a real difference to the lives of our tenants.

• Chloe Ramsey

  Hi, I’m Chloe! I’ve spent the last six years working in social housing with The Wrekin Housing Group – it’s been such a rewarding experience. I started out as a tenancy sustainment officer and now I’m an energy advisor, which is really important right now with the ongoing energy crisis. My passion for helping people started when I was a homelessness assistant for the local authority. Honestly, I absolutely love what I do, and no two days are ever the same – it’s all about offering practical support and empowering individuals through challenging circumstances, ultimately making a positive difference to people’s lives.

• Georgia Gallagher

  Georgia began her career in housing in 2019, starting as a housing officer for a Kent authority, where she focused on homelessness. She then upskilled to a tenancy officer role and specialised in supporting young people experiencing homelessness. During this time, she completed a Level 3 CIH qualification in Housing Practice. Recently, Georgia transitioned to a new role as an area tenancy manager for the London Borough of Brent. In this role, she works closely with tenants, manages rent accounts, lettings and tenancies, and leads with empathy in addressing tenant queries. She also supports colleagues and contributes to additional projects within the organisation.

• Jenna Bell

  Hi, I’m Jenna Bell, operations manager for support services at Eastlight Community Homes. I have been in housing for nearly four years now, my experience predominantly within the repairs and maintenance sector, starting out as a scheduler, taking on my first management role as senior scheduler and most recently into the world of operations management. I am incredibly passionate about what I do and find great satisfaction in helping to provide safe, warm and secure homes for people in my local community. Residents are at the heart of what we do in repairs and maintenance and that’s what motivates me through the day-to-day challenges.

• Kayley Corry

  I joined the housing sector less than three years ago, after 12 years working in education. My decision to move sector came from a personal place when I faced homelessness – the support I received changed everything. That’s what inspired me to get a role in housing. That experience drives my passion to give back and make sure tenants feel heard, valued and supported, putting tenants at the heart of decision-making – always!

  Now a tenant myself, I believe in putting tenants first and showing up with compassion. Communication is a powerful way to build trust, improve services and tenant satisfaction – positively impacting the lives of social housing tenants.

• Lewis Harvey

  Hi, I’m Lewis. I started out in the housing sector as an apprentice around three years ago, and since then, it’s been a really rewarding journey. During that time I completed a Level 3 qualification in building surveying, which gave me a strong foundation to move into a permanent role with my current team as an asset technician.

  In my role, I focus on improving the quality of our housing stock – making sure our properties are safe, well-maintained and keeping up with the latest technologies. Whether it’s working on planned improvements or exploring new ways to future-proof our homes, I’m passionate about making sure residents have a comfortable and modern place to live.

  What I enjoy most is seeing the real-world impact of the work we do. Housing is such an important part of people’s lives, and being part of a team that’s actively making a difference feels really meaningful. I’m always looking to learn more and grow in this field, and I’m excited about where this path can take me next.

• Molly Mason

  Molly started her journey with Soha Housing seven years ago as a customer service apprentice. After successfully completing a Level 3 NVQ in customer service, Molly initially worked in the customer service team. She has since moved into a new role as community neighbourhoods admin assistant. Her main responsibilities are dealing with mutual exchanges, garage lettings, and supporting the neighbourhoods team. She recently completed her CIH Level 3 in ‘Homelessness and prevention’. Molly strongly believes in putting residents first.  She strives to ensure sure services are of an excellent standard.

• Rachel Bennett

  I’m an HR Advisor at SNG, where I’ve been since October 2022. I started as a people and culture graduate and have enjoyed growing both professionally and personally as I’ve progressed in my career. While my current focus is on employee relations, I’ve also supported the full employee lifecycle, including recruitment and onboarding. I’m passionate about helping people feel supported and valued, and I aim to contribute to a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Outside of work, I enjoy going for walks and spending time with friends and family.

• Rowan Jordan

  A graduate management trainee at Norwich City Council, Rowan has completed the IMPACT scheme for local government. He has also completed placements within housing options and homelessness, and has benchmarked services and looked to improve accessibility for those covered by the Armed Forces Covenant. Additionally he has spent time in property services, where he focused on understanding and improving upgrade refusal rates amongst social housing tenants. Before his current role, Rowan worked for a homeless charity and spent over six years as an RNLI crewman.

The annual competition designed to showcase the best new talent in the social housing sector is now in its fourth year and we’re looking for a bumper crop of entries from housing associations, local authorities, ALMOS and other relevant organisations.

Housing’s Next Generation is about giving new housing professionals a voice – to share their thoughts and ideas and help shape the future direction of the sector. We’re specifically looking for people from a diverse range of roles and backgrounds who can bring fresh thinking to the challenges faced by housing organisations, our communities and the residents we serve.

Last year, Anne Bentley, a neighbourhood manager for Worthing Homes, was crowned the winner at HQN’s annual conference in London after impressing delegates and judges in a closely fought final, which involved the six finalists debating key housing issues in front of 120 senior housing professionals.

It was the culmination of a competition that saw shortlisted candidates battle through a series of rounds, including a semi-final where they had to demonstrate their leadership and teamwork abilities in a task built around the conversion of a former hotel into a homeless shelter.

Commenting on why young housing professionals should enter the competition, Lizzie Skillen, a quality assurance and standards officer at Brent Council and former finalist, said: “The social housing sector can sometimes feel daunting as a young person as, despite the years of experience that everyone else seems to have, it’s not a career path that’s well-known or celebrated.

“Coming together with others reminded me how important the next generation is to the sector, and the challenges it faces in the years ahead. I’m extremely proud to have reached the final of the competition alongside five inspiring young professionals.”

What we’re looking for

We’re looking for ambitious and talented housing professionals who:

• Show leadership potential whether through individual or team tasks
• Are passionate about delivering excellent services to residents
• Have a commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion
• Want to make improvements to the social housing sector
• Are ready to take the next step in their careers.

Why you should take part in Housing’s Next Generation:

• Personal development – to help develop analytical, writing and presentation skills
• Confidence – to gain the confidence to be a leader and express ideas
• Opportunity – previous winners and finalists have gone on to become directors and gain wider recognition across the sector
• Networking – to be part of a growing network of young housing professionals through our Next Generation Hub
• Exposure – to experience different aspects of housing, helping prepare for future challenges.

So, don’t be shy – it’s your time to shine!

Read more in our special edition of HQM, where previous winners share their housing stories and the impact the competition has had on their careers.

From ‘Am I good enough?’ to Next Generation winner – read 2024 winner, Anne Bentley’s story.

‘Aim high and don’t be too hard on yourself’ – Tom Leon-Grimes (2022 winner) offers some advice for young housing professionals looking to advance their career. 

Timeline of events

	Nominations open
	Closing date for nominations
	The top 20 are announced
	Completion of the top 20 challenge
	Judges select and announce the final ten
	Live semi-final and final five announced
	Final five take part in the first round of the grand final at day one of the HQN annual conference
	The finalists take part in a final live session at day two of HQN’s annual conference. Audience vote for the winner

The prizes

• A year’s free membership of Housing Quality Network
• Access to exclusive briefings and member content
• Free places at HQN events and best practice groups
• The opportunity to be mentored by a senior housing sector figure, and much more.
  
  

Who is judging the competition?

We’re delighted to announce this year’s esteemed line-up of judges, featuring HQN’s chief executive, last year’s winner, and a host of leading lights from the social housing sector. They are:

• Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN
• Anne Bentley (2024 winner), Neighbourhood Manager, Worthing Homes
• Kate Ratcliffe (2023 winner), Social Value Analyst, Vivid Homes
• Jahedur Rahman, Director of Housing, London Borough of Haringey
• Simal Govindia, Solicitor, Birketts LLP
• Shauna Hutchinson, People Advisor, Sovereign Network Group
• Gordon Perry, former CEO Accent Group and governing board member at the Chartered Institute of Housing
• Tunde Hinton, Chief Executive, Connex Leadership Networks