Many years of dedication to a profession in housing

Director celebrates optimistic impression on tenants’ lives

FROM trainee to Director of Buyer Expertise, Tracey Howatt seems to be again on a profession spanning virtually 4 many years as a part of Scottish Housing Day celebrations.

Starting her profession with Bield on the age of 17, Tracey has amassed a powerful 37 years with the housing and care supplier.

Becoming a member of the organisation as a housing trainee in 1986, her huge expertise covers all features of supporting candidates and tenants, from Housing Officer to Housing Providers Supervisor for areas throughout Scotland.

Appointed as Director of Buyer Expertise in early 2022, Tracey is now answerable for implementing Bield’s buyer portal, as a part of their digital technique, in addition to working with communities to remodel how the 5000+ tenants work together with and entry Bield’s providers.

Tracey mentioned: “This yr’s theme for Scottish Housing Day is celebrating housing as a profession, and I do know first-hand how rewarding that may be. Working at Bield has given me so many unbelievable alternatives for private {and professional} development.

“Once I joined Bield after leaving highschool, I didn’t know what to anticipate. I had the selection between a trainee position in help providers or housing, selecting housing is a call I’ve not regretted.

“I’ve helped tons of of individuals throughout Scotland entry appropriate housing, there may be nothing higher than the enjoyment on individuals’s faces while you’ve helped somebody to search out housing which may enable them to reside the life they need.”

The Edinburgh based mostly charity facilitates unbiased residing with round 180 developments throughout Scotland. In her time as Housing Providers Supervisor, Tracey labored with developments in Fife, Tayside, Stirling, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Lothian, the Borders and North and South Lanarkshire.

Tracey continued: “Working with tenants is, and at all times has been, my favorite a part of my job. Listening to how our providers impression their lives is important to making sure we offer the absolute best expertise.

“Bield has remodeled considerably since I first joined. Within the 90s we carried out Bield’s first computerised system, which was so new and thrilling again then.

“Now we’re working to launch our new on-line buyer portal, My Bield, and utilizing revolutionary expertise in our digital hub in Linlithgow.”

Final yr, Bield secured £75k of funding from the Know-how for our Ageing Inhabitants: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI) venture which goals to enhance the way in which expertise is utilized in housing and look after older individuals. Bield has used a few of this funding to open the digital hub at its West Port improvement.

Dr Lynne Douglas, CEO at Bield, added: “Tracey has been an indispensable member of the Bield workforce for years and it’s no shock that she has risen by way of the ranks and is constant to innovate and add worth to us as an organisation.

“We really imagine in offering alternatives for our colleagues to develop their private {and professional} abilities.

“A profession in housing is so rewarding, and has a optimistic impression on so many individuals; Tracey resides proof of that. She has performed a pivotal position in delivering a lot of thrilling initiatives, and we’re excited to see what the long run brings.”

Scottish Housing Day is well known throughout Scotland on 13 September, and this yr celebrates housing as a profession, elevating consciousness of the completely different routes into the sector and why it’s such an impactful occupation.

Bield is a registered charity devoted to offering versatile and high-quality housing options and help for older individuals. Bield Housing and Care is likely one of the largest housing and help suppliers in Scotland, has round 180 developments.

To search out out extra about Bield and its developments, go to https://www.bield.co.uk/ or comply with on Fb @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland