To celebrate International Women's Day 2023, some of our female colleagues share their stories of working for Yorkshire Housing and their female inspirations.
Sian Webster
Director of Development
I’m the Development Director so oversee our new build development team and our sales team. I love the job I do as I get to be a senior leader in an area where it's not common.
Sian Webster
Director of Development
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
For me it’s a great opportunity to act as a role model for younger women and girls who might not have thought of a career in construction or might have had doubts. Most of all though, I have 2 great teams in Sales and Development, and they are the people that make me love working in this sector.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Think a bit differently about what you want to do and push yourself outside your comfort zone! If you’ve got an ambition to get somewhere and know you can do it, don’t let the doubt creep in and don’t let others put you off.
Who is your female inspiration and why?
Fictional character – Big happy valley fan so it would have to be Sgt Catherine Cawood. Nerves of steel and smashes her job! If we’re talking about the real world though, The Red Shepherdess. She’s a farmer that had never stepped foot on a farm until after her degree, but her determination and passion made it happen. It's not just the fact that she works so hard and has been brave enough to develop a career and lifestyle from complete scratch. Not only that but she’s a real advocate for the environment and for animal welfare but also does a lot to break down the barriers for women in industries traditionally dominated by men. She doesn’t let anything, including her gender, hold her back.
Hannah Jowett
Head of Communications and Brand
I'm head of communications and brand at Yorkshire Housing. I'm passionate about building comms teams where people can thrive and bring their ideas and creativity to life.
I've led the reinvention of Yorkshire Housing’s brand and its approach to communications. My personal motto for comms is "try new things, have fun and love what you do"!
Hannah Jowett
Head of Communications and Brand
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
For me it’s being in a sector that makes a difference to customer’s lives, so I feel what I do is worthwhile. We also have a lot of women in senior leadership positions at Yorkshire Housing which is great to see.
What advice would you give your younger self?
If you end up working somewhere with a toxic culture, get out of there as soon as possible before it affects your confidence and mental health. And apply for that dream job. Go for it and believe in yourself.
Who is your female inspiration and why?
Michelle Obama. Her historic, barrier breaking journey to the White House as the first ever black First Lady, and her passion to make a huge difference to the lives of others, inspires me.
Vikkii Chamberlain
Learning and Organisational Development Manager
I work as part of the fabulous Learning and Organisational Development Team. We support all things engagement and development as part of the amazing People Team. I like to think of it as spreading a bit of magic and sparkle for colleagues during their time with YH and compliance training!
Vikkii Chamberlain
Learning and Organisational Development Manager
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
I love working in the housing sector and supporting something that makes such an invaluable difference to people's lives. There are so many brilliant women working in Yorkshire Housing and across the housing sector that I get to learn from every day. I think anyone who chooses to work in this sector brings such passion and enthusiasm to what they do – this isn’t just limited to women.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Oh my – where should I start? I think the biggest piece of advice that would have made a difference to the younger Vikkii would be to not doubt yourself. I haven’t always been confident, and I have always been my biggest critic which I think has prevented me from taking opportunities and enjoying them to their fullest - I used to be such a serious little soul! More recently my mantra has become ‘progress over perfection’ which I have posted in front of me on my desk.
Who is your female inspiration and why?
This is an easy one! Whilst there are so many amazing women in the spotlight, my first female inspiration was always much closer to home. My nanna, Ivy Matilda, grew up in the 1930s, and her mum (my great grandma) died when my nan was a teenager. My Nan, the eldest of 7 brought up all 6 siblings in a 2-bedroom terrace. She taught herself to sew so that she could bring in money for the family. When the war hit in the 1940s, she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and was assigned to units in Hull, London and Sheffield. She supported the deployment, mooring, maintenance and eventually the control of the air barrage balloons in our WW2 efforts. She’s always been an independent and strong-minded lady, bringing my Mum up in the 1950s pretty much on her own. She lived well into her 90s, living independently, organising events and supporting friends and family till she passed. I don’t think resilience was a word much used back then – but if it was, my nanna had it in bucket loads.
Rosie Norman
People and Culture Advisor
I’m a People and Culture Advisor so essentially I am colleagues first point of contact from a HR point of view, I help managers with any queries they might have but also assist them with employee relations matters like investigations, disciplinaries, complex absence cases etc.
A big part of my role is also developing the culture, looking at individual teams and what we can put in place to improve colleagues working life. I also head up the Health and Wellbeing group 😊
Rosie Norman
People and Culture Advisor
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
I’m new to the role and to the housing sector so there is still so much to learn and take in, but it’s fantastic to see so many strong, empowering women in the industry. It inspires and motivates me to progress up the ranks here at Yorkshire Housing!
What advice would you give your younger self?
You’re not going to have your life together by the time you’re 30, suck it up and enjoy life. Nobody really knows what they’re doing!
Who is your female inspiration and why?
My best friends – they are strong, resilient women who are hilariously funny. Each one knows what they want in life and will strive to get it.
Wendy Moorcroft
Data Governance and Quality Analyst
I’m new to the housing sector having previously worked in Co-op Insurance and Co-op Group. I’ve joined as a Data Governance and Quality Analyst in the Data, Performance and Information Security Team working for Luke Broadhurst. My role is to improve the data quality of the systems and help with bringing data governance to Yorking Housing (YH). Having worked for a Co-op, where the customer (or member) is the focus rather than a shareholder or owner; I find the culture is very similar at YH. I’m loving learning all about the housing sector although I still have a lot to learn!
Wendy Moorcroft
Data Governance and Quality Analyst
Who is your female inspiration and why?
There are lots of people I feel inspired by, but I usually choose Helen Sharman - the first British woman in space. Or as Wikipedia says – first British person, first Western European woman and first privately funded woman in space, as well as the first woman to visit the Mir space station in May 1991. She inspired a generation to never give up on their dreams!
What advice would you give your younger self?
Have more confidence. Find the people who let you fail (First Attempt At Learning) as it is the only way to learn.
Emma Standing
Tenancy Enforcement Officer
I'm a Tenancy Enforcement Officer and basically my role is to case manage high level cases of antisocial behaviour and other breaches of tenancy (for example not allowing access to homes or building things without permission).
I take our customers (it can also be their household members or their visitors) to court if they do not adhere to the terms of their tenancy agreement (aside from paying their rent). Some of the things I do are preparing evidence, taking witness statements, liaising with partner agencies and solicitors.
Our team use all the available powers within housing law and The Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to make our neighbourhoods safer for our customers.
Emma Standing
Tenancy Enforcement Officer
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
I love working in the social housing sector because there is a good balance of women in senior roles which gives you confidence that your career can really go places. Even now I don’t think that this happens in a lot of workplaces, so we are fortunate to work in a sector that values women at all levels.
Who is your female inspiration and why?
My mum really is an inspiration to me. She was 16 years old when she had me, she worked hard and gave me everything I wanted and needed, often working long hours or early in the morning before I went to school. She never pressured me in to doing anything she just let me make decisions from a pretty young age which gave me a lot of confidence, sometimes things didn’t work out but there was never any criticism or blame. She just encouraged me to do whatever I felt I wanted to do. She is just a cool person and I hope my daughter thinks the same about me (when she stops being a teenager!).
What advice would you give your younger self?
I wish I had put myself forward for more challenging or senior roles earlier than I have. I always thought that I would not be very good at being a leader and that I liked ‘mucking in’ and being on the frontline all the time. When the penny eventually dropped that being a leader is not about having a job title of ‘manager’ then I started to think a bit differently about how I approached things and people and started to take more responsibility for myself and how I was perceived. So, my advice to my younger self would have been to have built a personal brand much sooner and put it out there!
Jo Griffin
Head of Place
I’m Head of Place which means I look after Tenancy Management, Tenancy Enforcement, Caretaking, Grounds Maintenance and Facilities Management.
Jo Griffin
Head of Place
Tell us about your role at Yorkshire Housing?
I literally have my dream job! I get to make a difference to people's lives every day and working for a fabulous employer who really gets diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
What advice would you give your younger self?
You can't control how other people see you or think of you and you must be comfortable with that.
Who is your female inspiration and why?
I just think Helen Mirren is amazing. She’s an outstanding actress but it's her attitude to life that inspires me. The quote above is one that she said!
Sarah Hutchinson
Head of HR
I’m the Head of HR and I’ve been with Yorkshire Housing for 3 years.
Sarah Hutchinson
Head of HR
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
It’s my first role in the housing sector but I think I might be hooked. I’ve got to know a lot of women over the last 3 years and it’s really great to see the knowledge, passion and dedication of the woman I’ve met within the housing sector.
What advice would you give your younger self?
It’s ok not to know the answer and it’s even more ok to tell people you don’t know the answer!
Who is your female inspiration and why?
This would have to be one of my best friends. Although I’m sure she’d say otherwise, her general outlook on life, her resilience and her achievements both in her professional and personal life are all things I really admire about her.
Marta Snopinska
Land Buyer
As a Land Manager in the development team, I work on land projects and partnerships opportunities for our new residential schemes!
Marta Snopinska
Land Buyer
Why do you love working as a woman in the housing sector?
Construction is one of those areas traditionally seen as male dominated but it’s great to see the sector being more diverse with more women in different roles. There are so many areas within construction to get involved in, whether it’s developments, surveying, architecture, engineering or site investigation so anyone regardless of their gender or ethnic background can thrive and work doing what they are passionate about.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Sometimes when things don’t go as planned it might seem like a failure but this is part of learning and will only make you stronger and more resilient. It might seem like the end of the world at the time but it will also force you to look at other options and thinking back, you will see it was an opportunity!
Who is your female inspiration and why?
Jenny Tough – runner, cyclist, adventurer and writer who goes on solo expeditions running or bike packing across remote mountains on six continents. She openly talks about her past struggles with self-doubt, mental health, disordered eating and her relationship with fear and wants to inspire women to do more outdoor pursuits. It’s about having courage to try new challenges, however big or small, not to be afraid to make mistakes and enjoy the journey.
Lauren Brooke
Learning and Development Business Partner
I’m a Learning and Organisational Development Business Partner meaning I help Yorkshire Housing to achieve its learning and culture goals.
Lauren Brooke
Learning and Development Business Partner
Tell us about your role at Yorkshire Housing?
I support the design and delivery of innovative solutions and interventions so that the organisation, teams and colleagues have the tools, learning and opportunities they need to be successful. I provide cross-organisational support in numerous areas such as, onboarding, coaching, team and leadership development, succession planning and change management.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’d encourage myself to promote more self-trust, to quieten negative self-talk and to learn the art of prioritisation, concentration and focus a little sooner. I’d make sure I know I am enough and to ensure my communication with myself is kind and compassionate.
Who is your female inspiration and why?
My inspiration comes from many places, from LGBTQIA+ trailblazers who fought for my right to marry another woman, the fierce women who raised me and my courageous sister. I’m inspired every day by my fiancé and best friends who hold space for me and challenge me. I’m also enthused by my work colleagues who encourage me to think differently and make every day interesting!