Assignment 2 Reflective Practice Richard Somers CIH Level 3 Housing Practice

CIH Level 3 Housing Practice (QCF)

Externally set Assignment

Professional Practice Skills for Housing

To be completed by student and posted/emailed with assignment.

Your Name Richard Somers

Your tutor’s name Geoff Proudlock

Module number and module title Module : Professional Practice Skills for Housing

Course CIH Level 3 Housing Practice

Date assignment sent 31/01/15

First attempt or resubmission (please state) First Attempt

Please reflect on the assignment you are about to submit; then answer the questions below. This will help us to address your concerns and help you to improve your skills. We may use this information to help us improve our courses.

1. Things I think I have done well in this assignment:

I think I have reflected well on my work practice with Tenancy Audits.

I think I did a good job on PDP in terms of researching what was available and how I could use it.

2. Things I have struggled with in this assignment:

I struggled to put the PDP together.

The word count – it is far too limited.

3. Skills I would like to acquire/develop to improve my assignments:

I think I have all the skills I need.

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1. Was the assignment brief clear?

Yes.

1. Length of time taken to complete this assignment:

Two and a half weeks.

There was no email to notify me that the module was open to work on. I could have given it more time

and produced a better piece of work if I had known that the module was available earlier.

2. How many times did you contact your tutor during completion of this assignment? 0

How many times did he/she contact you? 0

Was this contact satisfactory Yes.

Please expand if necessary

I have a really strong support network in my organisation.

Please ensure that you complete the following two sections before submission:

This has been attached as separate PDF

STATEMENT - I acknowledge that the submission attached is entirely my own work and that all sources have been properly cited and reference.

I have kept a copy of this work which I can submit if called upon to do so.

(Spare copy saved as: electronic copy hard copy tick as appropriate)

Student signature: ________________________________ Date: __________________

This section gives details of another person who is able to verify that this is all your own work.

STATEMENT - I confirm that I believe this to be the above students own work.

09 September 2013 2

NAME __________________________________________________________________

RELATIONSHIP TO STUDENT _________________________ DATE _______________

CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS

________________________________________________________________________

(If there is any query regarding the authenticity of this students work we may contact you to verify this).

09 September 2013 3

TUTOR FEEDBACK

To be completed by tutor and returned to student and a copy sent to Delivery Centre

Student Name

Module number and module title Module: Professional Practice Skills for Housing

Course

Date received by tutor

TUTOR COMMENTS

Overall comments – this should include a discussion of the presentation and referencing as well as what was completed well and what needs to improve.

Grade awarded (first attempt):

Pass

Refer

Grade awarded (resubmission):

Pass

Refer

If your assignment receives a refer grade you will have two more opportunities to re-submit your work.

09 September 2013 4

TUTOR’S SIGNATURE

DATE

All assignment marks are provisional until ratified by the Moderator. The Examination Board has the authority to change your marks.

09 September 2013 5

Task A:

Reflective Log

1. What is Reflective Practice?

Reflective practice (RP) is an experiential learning process which involves using critical and objective reflection upon performance and then applying it to bring about an improvement in future performance. It is learning by doing (Gibbs, 1988).

Reflecting On Action and Reflecting in Action

Kolb’s Experiential Cycle of Learning (Kolb, 1974) demonstrates RP learning as a result of Reflection on Action, or events which have happened. For example:

Figure 1 Kolb Learning Cycle (1974)

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Another type of RP postulated by Donald Schon relates to Reflecting in Action, and involves reflecting whilst doing (Schon, 1983.) This type of reflection can happen before during, and after an activity.

This type of practice features very strongly in the Tenancy Audits I do. This is primarily because tenant’s have a habit of asking the most unexpected questions. My ability to reflect while I am doing, or think on my feet, has grown along with my experience.

2. My Current Role

As a Tenancy Management Officer I am responsible for ensuring the delivery of Enfield Homes’ Landlord obligations to its residents and also for ensuring that residents keep to the conditions of their tenancy and lease agreements. I manage 1425 households.

Tenancy Management ‘fits’ into the front end of Enfield Homes(EH) as it offers a frontline customer facing service both in the office and in the residents home.

3. Professionalism

I understand professionalism within my role in terms of Enfield Council’s (EC) Employee Code of Conduct (2014) which states I should work to “provide the best possible services to meet the needs of its(EC) customers and clients within the resources available, and treat them all with dignity, respect and fairness.”(Page 3, Employee Code of Conduct).

I have a broad understanding of the term professional for unlike a doctor I do not have to hold a qualification to practice. This is, however, the nature of the type of work that I do.

4.1. Using Reflective Practice to Improve Tenancy Audits

Tenancy Audits are used by EH to carry out a validation check on 20% of all of its housing stock per year (Enfield Homes, August 2012).

Skills Used in TA’s

Assertiveness

1. I use this skill to gain access to properties when a tenant answers the door.

2. This usually goes well as I am confident, clear about wanting access and look professional.

3. Previously, it did not go well, tenants were very suspicious of who I was and why I was there. Self- evaluation revealed that this was due to lack of confidence on my part, poor organisation and a lack of professional image. I was not very assertive and did not have real presence.

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4. To solve this I reflected on my assertiveness and professional manner. I practiced using role play. I tried out different ways of asking for access. I reflected on how I looked and decided to wear a suit and wear a tie on visits.

5. RP showed that I needed to train myself to become more assertive. A EH conflict management training course helped with this.

6. TA’s are unannounced visits, so no activity or organisational change was required by EH.

7. In terms of adopting another organisations practice, NatWest provide excellent Assertiveness training as part of their staff induction programme. EH should adopt the practice.

Time Management

1. I use this skill deliver my monthly TA target of 25 audits per month.

2. Currently, things are going well, I am delivering my monthly target. This is because I make effective use of the outlook calendar to organise my time and my visits geographically.

3. Previously I struggled with my TA target. Self-evaluation revealed that this was because I disorganised. Even though I used the outlook diary my appointments were too spread out. This would mean that I would go out, come back in and then go out again. It was poor use of my time, disruptive to my day and hindered the delivery of my target.

4. I had to become more organised. I had to make better use of my day. I had to make better use of my outlook calendar.

5. To develop, I went on a time management course provided by EH. This really helped me to focus my time and develop this skill.

6. I feel that EH should provide time management and organisational courses more often and regularly than it does.

7. In terms of adopting another organisations practice, NatWest provide time management training as a part of their induction programme. EH should provide time management training as a part of their induction programme so that the practice is set from the start.

Customer Service

1. I use this skill when interacting with residents at their homes. Recently I have made better use of this skill by giving Tenants the opportunity to discuss anything they want in relation to their housing at the end of the TA, listening to their concerns and sign posting and following up afterwards where necessary.

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2. This has had a positive impact on the audit. By giving a Tenant the opportunity to air their views, ask questions and seek advice it has made them more relaxed and responsive during the audit. Dealing with issues ‘on the spot’ has also lightened my office workload.

3. Prior to this I was too focused on getting an audit done and then getting out the door to do the next one. Tenants would express frustration at this. Reflection showed that this was very poor customer service.

4. I needed to give residents the time and opportunity to ask the questions that they need to ask and give them fair and honest answers.

5. I do not feel the need for additional training as EH provided very good customer service training when I worked within my role in customer services

6. I think EH like all organisations focuses on performance indicators too much. While they are an important as a measure of success, I think that it needs to equally stress the quality of the service that it provides to its residents more.

7. In terms of adopting another organisations practice, EON the electrical supplier equips their Sales Officers with tablets when they make doorstep visits. EH should adopt this practice.

Working Within A Team

1. I use this skill when interacting with Enfield Council’s Housing Investigation Team (ECHIT).

2. Currently I work really well with this team engage with them and see their process as an extension of the TA. This is because I understand that they are experienced fraud investigators with access to many investigation avenues. There is a culture of respect, communication and co-operation which exits between both teams.

3. Previously, I did not work well with them because I was unsure about what they were for, or just how effective they could be. Self-evaluation revealed that this was due to a lack of understanding on my part regarding their purpose and resources. I had to educate myself regarding this by asking them what they did and how it could be have use.

4. I needed to make full use of the LBE Investigation Team and their resources.

5. As I operate in a team and have done so in many roles I do not feel that more training is needed.

6. I think EH needs to arrange for ECHIT to run workshops to explain what they do and how they do it. There are still many departments who do not make full use of them.

7. In terms of adopting another organisations practice, when I worked as a volunteer for the Diocese of Westminster in their youth peer ministry team I took part in team building days. EH should adopt this practice.

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5. Feedback

I receive feedback about my performance all the time, both formally and informally, from my manager and her manger, and also from other departments, and residents.

EH provides formal structures for feedback in the form of six monthly Performance Assessment Reviews and monthly One to Ones, and the resident complaints process.

EH as a Housing Organisation is quite fast paced and there is a lot of informal feedback from my manager who calls me over or visits me at my desk to ask questions and provide feedback on my performance. Residents will also phone up, or send emails or come and visit me at the offices. They will also talk to me when I visit them on TA’s, or if they see me on their Estates going about my business.

I take all this feedback and use it to try and identify ‘gaps’ in my performance, or skills that I need to gain, or ways of working which are effective. I use it to identify any further training that I might need.

Task B: Professional Development Plan

Q1. The skills and knowledge I need for current job role as a Tenancy Management Officer(TMO) as per my person specification and job description are:

Customer Service

Time Management

Organisation

Assertiveness

Team Working

Communication

Problem Solving

Information Technology

A working knowledge of Landlord and Tenant Law relating to Tenancy.

A working knowledge of dealing with members of the public working in housing management, and property management in the public, private and the voluntary sectors.

Q2. Over the next five years I would like to become become a Tenancy Team Housing Manger (HM).

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In order to achieve this I will need to develop the following skills and knowledge (as taken from a HM person specification and job description):

Leadership

Assertiveness

Team Management

Team Working

Coaching and Mentoring

Performance Management.

Budgeting Skills

Project Management Skills

Complaint Handling.

Managing Change.

Recruitment

A Full understanding of Housing Legislation.

Working Knowledge of Income Collection.

Working Knowledge of Rehousing.

Working Knowledge of Decent Homes.

Working Knowledge of Repairs and Maintenance.

My overall learning objectives are to:

Undertake the necessary training and development to become a Housing Manager.

Gain the necessary substantive working knowledge to become a HM.

Professional Development Plan(PDP)

Housing Manger Professional Development Plan (1-5 Years)


Objectives How When Measure of Success

Successfully Compete and Pass Chartered Institute of Housing level 3 courses.

By Completing all modules and passing all assignments.

May/June 2015

CIH Certificate.

Identify the skills and knowledge necessary to become a Housing Manager.

Review Housing Mangers Job Description/Person Specification, and compare with that of TMO

April 2015 Identification of skills and knowledge needed to become a HM.

Identify resources available to achieve this development.

Research Enfield Council’s Leadership Competency Framework (LCF)(Enfield Council, 2013) and the in house opportunities at EH.

April 2015 Identification of resources.

Develop Learning Process. Develop Process in the Performance Assessment Review (See Appendix A).

April 2015 Formal to Agreement to process by senior management.

Year One Year One Year One Year One

Complete Influence Competency as per LCF.

1.Provide Leadership/

One Day Training Courses(ODTC) on:

- Decision

May 2015 Certificate of Attendance

(COA)


Customer Focus.

Skill Focus:

- Making decisions

- Directing people

- Empowering Individuals.

Making.

- Analysing & Interpreting Statistics to Inform Management Decisions.

- Managers as Motivators.


2. Build Relationships

Skills Focus:

- Interacting with People.

- Establishing Rapport

- Impressing People.

ODTC on:

- Performance Assessment Review.

- Mentee Skills.

- Mentor Skills.

June 2015 COA


3. Communicate and Influence.

ODTC on:

- Persuading

and Influencing.

July 2015 COA


Develop skills:

- Persuading and Influencing.

- Articulating Information.

- Challenging ideas.

- Feedback Master class.

Implementation of Influence competency in TMO job role.

Implement and review and discuss in monthly TMO One To One with Line Manager.

May-October 2015

Improvement in Job Performance.

Review Progress with Competence.

Set Goals for next six months involving Secondment.

Mid-Year PAR

Including a SWOT analysis.

October 2015

Sign off by Line Manger.

Develop working knowledge of Housing Income Practice and Legislation.

Six Month Secondment as Income Collection Officer.

Review progress in monthly one to ones.

October 2015 to -March 2016.

The meeting of Departmental Targets.

Review Development progress/identify any areas for further development/training.

End of Year PAR April 2016 PAR sign off by line manager.


Year Two Year Two Year Two Year Two

Complete Adaptability Competency as per LCF.

1. Resilience.

Skill Focus:

- Self Confidence and control.

- Composure.

- Resolving Conflict.

- Integrity/Value Difference.


- Emotional Intelligence.

- Developing Emotional Awareness, Resilience and Well Being for Managers

May 2016 COA


2. Lead Change.

Skills Focus:

- Think Positively.

- Embrace Change.

- Invite Feedback/Self Change.

ODTC on:

- Self Confidence.

- Running Effective Meetings.

June 2016 COA


3. Give Support.

Skills Focus:

- Understand People.

- Team Work.

- Value Individuals.

ODTC on:

- Disability Awareness.

- Diversity, Equality & Inclusion.

July 2016. COA



Implement ,review and discuss in monthly TMO One To One with Line Manager.

May-October 2016




Mid-Year PAR


October 2016


Develop working knowledge of Rehousing Practice and Legislation.

Six Month Secondment as Rehousing Officer.


October 2016 to March 2017.


Review Development progress and identify any areas for further development/training.

PAR April 2017 PAR sign off by line manager.

Year Three Year Three Year Three Year Three

Complete Solving Problems Competency as per LCF.

1. Intellectual Adaptability/Commercially Focused.

Skill Focus:

- Generating Ideas.

- Exploring Possibilities.

- Developing Strategies.

- Learning New Things.


- Commercial Awareness.

May 2017 COA


- Identifying Ways to Improve.

Complete Problem Solving Competency as per LCF:

2. Investigating Issues:

Skills Focus:

- Examining Information.

- Interpreting Data.

- Providing Insights.

- Developing Expertise.

ODTC on:

- Decision Making.

June 2017 COA

Complete Problem Solving Competency as per LCF.

3. Creating Innovation.

Skills Focus:

- Generating Ideas.

- Developing Strategies.

- Explaining Possibilities.

ODTC on:

- Analysing and Interpreting Statistics to Inform Management Decisions.

- Managing Difficult Conversations

July 2017 COA

Implement Problem Solving competency in TMO job role.

Implement,review and discuss in monthly TMO One To One with Line Manager.

May-October 2017



Set Goals for next six

Mid-Year PAR


October 2017



months involving Secondment.

Develop working knowledge of Housing Practice and Legislation in relation to the Decent Homes Scheme.

Six Month Secondment as a Resident Liaison Officer the Decent Homes Department.


October 2017 to March 2018.




Year Four Year Four Year Four Year Four

Complete the Deliver Results Competency as per LCF:

1. Driving Success.

Skill Focus:

- Driving Results.

- Taking Actions.

- Seizing Opportunities.

- Pursuing Goals.

- Upholding Standards.

ODTC:

- Managers as Motivators.

- Managing Difficult Conversations.

- Commercial Awareness.

- Interview Success

May 2018 COA



2. Plan and Manage Resources.

Skills Focus:

Organising/Planning

Considering Resources Whilst Planning

Programme/Project Management.

Attention to Budget Detail.

ODTC on:

- New Ways of Working.

- Principles of Managing Absence & Attendance.

- Principles of Managing Capability & Induction.

- Principles of Managing Misconduct.

- Financial Awareness – Budget Buddy

June 2018 COA


3. Political Awareness.

Skills Focus:

- Understanding Political Mechanisms.

- Understanding Political Challenges.

- Working with Members of Parliament.

ODTC on:

- Political Sensitivity.

- Brush Up On Your Grammar.

July 2018 COA



Implement, review and discuss in monthly TMO One To One with Line Manager.

May-October 2018




Mid-Year PAR


October 2018


Develop working knowledge of Housing Repairs & Maintenance Practice and Legislation.

Six Month Secondment as Repairs & Maintenance Support Officer.


October 2018 to -March 2019.



PAR April 2019. PAR sign off by line manager.



Year Five Year Five Year Five Year Five

Complete the Technical Expertise Competency as per LCF:

IT Training

Skill Focus:

- IT.

Competency Based Online Training Course.

- Word 2010

May 2019. Passing the course.


IT Training

Skill Focus:

IT

Competency Based Online Training Course.

- Excel 2010

June 2019. Passing the course.


Health & Safety Training

Skill Focus:

- Health & Safety.

Complete Competency Based Online Training.

- Online Health & Safety Couse.

July 2019. Passing the Course.

Implementation of Technical Expertise competency in TMO job role.

Implement,review and discuss in monthly TMO One To One with Line Manager.

May-October 2019.



Mid-Year PAR


October 2019.




Develop working knowledge of Community Engagement Practice and Legislation.

Six Month Secondment to Community Engagement (Tenant Involvement Team) as a Community Engagement Officer.

October 2019 to March 2020




Gain a Job as a Housing Manager.

Apply for vacancies within Enfield Council and external housing organisations.

April 2020. Formal Housing Manager Job Offer.


Appendix A:

The Personal Development Plan (PDP) Process


Reference List

Books

Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Further Educational Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.

Kolb, David A. (1984) Experiential learning: experience as a source of learning and development. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

Schon, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. London: Temple Smith.

Websites

Enfield Council (January 2011) Code of Conduct. Available from: http://www.enfield.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/9811/code_of_conduct_form - 1k[Accessed 17:01:15]

Enfield Homes (August 2012), Tenancy Audit Policy. Available from: http://www.enfield.gov.uk/Enfieldhomes/downloads/file/85/tenancy_audit_policy [Accessed 18.01.15]

Enfield Council (2013), Leadership Competencies Framework. Available From

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/downloads/file/9485/leadership_competencies [Accessed 20.01.15]


http://www.enfield.gov.uk/downloads/file/9485/leadership_competencies

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/Enfieldhomes/downloads/file/85/tenancy_audit_policy

http://www.enfield.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/9811/code_of_conduct_form%20-%201

Documents

Assignment 2 Reflective Practice Richard Somers CIH Level 3 Housing Practice