In my work, I’ve supported individuals facing these very challenges, where lack of secure housing wasn’t just a symptom of inequality but a direct cause of it.

One example that sticks with me is a young person leaving care. They had ambition, skills and drive, but were stuck in a cycle of temporary housing, struggling to secure stable employment because their living situation kept changing. They didn’t need motivation; they needed a foundation. That foundation was stable housing.

This is why housing professionals play such a critical role in shaping futures, far beyond managing buildings or policies.

Like many who work in housing, I didn’t start out in the sector. My experience spans youth work, employability and community engagement, but time and time again, I saw that housing was the common thread. It was the difference between someone thriving or just surviving.

Through volunteering, I became more involved in resident engagement and housing policy. This led me to work with organisations that shape housing strategy, advocating for better tenant engagement, and pushing for a more inclusive and responsive sector. I’ve been a board member for community accountability at the London Borough of Hackney, a resident panel member at the Housing Ombudsman Service, and a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing’s equality, diversity and inclusion board.

One thing that has stood out to me is how lived experience shapes better housing services. I’ve worked with people who entered housing because they had first-hand struggles navigating the system. Now, they’re influencing policies to make things fairer for others.

This is why the sector must do more to embrace diverse talent, from people with lived experience of social housing to those from under-represented backgrounds. We need professionals who truly understand what tenants face and can help build a more compassionate, effective housing system.

When we talk about social justice, we can’t ignore housing. Secure, affordable homes should be a right, not a privilege, yet the housing crisis continues to push people into precarious, unaffordable or unsafe living situations.

“We need professionals who truly understand what tenants face and can help build a more compassionate, effective housing system”

As a sector, we need to ask: how do we ensure tenants’ voices are not just heard but acted on? How do we break down barriers to accessing housing careers, especially for those with lived experience? How do we push for policies that make housing a true foundation for opportunity?

These are not abstract question, they are the realities shaping people’s futures every day. The more we centre these discussions, the better chance we have of making housing a tool for change rather than just a service.

For anyone considering working in housing, I can say this: it’s not just a job, it’s about shaping the places where people build their lives. For those already in the sector, it’s time to do more to engage, mentor and uplift the next generation – especially those who don’t see housing as an obvious career choice but have so much to offer.

David Kingsley, deputy house manager, Ronald McDonald House Charities; and member of the equality, diversity and inclusion board, Chartered Institute of Housing

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