Our Community Development Team work together with tenants, and key community contacts, to create and deliver projects that positively impact the lives of social housing tenants. The team support the areas of Salford, Stockbridge Village and Fitton Hill. They listen and respond to community-based needs, putting tenants at the heart of everything we do. If you need support with managing your tenancy, getting in touch with social services and support with neighbourhood issues – please get in touch with your Neighbourhood Officer.
Nina Hodgson
What area do you cover?
I cover the Eccles area of Salford. It’s a place with a lot of character and community spirit!
Tell us more about more about your role
In my role, I support local community groups and organisations with things like funding, governance, and planning. I get involved in a wide range of projects – from playstreets and youth clubs to volunteering and tenant involvement. Anything to do with helping people make a difference in their communities and making sure they have the support they need to do it.
What’s your favourite thing about your role?
I really enjoy events and fun days – they’re a great way to bring people together, celebrate what’s going on locally, and just have a good time.
What’s your favourite project that you’ve been involved with?
I enjoyed being part of the Keeping Clifton Clean partnership. It focused on making Clifton and Silverdale Forest look its best and planning the annual fun day, which was a brilliant community effort.
What can you help tenants with?
I can support tenants with funding grants, help for community groups and organisations, and bookings at Barton Hub in Eccles. If you’ve got an idea or need a bit of guidance, I’m always happy to chat and help where I can.
What’s your favourite place or activity where you’re based?
Tindall Street Allotment is a lovely! It’s green and peaceful and the Allotment for Veterans is there too!
Natalie Muresan
What area do you cover?
Swinton and Clifton Irlam and Cadishead
Tell us more about more about your role
As the Community Development Officer, I will work with anyone, to do anything, that will make the community a better place. Every day is different and every day brings different opportunities to support local people to make the changes they feel are important to their community. I work with a variety of different people, one day I could be working with an individual who really wants to clean up their local park area or I could group of parents that want to deliver some school holiday activities at their local community centre, or to helping a constituted group to apply for funding. I work as a connector by attending localised partnership meetings and then linking back into the community and I work hard to support and strengthen community provision by working closely with different partners, agiencies and pro active members of the community.
What’s your favourite thing about your role?
The thing about my role I like the best is when someone has come to me with an idea and I have been able to support and empower that person to acheive something will make their community better. Seeing that person’s sense of pride and accomplishment makes me feel really good about what I do.
What’s your favourite project that you’ve been involved with?
The school holiday activities project, Play Streets, has been a project that I have put a lot of time and energy into. have really enjoyed working with community groups to design and deliver exciting holiday activity programs for primary school aged children. I have been lucky enough to support groups and to see how their confidence and ambition has grown for delivering Play Streets. The community have shown dedication and determination to make sure there is a holiday provision that meets their communities needs and I have really enjoyed being a part of that.
What can you help tenants with?
I can help with many role spacific things like finding and applying for funding, support with goverance documents like risk assesments and constitutions and help with promotion and getting volunteers involved. What I would say is that if you have an idea or want to do something that will benefit our ForHousing communities, reach out and lets talk it through – great things can come from a simple idea!!
What’s your favourite place or activity where you’re based?
I really enjoy when I work with groups on allotments and parks. Any activities in nature really makes feel good.
Annie MacLean
What area do you cover?
I work in Stockbridge Village, where there is an amazing Community making lots of things happen.
Tell us more about more about your role
I work within the Community Development Team. I feel a lot of my role involves listening to the community and supporting their projects and ideas to happen. I work closely with the community to put on school holiday provision, plan events for the future, apply for funding & we work together to look at where we can work in partnership to help Stockbridge to become an event stronger community.
What’s your favourite thing about your role?
I love working with people and problem solving. I really do think that Stockbridge is quite special with the majority of the community members who live there. Everyone works together to put on events, sessions and it is a dynamic area to work. I love it when I see the end result of projects, or people making it happen for themselves. At times I feel I can be the start point , to help people on their journey, but ultimately, it is them who make it happen – and thats what I love to see.
What’s your favourite project that you’ve been involved with?
There’s quite a few! Whilst it is hard work, I do love Play Streets (our school holiday provision) as in Stockbridge, it is delivered by the community. I have seen people grow to take it on themselves, and get genuine joy from hearing parents feedback or seeing kids engage with activities that they might not otherwise have done. Talls Tales (the project on the highrise) was nothing short of epic, and for this to happen in Stockbridge was amazing (hopefully we can get more!) Again, it comes back to supporting community groups or people to do it for themselves, and I love seeing things flourish and not need my support anymore (though I will still pester people!).
What can you help tenants with?
If you want to volunteer or help out in the community, just let me know & I can try to point you in the right direction. If you are a community group who’s wanting extra support, or wanting to set up your own group, please get in touch. If you would like to find out what’s going on in your area – again – get in touch!
What’s your favourite place or activity where you’re based?
My favourite place in Stockbridge is either the Craigs Community Garden or Little Woods. I love the outdoors and being outside. Both of these places are like a little oasis in Stockbridge, which I should take more advantage of just to be in. Both areas where transformed from ‘no go’ area’s to areas of tranquillity by the local community, which makes them all the more special.
Johnny Cammish
What area do you cover?
I cover all ForHousing locations equally – usually working alongside a CDO when a query is area specific.
Tell us more about more about your role
I cover all things admin, finance, and data for the team. One of the largest parts of my role is managing the funding streams, processing all applications and raising the payments. I also handle all payments for playstreets and the other projects that the team runs, as well as all data for projects such as the Be Proud competition, and the admin for the Community Voice.
What’s your favourite thing about your role?
The variety of tasks – I am constantly busy with different things, moving on to the next project quickly keeps everything fresh.
What’s your favourite project that you’ve been involved with?
Be Proud – reading communities celebrating the work that each of them do is excellent, and heartwarming.
What can you help tenants with?
Any and all funding queries! I can also help with suggestions of groups or social activities in their communities if they are looking for something to do!
What’s your favourite place or activity where you’re based?
As I’m not often out in the community, I would have to say that my favourite activity would have to be the Community Voice meetings – the members are passionate about the community, and always make me feel welcome.
Jacqueline Holmes
What area do you cover?
I cover all of our areas working with the formal involved tenant framework
Tell us more about more about your role
I support out involved tenants to carry out their role, holding ForHousing to account. This includes recruiting to formal involvement groups, facilitating meetings and enabling them to scrutinise the work we do and make recommendations to improve the customer experience
What’s your favourite thing about your role?
Working with people who want to help us to improve
What’s your favourite project that you’ve been involved with?
Scrutiny. I have worked with the Scrutiny Partners for a long time and have changed the way we carry this out to ensure more people can be involved
What can you help tenants with?
Ensuring they can work with us to improve services. I can make sure they are welcomed into formal involvement groups and that they have everything they need to carry out the role
Rebecca Lavin
What area do you cover?
I cover Salford, Fitton Hill and Stockbridge.
Tell us more about more about your role
I work alongside the Community Development team supporting colleagues who work in communities providing advice, support and guidance. We identify communities needs and priorities then work alongside them to help achieve their aspirations. My colleagues are amazing at what they do, they are supportive, knowledgeable, respectful and proactive, they will work alongside you to help you achieve your goals.
What’s your favourite thing about your role?
I love hearing and sharing people’s stories, this brings to life their achievements. I’m keen to make a difference and to support people who are already doing this but may need our help and guidance. I also enjoy working alongside the team, learning from them and supporting them to work through solutions.
What’s your favourite project that you’ve been involved with?
This is a difficult one to answer because I have worked on many projects over the years but a common theme running around them hearing people stories and difference a project had on their life. It reveals lived experience and when we listen to someone’s story, we understand how a project / initiative is important to them which in turn guides to make better decisions.
What can you help tenants with?
Listening, hearing stories and understanding the issues that are affecting communities then helping them to look for solutions and how ForHousing can support, offer advice or guidance.
