We’ve been speaking with Lance, one of our neighbourhood caretakers, about his role at Selwood Housing as part of National Careers Week 2024. Find out what he had to say about his experience as a neighbourhood caretaker.
How long have you been at Selwood Housing?
I’ve been here for two years and seven months.
What does your role involve?
As a neighbourhood caretaker, I ensure our communal spaces are clean, tidy and safe places that our customers are proud to live in. I do this through cleaning, waste management, compliance observation and providing practical support to our customers.
What does a typical day at work look like?
I usually attend between five and ten of our communal sites a day and spend around 30 minutes to an hour carrying out my duties there, such as cleaning and sorting out waste. There’s usually some admin to get done each day so I spend a little bit of time each day on that.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy working as part of the community, assisting customers and knowing I’m making their day better. I like working alongside colleagues in my team as well as the wider Selwood Housing family.
What do you enjoy about working at Selwood Housing?
Being a part of Selwood Housing means you are valued, respected and well looked after. There’s also a good benefits package working for them.
What would you say to anyone thinking about a career in caretaking?
The work is fairly physical and you must be prepared to muck in and get dirty, but the actual role is not difficult. Also, you get a variety of jobs to do, and no one day is the same. You also get the chance to help people each day. The enjoyment of improving people’s day/environment outweighs the messy side of the role.
What would you say to anyone thinking about a career in housing?
It is a very worthwhile thing to do and if you enjoy helping people and changing their lives, it is very rewarding industry be involved in.
What would you say to anyone thinking about applying for a job at Selwood Housing?
Try it out and give it a go. Selwood Housing are good to work for and very accommodating, and until you try housing then you might not know if it is for you.
What are your career aspirations for the future?
As the moment, I am very happy in my current role and have no immediate plans to change.
If you want to find out more about career opportunities at Selwood Housing, visit our careers webpages.
