TALENT INHOUSE

the GEMprogramme

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The GEM Programme accelerates development by creating challenging andthought provoking opportunities– giving GEMs exposure to people andsituations that many who have worked in housing for a number of yearshaven’t experienced.

Our partners, the organisations who employ graduates, saw potential in theircurrent staff and wanted them to benefit from the elements that make the GEMProgramme so successful.

As the housing world wonders what the future will look like for their organisations’,increasingly they are looking to their own people as the answer.

To find out how to get your employees on the programme emailinfo@centreforpartnership or call 01274254701.

Talent in House

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Who is thisoption for?People in your business who are delivering great results and who have the energy,professionalism and belief in social justice that the GEM Programme requires.People who:

■ Will relish the opportunity toconnect with social housingorganisations across the countryand beyond

■ Value the opportunity to achieve aprofessional qualification andChartered status

■ See the links between their workon the ground and the big picturechallenges facing housing today

■ Are Ambassadors for yourorganisation who you would like tosee stretch themselves by meeting,and perhaps challenging, currenthousing and welfare thoughtleaders

■ Are identified through your TalentManagement & SuccessionStrategies as future leaders and keyplayers for your organisation

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GEM Values, Skills & AttributesThe GEM Programme operates with a clearly defined values system and we also askGEMs to demonstrate particular skills and attributes. It is important that allparticipants sign up to and demonstrate the following:

■ A strong belief in Social Justiceacknowledging that the worldisn’t a level playing field for all

■ Both Societal and InterpersonalEmpathy

■ Professionalism and Respect forothers at all times recognising thatthey represent their employer andthe GEM Programme

■ Use of Critical Thinking to analyseand evaluate issues before judging

■ Strong Personal Organisationskills to counter balance theworkload

■ Use of Initiative both within andoutside of the workplace

■ Being able to take Ownership ofwork and responsibilities

■ The ability to develop EmotionalIntelligence and Resilience tobuild effective relationships andovercome adversity

The GEMProgrammegave me the

opportunity to try myhand at a career inhousing, and as it turnsout this was the bestpossible route I couldhave taken.

It’s given me an insightinto the sector I wouldnever normally havehad the chance toget, and I’ve lovedevery second.

Cath Adams

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GEM Elements

GEMProgramme

The GEM Programmeconsists of 6 key elements:

FutureHousingLeaders

CIHCertificatein Housing

AchievingCharteredstatus

Mentoring

PersonalDevelopment

WorkplaceLearning

What are the traits of 21st Century Leaders? And how does the GEMProgramme accelerate these traits?

Self awareness and resilience: participants will have the chance to completepsychometric assessments which will give them an insight to their own strengthsand areas of development.

Worldview and emotional intelligence: By encouraging GEMs to see theworld from a different perspective, they develop the insights to see the challengesfacing their sector in a new light, and in turn to imagine new solutions.These interactions are known as vertical learning. The GEM Programme iscommitted to enabling participants’ vertical learning as well as theirhorizontal learning. Horizontal learning is delivered through the CIHqualification.

“Vertical learning is about the transformation of how you think, feel, and makesense of the world; it is about increasing the complexity of how you see and relateto the world and to what you know.” (DMC, 2015)

Connected: GEM will be meeting and building networks with people working indifferent organisations across the country, the GEM World Housing Organisationand the people who are shaping housing and communities today.

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Future HousingLeaders

CIH Certificatein HousingWe have a formal Strategic Partnership with the Chartered Institute of Housing andwe are an Accredited Centre for the delivery of CIH qualifications. GEM participantswork towards the achievement of the CIH Level 4 Certificate in Housing, which isdesigned for learners working in the UK and Ireland.

The qualification comprises the following subject areas:

Level 4 CIHCertificate in

Housing

HousingLaw

Financingfor Housing

ProfessionalPractice Skillsfor Housing

Building,Communitiesand the

Environment

HousingPolicy

HousingManagementServices

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Achieving CharteredStatusGEM participants who successfully complete the GEM Programme (including theLevel 4 Certificate) will have the opportunity to progress to become a CharteredMember of the Chartered Institute of Housing through the ExperiencedProfessional Route.

This is achieved through completion of an intensive 14-week programme.Participants will be supported by a team of experienced learning and Charteredhousing professionals.

GEMs taking this route will be members of an action learning group facilitated bythe team below. In order to achieve Chartered status, GEMs will need to completea 5000 word portfolio and a professional interview.

Trevor SmithDirector of the GEM

Programme

Alison LeechIncommunities Policy and

Performance Manager.

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MentoringMentoring is a key elementof the GEM Programme. EveryGEM has a workplace mentorand a pastoral and careerdevelopment mentor within theCentre for Partnership team.

Mentoring is a great developmentopportunity for talented employeesalready working in your organisation.Each mentor will attend a MentorTraining Day led by Trevor Smith aspart of the GEM ProgrammeWelcome. This day exploresmentoring in the context of theGEM Programme; some of thehurdles that might crop up based on real case studies; and what will be expected ofthem as a GEM Mentor. The Mentor Training Day is also an excellent opportunity formentors to get to know their mentee and to network with mentors from differentorganisations. We invite all mentors and line managers to join a Yammer group andencourage discussion and collaboration throughout the year.

The role of a GEM Mentor can be varied and is tailored to the individual’s needs. Someexamples of the topics which will often be covered in the mentor sessions include:

- Networking: It can be difficult for people who are new to the sector, but itcan be challenging at times for even the most experienced housingprofessional. A GEM Mentor can help remove barriers and help make initialintroductions to people who may be beneficial to the GEMs workplace orlearning experience.

- Career Development: The housing sector has so many careeropportunities within it that GEMs will often look to mentors for careerguidance. The GEM Mentor will help them to explore new options and getexperience in areas across the sector.

- Workplace: We recommend that the Mentor is someone outside of the coreteam the GEM works in. This way if issues arise within the team the GEM knowsthey have a neutral party to talk things through with.

- Personal: this may include issues around mental health, relationships, housemoving and any other issues that may impact the GEM’s ability to participate inthe GEM Programme.

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PersonalDevelopmentDuring the GEM Programme Talent in House GEMs will continue their rolewithin their organisation; complete a professional qualification; carry outresearch pieces; and attend GEMshacks which will open their mind to newways of thinking. Through this they will learn a great deal about themselvesincluding: their Worldview, their values and where their skills lie.

It is an intense year but they are well supported throughout the programme from anumber of sources including GEM, their manager and mentor and their network ofother GEMs.

We also ask GEMs to complete a Personal Development Plan which they can workon throughout the year and offer optional psychometric questionnaires that theycan choose to complete. From this they can discover where their strengths andinterests are within the sector and use their guided learning as a way to build theirportfolio, ensuring they have the necessary experiences to further their career.

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Work Based LearningGEMs join the programme from a wide range of degree disciplines.

During their work based learning Talent in House GEMs are exposed to manyaspects of the housing sector that they may not have had exposure to in theircurrent and previous roles. They will complete guided learning within theworkplace set by the GEM Programme, This intense learning experience gives yourGEM a greater understanding of their organisation and of the sector.

Guided learning is reviewed yearly to ensure GEMs are being exposed to the mostcurrent issues within the sector. As an example, some of the guided learningactivities set for the current cohort include:

GEMs are required to carry out a challenging role in the workplace. In the past GEMroles have reached all parts of the housing sector. Some of the job roles andprojects have included:

• Attending a Board meeting

• Shadowing a neighbourhoodsteam

• Interviewing policy makers withintheir organisation

• Visit a court and observe ahousing case

• Observe a housing optionsinterview

• Visit an organisation which offerssupported accommodation

• Interview the Director of Financein relation to the recent Budgetannouncement.

• Digital and Financial Inclusion

• Welfare Reform and Incomes

• Trainee Neighbourhood Manager

• Organisational Development Officer

• Communications Officer

• Fraud Intelligence Officer

• Anti-Poverty Strategy

• New Build Construction

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GEM BlendedLearning ExperienceThe GEM Programme is built around GEMshacks, of which there will be 8across the 12 month duration of the GEM Programme. Each GEMshack willbe an amalgamation of CIH and Future Housing Leader content designedto offer each GEM a unique opportunity to develop within the housingsector. These are led by the GEM Team, guest experienced practitionersand CIH Tutors.

GEMshacks offer an opportunity for social learning between GEMs andorganisations. We welcome guest speakers from our partner organisations andexternally to join us at GEMshacks, and this has included international partners,charities and politicians. StrataGEM involves GEM led research, for example we havehad GEMs present research findings to the International Housing Partnership.

Each of the GEMshacks will also be self-directed by mobile learning in order tosupport the CIH element. The CIH Boot Camp is design to ensure GEMs understandall aspects of the CIH qualification and assessment.

GEMShacks

MobileLearning CIH Boot

Camp

strataGEM

GuestExperiencedPractitioners

SocialLearning

GEM WorldHousing

Organisation

Workbooks

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GEM BlendedLearning ExperienceGEMshacks are hosted across the UK to reflect the diversity of theprogramme.

Examples of previous GEMshack themes have been:

• Welcome to the GEM Programme

• Homelessness

• Regeneration

• Whitehall and Westminster Visit

• Personal Development

• 21st Century Communities

• Global Housing Issues

• Northern Ireland (Building for Peace)

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Catrina Presnail, Talent in House GEM,Incommunities“Being given the opportunity by my employers to follow the GEMprogramme whilst working was an amazing experience and hasreally widened my knowledge in the housing industry. Not onlythat I have gained a Level 4 Certificate that will help me tofurther my career at Incommunities and shows my commitmentto my learning.”

Anna Marsh, Contract Coordinator, Regenda“The ability to take part in the GEM programme whilst alreadyworking in the housing sector has been invaluable to bothmy personal and professional development. Not only has thisbeen beneficial for me, but for the team around me as I amable to share my learning with others. Being part of the GEM

programme has improved my networking skills as well as myhousing knowledge – which will be an invaluable part of my career

progression going forward. As a graduate, it can often be difficult to find work andI feel privileged to not only have a job in a sector that I care about, but also havethe ability to continue learning and developing as I work; I feel fully supportedin this by both my employer and the GEM staff. This experience has been trulyexciting, challenging and thoroughly enjoyable, and I would fully recommend theGEM scheme.”

Ian Warren, Director of People, Regenda“Great to see the great opportunities the GEM programmedelivers now available to existing graduate employees.Regenda will be factoring this into our recruitment andworkforce development plans.”

Our GEMS andPartners Say

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The GEM Programme

@GEM_Housing

GEMProgramme

info@centreforpartnership.co.uk

thegemprogramme

For more information visit the link below to hear from GEMs and Directors aboutthe GEM Programme. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zcyuARH4hQ

Keep in Touch

01274 254701

the GEMprogramme