Lorraine Brown, Thames Valley Housing resident and employee from Kew, was announced as Career Development Star of the Year at the 2009 Housing Hero Awards.
Lorraine says “I am really excited to have won the award; receiving recognition for my achievements feels fantastic. The others short listed in my category had fantastic accomplishments, which makes winning the award even more special; I had some really stiff competition.”
She adds “Gaining qualifications and work experience through Thames Valley Housing has totally transformed mine and my children’s lives.”
Lorraine’s career in housing began 2 years ago. She responded to an advert in TVH’s resident’s magazine, promoting the Chartered Institute of Housing level 2 course being delivered through its training centre. After successfully completing the qualification, she approached the training centre to offer to volunteer; a role which she successfully undertook for 12 months.
Lorraine began her first full time job in January this year, joining TVH’s Residents Training and Employment Centre as Community Training and Employment Coordinator.
Geeta Nanda TVH CEO says “We are delighted at Lorraine’s win! She not only is a highly valued and respected TVH employee but is also an inspiration to other residents.”