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Botswana Housing Professionals visit Thames Valley Housing - 24/09/08
Twickenham-based Thames Valley Housing is playing host to a delegation from Botswana Housing Corporation, here to experience how housing associations operate in the UK.
Bridget Lebona Mtonga, lease manager and Modisaotsile Vincent Letsholo, clerk of works, began their work placement at Thames Valley Housing on September 15th. They will be spending three months in the UK, observing all aspects of how UK housing associations operate.
As part of their placement at Thames Valley Housing, they will study the Chartered Institute of Housing Certificate, Level 3 as a distance learning course. This is a one year course, and while they will embark on it during their placement in the UK, they will complete it in Botswana. The Training Centre at Thames Valley Housing will provide back-up sessions to familiarise the delegates with the provision of affordable housing within the UK, and well as providing tutor support for their assignments.
The delegates will also visit Ealing Council to learn how local government and housing associations work together; Town and Country Housing to study community development work, and will spend time with Notting Hill Housing Trust to gain experience of managing supported housing.
Geeta Nanda, Thames Valley Housing CEO, comments: “I’m delighted we’ve been given the opportunity to have these two housing professionals from the Botswana Housing Corporation working with us. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the two organisations to share their experiences of best practice and to learn from each other.”
Nanda continues: “Housing associations work with a range of partners such as local authorities, regulatory bodies and developers, to provide decent affordable housing. We’ve ensured that during their visit, our guests will have the chance to experience a number of aspects of the affordable housing sector, as well as the opportunity to work closely with Thames Valley Housing.”
Lebona Mtonga comments: “We’re very pleased to be here. It’s fascinating and very useful to see how affordable housing is delivered in the UK. We will be taking many new ideas back with us.
“Living in a decently built, well-maintained home is a basic need for everyone and while our challenges are often very different, this experience gives us an in-depth opportunity to see how other organisations rise to this worthwhile and important responsibility.”
Visits to the Housing Corporation and the Housing Federation are currently being planned.
Notes to Editors
The Thames Valley Housing training was founded in 2001. Since then, over 300 learners from over 32 organisations have gained qualifications through the centre. Based at TVH’s offices in Twickenham, the centre offers NVQs in Housing, Customer Service, Business Administration, Apprenticeships and the Certificate in Housing Levels 2, 3 and 4/Diploma to internal employees and external companies.
Further Information
For more information, please contact Thames Valley Housing Communications Officer Rosalind Grozier on Tel: 020 8607 0886, Email: Rosalind_Grozier@tvha.co.uk or Kate Mawson at BlueIce Communications on Tel: 020 7937 7537, Email: kmawson@blueicecom.com
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