News MBC young housing officer wins housing award
A young Housing Advice Officer at Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has been praised for her outstanding contribution to the housing service after helping to prevent and relieve homelessness in more than 60 cases.
Rachael Blyth, who recently won Young Professional of the Year at the Kent Housing Group Excellence Awards has only been a housing officer for two years. In just eight months she helped resolve more than 150 homelessness applications and consistently demonstrated high performance within the team.
A team member commented:
"Rachael is a credit to the Housing Advice team. She goes above and beyond for her clients, her dedication and commitment to achieving positive outcomes is commendable. This award is an excellent example of what dedication and hard work can achieve. Congratulations from all of us in Housing!"
Cllr Simon Wales, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness at MBC said:
“Rachael has had a significant impact on the applicants she engages with, we are very lucky to have such a talented and professional young person in the team.“Senior staff have used her casework methodology as an exemplar across the wider team. All of Rachael’s cases are engaged with, responded to and managed with excellence in a time where pressures on services are significant.”
Another team member commented:
“Rachael’s ability to manage her casework and to engage with people is unparalleled and something which senior staff members are keen to replicate in whatever way we can. Rachael is not just an excellent young housing professional, she is without a doubt, an excellent housing professional in all the ways that matter. She is calm, dedicated, intelligent, helpful, uplifting, innovative, impressive, passionate, knowledgeable, diligent and capable of rising to any challenge set. She engages wonderfully with her team, and with other teams in the organisation, all of whom consider her highly.”
The Kent Housing Group Excellence Awards celebrate the excellent work happening across the county in housing each year. Teams and individuals working in the housing sector across Kent are celebrated for their dedication and passion.