arcadia housing group

Pauline, Operations Coordinator (Yeovil Foyer)
Ho, Office Administrator (Bristol)
Colin, Finance Trainee (Central Office, W-s-M)
Francesca, Customer Service Advisor (Bristol)
Paul, Team Leader (Poole)
Lisa, Maintenance Service Manager (Chippenham)
Louise, Team Leader (Weston-super-Mare)
Mark,Home Ownership Coordinator (Central Office)

Knightstone
Pauline, Operations Coordinator, Yeovil Foyer

Before coming to Knightstone, I’d been involved in running bars, pubs and nightclubs; I even worked at the circus for a short while!

However, I really wanted to give something back to the community and help Yeovil’s young people. Which is why I came to work as a volunteer at Knightstone’s foyer.

Friendly and supportive from day one, Knightstone Housing didn’t just meet my career expectations – they exceeded them! Today, 10 years on, I’m responsible for making sure that the foyer runs smoothly and efficiently.

As well as friendly, supportive colleagues, I get to work with great young people. The foyer’s here to help them get back on the right path – and that’s real job satisfaction. Watching them succeed and get on in life is what makes my work so worthwhile.

Challenges? Well, they come along on a daily basis! Securing funding is probably our biggest one. Of course, you’re never on your own at Knightstone. If you have a problem, there are always colleagues willing to muck in and lend a hand. And the training’s excellent and ongoing.

So would I recommend working with the Arcadia Housing Group? Definitely. Great pay, great people, and you really are working for the greater good.”

Back to the top

Ho, Office Administrator, Bristol Office

I used to work for a major hotel chain, in their front of house and catering departments, which often meant working long and antisocial hours. To be honest, I wanted a job with what I’d call ‘normal’ working hours. That said, I still wanted to have lots of contact with people, and work in a lively environment.

I now manage a first point of contact team at the Bristol office and help out with the management and upkeep of its facilities. It’s up to me to make sure that everything is resourced and that the office runs like clockwork.

The job’s varied and rewarding, and the people I work with are great. I’ve made some really good friends here and you get to work with all sorts of people from all sorts of backgrounds. Everyone gets on and there’s a relaxed feel.

Training’s also a big thing for the whole of the Arcadia Group, and I’ve recently completed a Health & Safety course. So as well as my main role, I’m now the H&S representative for the Bristol office. And it’s that sense of achievement and development that makes Knightstone my ideal employer!

Back to the top

Colin, Finance Trainee, Central Office, Worle W-s-M

Having studied Accounts and Business at ‘A’ level, I was keen to work with a company that would challenge and develop me. Then I came across a recruitment advert for the Arcadia Housing Group, and it was the trainee element of the job really appealed to me.

It seemed to be a fantastic opportunity for me to develop my skills and knowledge ‘on the job’. It was just what I was looking for. And what’s more, I haven’t been disappointed!

I’ve worked with the group for just over 4 years, in a number of different departments and teams. There’s certainly been plenty of variety, and I’ve gained lots of new skills and have had the chance to see how the whole finance function operates. I’m currently working on the service charges and utilities for our schemes, and it’s my job to make sure that the information on the system is accurate and up to date.

Arcadia’s such a friendly place; there are always plenty of social events happening and people are really supportive and helpful. As for career development.... they’re really keen for you to gain new qualifications and offer excellent promotion opportunities. I really feel like they’ve invested time and money in me. More than that, my managers have faith in me to work on key Group projects – and that’s a very nice feeling!

Back to the top

Francesca, Customer Service Advisor, Bristol

I’ve come from logistics in Austria to customer service in Bristol. And I’m so glad I did! I started working with Knightstone on a temporary basis; I was then offered a permanent full-time position and jumped at the chance.

As a Customer Service Adviser, I deal with inbound calls to our maintenance helpline. I speak to tenants and try to resolve their issues with the help of our maintenance team and external contractors.

Having been here for 8 months, I really enjoy learning new skills. I also love the contact I have with residents. Yes, there can be pressure, but I’m always up for a challenge! After all, you don’t know who’s going to be calling you or what the problem’s going to be - it could be anything from a broken fence to a flooded living room.

And because I often deal with people who are worried or distressed, it’s up to me to be the friendly, reassuring voice at the end of the phone line. And that’s what makes Knightstone so special: there’s a real feeling here of being here to help.

Arcadia Housing believes in investing in people; they recognise potential and do everything they can to help you build on your skills and experience. They want you to enjoy your work and to keep on learning. And I’m certainly doing that!

Back to the top

Paul, Team Leader, Poole

I used to work for the young offenders’ team as part of the justice system. I then did some casual work for Knightstone. It was during this that a full-time vacancy became available and, having experienced the organisation, I jumped at the chance!

Despite my lack of GCSEs, the Group looked at my experience and decided that I’d be ideal for the job. I was really pleased to be given the opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands.

As Team Leader, I deal with service user and staff issues and I’m on hand to offer advice and guidance. Service users are at the heart Knightstone’s philosophy: we really do deliver a very good service and I believe that we’re a class above the rest. Being a part of that is immensely rewarding.

There’s lots of change happening in supported housing at the moment, and we have to work hard to make sure that we’re all in-the-know and up-to-date. Which is why the training here is so impressive. Career development is another of Knightstone and the Arcadia Group’s passions. They’re 100% behind you if you want to develop your skills and progress your career. Not only did they give me the chance in the first place, but they’ve supported me as I gain academic qualifications.

The Arcadia Housing Group is a very employee-focused organisation; you feel genuinely valued as an employee, and your voice is heard and your ideas are acted upon. In short, you’re valued, supported and well-paid – does it get any better than that?

Back to the top

Lisa, Maintenance Service Manager, Chippenham

With a degree in building surveying, I initially started working within student accommodation. I then moved into building work before coming to the Arcadia Housing Group and Knightstone. The bottom line was that I wanted to work for a housing association. I have a real passion for social housing and working for a social landlord really appealed to me.

As Maintenance Service Manager, the first thing I do is check the out-of-hours responses and see if there are any emergencies that we need to deal with. I also ensure that we’re delivering the level of service that our tenants expect, and I keep a close eye on how things are progressing.

Having been here for four years, I’m constantly impressed by just how well the group looks after its people – me included! They’ve invested in me and have given me lots of training. I’ve progressed and my skills have definitely developed - there’s nothing like getting out in the real world and doing the work! I also have to thank the people I work with: I’ve learnt so much from them.

Rewarding, varied, enjoyable and worthwhile. That’s how I’d describe working at Knightstone. We provide high quality affordable housing and we’re all, quite rightly, very proud of the work we do.

Back to the top

Louise, Team Leader, Weston-super-Mare

My background’s incredibly varied. I’ve worked for a police force, then had a baby, then went to work for an airline. I then came to work for the Arcadia Housing Group as a Secretary/Administrator.

After having my first child, I wanted to work face-to-face with members of the public, and the job suited me to a T. I’m now working as a Team Leader, dealing with a caseload of clients. I keep in regular contact with my clients, visiting them at home and helping them with setting up appointments, phone calls and other general admin tasks.

I enjoy a challenge and I really like the unpredictable nature of the work – you just never know what’s going to happen from one day to the next. Knightstone and the Arcadia Housing Group has been really good to me; they’ve given me excellent training and they’ve supported me throughout my qualifications. And, of course, they pay really well too.

As an employer, I find them supportive and encouraging, and they recognise when a job’s been done well. You’re also trusted to get on with your work and you don’t have people breathing down your neck all the time!

What do I enjoy most about my work? Well, I love, love, love working with clients! And you get to meet so many different types of people. There’s also plenty of scope to develop your skills and career. I’d definitely recommend coming to work at Knightstone – in fact, I already have!

Back to the top

Mark, Home Ownership Coordinator, Central Office

I used to be a property manager for a high street lettings agent, managing stock for private landlords.

Why did I make the move to Knightstone? Well, there were a number of reasons. Firstly, a friend of mine worked for one of their contractors and recommended the Arcadia Group as a good company to work for, with lots of opportunities to develop and progress. I then saw the job advertisement and it sounded perfect for me!

My role’s incredibly diverse, which I really like. You don’t have a chance to get bored. I deal with a wide variety of people, from customers to solicitors to contractors, be it face to face, on the phone or in writing. It’s all about providing service for our customers, and helping to make the home ownership process as painless as possible. I also make sure that contractors are providing the same level of service as we do.

Career development seems to be the norm here. If you want it, and you work for it, you’ll get it. Personally speaking, I’ve learnt many new skills, including legal and marketing. I also get to work in a great office, in a lovely location away from the city centre. Oh, and the pay’s really good too!

The best thing about working here is that you’re helping people who ordinarily wouldn’t be able to afford to own their own home. You’re helping people that need it, and I feel proud to be able to say that.

Back to the top