Case Studies
Charlotte Senior
Through GEM, Charlotte helped implement the Armed Forces Covenant at Orbit — a project outside her day-to-day role that showcased the programme's breadth of opportunity.
Originally from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, Charlotte studied Linguistics and Phonetics at the University of Leeds before spending two years teaching English in Hong Kong. On returning to England, she was set on working in the not-for-profit sector — somewhere with genuine social purpose and strong values. Housing offered exactly that, along with a professional qualification and a community of peers new to the sector.
The GEM Programme gave me a wider view of the housing sector — not just from my role, but through the CIH qualification and the range of GEM Shacks. The Homelessness Shack was really eye-opening, and the 21st Century Communities Shack gave me an insight into a totally different side of housing I wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise.
Charlotte works across both the Marketing and Business Improvement teams at Dot Dot Dot Property, a social enterprise that gets empty buildings back into use through property guardianship. The small, growing organisation means plenty of variety and the chance to contribute to a wide range of projects.
Take every opportunity you are given. The GEM Programme offers real chances for both professional and personal development — if you are looking for a challenging yet exciting role in housing, it will be perfect for you.
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