The Future of Housing: Why recognising the next generation of leaders matters

This year marks a significant milestone for SFHA as we celebrate our 50th anniversary. It’s a moment to reflect on five decades of progress, challenges overcome, and the collective impact we’ve made on communities across Scotland.  

However, while we honour our past, we are just as eager to look ahead. The future of social housing in Scotland depends on the passion, innovation, and dedication of the next generation. That’s why we are thrilled to introduce ‘NextGen Leaders - Scotland’s Rising Stars of Social Housing,’ an awards campaign where members can nominate young people working to make a difference in their organisation. 

Having led the Routes to Housing project (which looks to inspire young people to pursue a career in housing) for the past year, I have worked with several of our members who are passionate about attracting new talent to the sector and developing their existing staff. I know many of them employ driven young individuals who may just be in the early stages of their career but are already making an impact and helping to shape the future of social housing in Scotland.  

We all know the importance of young people in the sector; they bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas and are equipped in addressing the ever-evolving housing needs and so we want this award to inspire and motivate young people and to show them some appreciation of all the hard work they put in in making a difference to people's lives.  

We will be releasing details soon about how you can nominate a rising star in your organisation. In the meantime, we encourage you to start thinking about the young professionals in your team who exemplify dedication, leadership, and innovation.