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Many of you probably know Eleanor – she’s our longest-serving team member here at WSHA, having celebrated her 40th year with the organisation in February 2026! Despite ‘falling into’ a Housing career at 18 (her words!) she is passionate about fighting inequality and helping our tenants feel in control of their income, their home and their lives.
How long have you worked for WSHA?
It was 40 years on 3rd February 2026!
Can you give us a brief rundown of your career? What bits have you loved and what could you happily never do again?
I started at age 18 as a part-time telephonist/typist when the Association was around 15 staff, then moved into the housing team as an Housing Assistant – I loved this job because it was so varied and I got to work across all the teams within the organisation. My move to Welfare Rights was a random opportunity – when the department was set up WSHA shared our welfare rights office with three other social landlords. The service very quickly made a positive impact on tenants’ lives and WOSHA made the decision to employ their own full time Welfare Rights Officer – me! So although I fell into it, I loved the role and job satisfaction that came with it. Welfare Rights quickly became a passion for me and still is.
WSHA supported me to improve my skills and education by sending me to college and university – National Certificate in Housing and Higher National Certificate in Housing from Glasgow College of Commerce, Housing Diploma for Glasgow University and Post Grad Diploma from Stirling University in Welfare Benefit and Long Term Medical Conditions – not bad for a person who left school with three 0’levels!
I was the only Welfare Rights worker for over twenty years. Nowadays the team is much larger, but I am still overseeing it, and we are reaching more households in need. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do again as experiences teach you life lessons and forms the person you are.
What’s kept you here so long?!
Passion. I love what I do and it would have been very difficult for me to walk away from it. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to work alongside other social landlords and related agencies and quite honestly, none have the culture and forward thinking of WSHA. The other part is of course the people. I’ve been so lucky to work with some amazing, generous people over the years and have had fantastic opportunities to develop both professionally and personally.
What kind of skills do you think are most important for working in Housing?
Communication and interpersonal skills, empathy, problem solving, numerical skills (not necessarily excel spreadsheets, thank god!) IT proficiency, knowledge of legislation and resilience in buckets!
Biggest achievement?
Becoming a team leader with focus on the wellbeing of my folks alongside supporting them to do their roles to the best of their abilities. Also being supported and trusted to develop the service over all these years, which is so rewarding.
What is the Housing problem you wish we could solve?
Inequality.
