It’s crucial to understand the thoughts and experiences of younger housing professionals

Housing is evolving—and the individuals who will help lead it in the future are already here. They are young, passionate, full of ideas, and committed to creating a fairer, more inclusive housing landscape. Yet, as the sector undergoes transformation, the question remains: do we truly understand the thoughts, hopes, and experiences of those just starting out in their housing careers?

CIH Futures believes it’s time we listened more closely. That’s why we’re launching the UK’s first-ever survey focused entirely on housing professionals under the age of 35. This is an invitation to engage with early-career voices, to learn from their insights, and to build a more compassionate, resilient sector together.

CIH Futures is a board of 13 housing professionals from across the sector, a dynamic community of young housing professionals dedicated to shaping the future of the housing sector brought together by a shared mission to promote housing as a career of choice, advocate for social justice, and amplify the voices of those who are often underrepresented.

We see housing not just as a policy issue, but as a people issue. And we believe that positive change begins with listening to each other, to our colleagues, and especially to those whose experiences often go unseen.

The question remains: do we truly understand the thoughts, hopes, and experiences of those just starting out in their housing careers?

Why now you ask? The housing crisis has become one of the defining challenges of our time. Homelessness, affordability, inequality—all these issues demand bold, collective solutions. And while bricks and mortar are critical, the sector’s strength lies just as much in its people.

Our future depends on those entering the profession now. They are the ones stepping into high-pressure environments, navigating complex systems, and striving to make a difference — often with little recognition of the resilience housing professionals demonstrate in delivering their social purpose. Yet despite their importance, we know very little about their professional journeys, what motivates them, what concerns them, and what kind of future they want to help shape.

If we truly hope to build a sector that reflects and serves our diverse communities, we need to understand the lived experiences of the young professionals working within it.

This survey is more than a data exercise—it’s a chance to tell a story. We’ll explore career satisfaction and sense of purpose, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, aspirations and leadership pathways, perceptions of sector stability and future challenges as well as job longevity, growth opportunities, and barriers.

Every response will help form a clearer, more compassionate picture of what it means to work in housing today—and what we can do to support tomorrow’s leaders. The project will unfold in three phases, engaging voices, exploring insights, and sharing results.

Phase 1 is about engagement and spreading the word far and wide, encouraging young professionals to share their voices and shape the conversation.

Phase 2 is about exploration through focus groups. We’ll dive deeper into the survey’s findings, unpacking stories behind the stats and surfacing new themes.

Phase 3 is about insight. We’ll bring the results back to the sector, at the 2025 Housing Community Summit in September. The full report, to be released later, will outline key themes and findings of this project offering evidence that can inform public policy, workforce strategy, and sector-wide transformation.

This survey is more than a data exercise—it’s a chance to tell a story. 

We can’t build a better future alone. CIH Futures is calling on organisations, leaders, and allies across the sector to walk alongside us—to support the initiative and to recognise the value of young professionals not just as future leaders, but as changemakers today.

>>See also: ‘I never feel like I’ve done enough’… High-flying Elly Hoult talks about her career so far and her plans as CIH president

CIH President Elly Hoult’s Choose Housing campaign calls on us to go beyond infrastructure and start investing in people. As she reminds us, the real work is not just about building homes—but about building futures. That begins with understanding. With asking questions. With creating space for honest conversations. If we want school-leavers to choose housing, we first need to understand what that choice means. We must ask: are we ready to nurture and champion the talent already working within our sector?

The housing profession doesn’t thrive in isolation. It flourishes when people and organisations come together with a shared belief in what housing can be—a career of purpose, a platform for change, a community worth growing.

Meghan Rank is a board member at CIH Futures and home ownership manager at Hastoe Group

The survey is open to all housing professionals under the age of 35 and runs until 8 August. It can be accessed here: https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90846176/CIH-Futures-your-views-on-the-sector