Leigh Mullen is a valued member of ForHousing’s Extra Care team – but a year ago, becoming a ForHousing colleague wasn’t something she had imagined for herself.
After leaving employment and facing uncertainty, Leigh called ForHousing’s Customer Connect Hub to discuss her rent, which led to an unexpected opportunity to build her skills and experience.
Her story is just one example of how ForHousing’s Tenant Talent Pool (TTP) is helping tenants turn lived experience into sustainable careers, while supporting the organisation’s commitment to ensuring services are directly informed by the experiences and perspectives of the communities it serves.
Opening up the Tenant Talent Pool
ForHousing’s Tenant Talent Pool is a fast-track route into employment for tenants who are looking for work. Twice a year, tenants are invited to apply regardless of previous experience, with candidates encouraged to bring enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.
Launched in October 2025, ForHousing has so far successfully supported 35 tenants into the TTP. Of these, ten have secured employment and started working at ForHousing and a further two tenants are due to start their new roles shortly.
Additionally, nine tenants have been supported onto the Salford Futures scheme on fixed term contracts, which provides individuals with flexible work experience placements and opportunities to gain employability skills and qualifications.
Applicants are required to submit a CV and a cover letter which will be reviewed as part of the shortlisting process. While registration does not guarantee selection, shortlisted candidates are invited to attend an interview.
Tenants who perform strongly at the interview stage are added to the pool, which ForHousing checks first when roles become available.
For entry-level, administrative, and apprentice roles, two or three high-scoring applicants can be selected for consideration without a further interview. For some specialist roles, high-scoring applicants can be offered an interview before the vacancy is opened more widely.
The TTP was developed to support Greater Manchester Housing Providers’ 20% Movement, an initiative aiming for 20% of the social housing workforce to be made up of tenants by 2034. Most landlords don’t currently measure this, and those that do have between 7-8% of their workforce hailing from social renting households.
The initiative is based on the principle that the housing sector should better represent the communities it serves, recognising lived experience as an asset and the value that tenants can bring to their organisations.
Finding confidence and a new direction
After contacting the Customer Connect Hub, Leigh was put in touch with ForHousing’s Employment Support Service, where the team helped her explore opportunities to develop her skills and move towards employment. Recalling that phone call with the Hub team member, Leigh said: “She reassured me that everything was going to be ok, she assured me that I wouldn’t lose my home.”
In January 2026, ForHousing then arranged an eight-week work experience placement for Leigh with the New Tenancy Support Service, where she was made to feel part of the team from the beginning. She developed new digital and workplace skills, and accompanied colleagues on home visits, helping her to see first-hand the impact that the company has on other tenants.
During her placement, Leigh also attended ForHousing’s colleague-tenant working group, giving her the opportunity to see more of what happens across the organisation. She even attended the Northern Housing Consortium’s Resident Involvement Conference, where she shared her journey and experiences through the TTP.
As the placement progressed, Leigh’s confidence quickly grew. Challenges that had once seemed daunting became easier to tackle, and her enthusiasm and empathetic nature quickly stood out to colleagues.
Turning a placement into a new career
In April 2026, Leigh decided to take the next step and applied to join the TTP. “I was delighted when I was accepted for an interview,” said Leigh, “At the time, I was on my tenth week of an eight-week work placement because I just didn’t want to leave.”
Supported by mentors and colleagues, Leigh attended the interview and successfully joined the TTP. This led her to being considered for a role as an Extra Care Activities Coordinator, where she was offered the role without needing to re-interview.
In just a few months after first contacting ForHousing about her rent, Leigh had become a ForHousing colleague.
Leigh said: “At first, I thought, what have I got to lose? At least I’ll grab a few computer skills along the way, and I’ll get to experience an office job for the first time in my life!
“I was delighted when I was accepted for the interview. For the first time, I feel appreciated and like I fit in. It’s saved me.”
Alicia De Voy, Tenancy Resilience Officer at ForHousing, said: “Seeing Leigh’s confidence grow and her success through our Tenant Talent Pool has been a real career highlight for me.
“I am absolutely delighted to now call her a colleague and cannot wait to see all the amazing things she will go on to do!
“We know tenants bring valuable experience and insight that can help us improve the services we provide. That’s why we’re committed to creating more opportunities for our tenants to become part of our team, helping to ensure lived experience is represented across ForHousing while making a positive impact in our communities.”
ForHousing’s Tenant Talent Pool is currently accepting applications until entry deadline on Monday, 5 October 2026.
ForHousing tenants who are already colleagues can also apply to join the TTP, to explore a wide range of opportunities to progress careers or try new roles within the organisation.
For more information, please visit https://www.forhousing.co.uk/careers/talent-pool/.