If I Had One WISH

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, host Jayne Entwistle interviews Crystal Hicks, the president of WISH, about her career journey in the housing sector, her role as president, and the impactful See Her campaign. Crystal shares insights on balancing work and family life, the importance of community support, and advice for the next generation. She emphasizes the need for the housing sector to rediscover its purpose and the significance of women's equality in the industry.

Summary

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal & Helen engage with Tracy Harrison, CEO of the Northern Housing Consortium, discussing the current state and future of housing in the North.

They explore the importance of regeneration, the need for a positive workplace culture, and the role of female leadership in driving change. The conversation emphasizes collaboration among housing organizations and the necessity of innovative strategies to ensure equitable housing solutions for all.

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal Hicks and co-host Honey Premial engage in a profound conversation with Bishop Guli Francis-Dehqani, who shares her inspiring journey from being a refugee from Iran to becoming a prominent leader in the Church of England.

The discussion delves into the pressing housing crisis in the UK, the implications of the Coming Home Report, and the Church's role in addressing these challenges. Bishop Guli emphasizes the importance of community, collaboration, and a long-term strategy to tackle housing issues, while also sharing her experiences in the House of Lords and her vision for the future of housing in the UK.

In this episode of the 'If I Had One Wish' podcast, Crystal Hicks and Vikki Kirkwood engage with Grania Long, Chief Executive of the Ireland Housing Executive, discussing her journey into social housing, the challenges faced in the sector, and the importance of child protection.

Grania shares insights on the current state of homelessness in Northern Ireland, the need for community building, and her optimistic vision for the future of social housing as a vital infrastructure.

The conversation emphasizes the interconnectedness of housing, social issues, and the necessity for ongoing collaboration and learning within the sector.

In this episode of the If I Had One Wish podcast, Crystal Hicks and Michelle Donovan engage with Gera, a seasoned professional in the social housing sector. Gera shares her journey into social housing, the challenges faced by women in leadership roles, and the importance of recruitment in finding change agents within the sector.

The conversation also touches on the significance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in social housing, and concludes with Gera's wishes for the future of the sector, emphasising the need for women to seize opportunities and for the sector to reflect on its leadership representation.

In this episode of 'If I Had One Wish', host Crystal Hicks speaks with Viki Fox, a policy and participation manager at Cyrenians and a trustee of Crisis and St. Martin's. Viki shares her personal journey through homelessness, her professional experiences in the sector, and her insights on the current state of homelessness in Scotland.

The conversation highlights the importance of lived experience in shaping policies, the need for collaboration between housing and homelessness sectors, and the critical role of prevention in addressing homelessness.

In today's episode Crystal is joined by Hannah Locke from our WISH Midlands Board.

Crystal and Hannah are in conversation with Lara Oyedele. As an ex-president of CIH and CEO of Black on Board, Lara is an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Lara talks through her journey from being homeless to becoming a powerful voice in the sector.

Lara's campaign as President of CIH 'In Her Shoes' was a catalyst for positive change in the sector, however in this episode we explore the work we still have to do including understanding the drive behind Black on Board, Lara's strategic response in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement.

Join Crystal and Chair of WISH South West, Sinead Lee in conversation with Tracey McEachran, the first President for WISH. In this episode, Tracey reflects on her time with WISH, the differences she has seen and the opportunities for future growth.

Crystal and Sinead delve into the heart of Tracey's 'Hear Her Voice' campaign and the events that triggered it and how this is a problem for everyone. Tracey educates us on the importance of using our right sided brain, and the criticality of becoming our true selves.

In this episode Crystal is joined by Sarah Schofield from our North Wales Board.

Crystal and Sarah talk with Aileen Evans - as retired CEO of Grand Union, and ex-president of CIH, Aileen talks us through the change from aspirations as an orchestra musician, to a truly influential leader in our sector.

Aileen is an advocate for mental health, and her CIH campaign 'Shine A Light' puts a focus on how the mental health of our customers and colleagues is perceived. In this episode, we look at Aileen's personal experiences and how together we can raise the sectors game on mental health.

Past-President of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Jill is a force for good in the housing sector. We dig into her 'Be EPIC' campaign in this episode, as well as her work advocating for veterans experiencing homelessness.

Jill gives an authentic view of her experiences of the housing sector, how it has changed and where we need to go next.