A unique partnership set to transform the way in which talent is recruited into the social housing sector has been launched this week.

Six major social housing organisations have joined forces with top web based talent management technology providers, JGP (publishers of Jobsgopublic.com) to provide MyHousingCareer.com, a specialist jobsboard and career service for the social housing sector.

The launch partners are
• The Notting Hill Housing Group – one of the UK’s largest housing associations
• Shelter - the housing and homeless charity;
• Housing 21 - a major national provider of services for older people;
• Genesis Housing Group – homes/services provider across London;
• Estuary Housing Association – housing provider in Essex and London;
• Homes for Islington - ALMO managing Islington’s rented/leasehold houses

As well as improving service delivery and reducing time and cost per hire, the partnership will enable the housing sector to work collaboratively to develop new recruitment channels and strategies to bring in talented people from the private sector as well as attracting a more diverse workforce, from the BME community, people with disabilities and women – all currently under represented.

The strong collective employer brand will attract a greater flow of talent into the sector and by working together the various organisations can ensure that talented, yet currently unsuccessful candidates, can be nurtured for the future.

Will Fuller, Resourcing Manager for Housing 21 said: “By working collaboratively rather than competitively we can take advantage of economies of scale, can think more strategically and can be more innovative as an employer, sharing best practice and ideas for the benefit of the sector as a whole”.

“Working as a launch partner gives us the opportunity to raise our profile and enables us to have a better understanding of sector wide recruitment issues while using the jobsboard to find suitable solutions”, said Mark Keeble, Deputy Director of HR for Genesis Housing Group.

The benefits of MyHousingCareer.com include:
• On-line application forms
• A daily vacancies e-mail to active jobseekers
• Straightforward, accessible and user friendly processes
• An automated candidate feedback facility and
• Shorter recruitment timescales greatly enhancing efficiency and affordability

JGP’s Founder, Richard Tyrie said: “This unique partnership will enable us to address skills shortages in the social housing sector by sharing talent across organisational boundaries and developing talent pools. We will be able to modernise and streamline the recruitment process, reach a diverse audience and cut costs. A real win, win for all”.

can ensure that key managers and customer service staff will have the training they need to enable them to deliver first class public services right across the region – great news for all public sector service users”.

The project launched in December 2006 will continue throughout 2007.