Why getting involved matters: Alison’s lived experience driving positive change
Alison became an involved customer after moving into a Platform home during a trying time in her life: “I was so happy to be allocated a lovely new home during an extremely difficult time that I wanted to give something back as a way of showing my gratitude.”
What started as an interest in social housing quickly became a rewarding way for Alison to contribute, learn and make a difference.
Learning, growth and confidence
Being involved has helped Alison build confidence, develop new skills and meet people from across Platform and beyond.
“I’ve learned so much, met great people and picked up new skills that have helped me over the years.” said Alison.
Through different involvement roles, Alison has also gained insight into how Platform works and how decisions impact customers, adding: “I’ve seen a small housing association grow into the large organisation it is today and learned how it operates as a landlord. I’ve also seen colleagues join and grow within the organisation and I’m always proud to see that Platform are among the better housing providers in the country.”
Making a real difference
Alison feels that she and her fellow involved customers are making a real difference: “I’m proud to be helping shape the services that all customers receive from Platform, by putting forward ideas that have been acted on and by holding Platform to account when customer service isn’t right.”
Being an involved customer has also helped Alison build confidence and develop new skills: “Through working with Platform colleagues and other customers, I’ve learned how to raise issues effectively, share my experiences and make sure customer voices are heard.”
For Alison, getting involved has been a positive and empowering experience, leading to her being successfully appointed as Chair of the Scrutiny Panel in 2025.
Why customer voice matters
For Alison, customer involvement is essential to shaping services that truly work: “We see things first-hand as customers, so it’s important that experience is shared when decisions are being made.”
She believes strong customer panels bring individual voices together to create meaningful impact: “All our single voices coming together make a much louder voice.”
Thinking about getting involved?
Alison’s advice is simple: “Give it a go! You have nothing to lose and so much to gain; new skills, confidence and the knowledge that your voice really counts.”
She adds that involvement isn’t just rewarding, it’s valuable too: “All these experiences are great to add to a CV and help build skills for the future.”
