Meet the team: Jonathan Conway, Family Engagement Worker

Hi, I’m Jon, and I’ve been at United Welsh just over a month.

Before that, I’ve worked in housing for a little over 21 years. I’ve done a few different jobs, but my passion has been, at least for the last 15 years, working with the community. I love identifying the value of lived experience and using that to help make real, meaningful, and effective change for people, though not everyone gets it.

So, how have I found working at United Welsh? In all honesty, very different. My experience has been that not all housing associations understand that engagement needs to be with our communities, and on their terms, to get the best out of it for both them and us. However, at United Welsh, I already feel empowered to go out and do what’s right. I haven’t had managers tell me how we have to engage. I have been actively encouraged to explore what the communities need, from their perspective, and to work with them to help them develop local solutions to local problems.

I work for the Working Families project, which aims to work with families struggling with in-work poverty. Working co-productively to help them develop local, bespoke activities, to help make the world a little better one piece at a time. I feel trusted to go out into those communities, to engage and assist, to build the confidence of people that are more capable than they know. I feel like United Welsh has faith in my skills and experience, and that is a breath of fresh air.

I’ve really enjoyed my first month at United Welsh. Thank you for making me feel welcome!