Accreditation of Canadian Housing Professionals

Howie Wong, Chief Operating Officer, Housing Services Corporation

Martin Winn, Director of Professional Development, Chartered Institute of

Housing

Paul Tennant, Group Chief executive, Orbit Group and Vice President,

Chartered Institute of Housing

HSC: Who We Are

HSC Legislated Objects:

1.To improve the operation, efficiency and long-term sustainability of housing providers that provide housing for moderate and low-income households.

2.To improve the management, maintenance and long-term sustainability and viability of the physical assets of housing providers that provide housing for moderate and low-income households.

3.To improve the quality of life of residents in housing for moderate and low-income households.

• Established in 2002 as the Social Housing Services Corporation under the Social Housing Reform Act

• Mandated by legislation to deliver programs to benefit Ontario’s affordable housing sector

• Housing Services Act, 2011, reaffirmed our role and broadened our objects as a result of our successful track record in meeting sector needs:

• Insurance • Bulk purchasing programs• Research, education and training• Capital Reserve Investment Management• Tenant insurance• Energy & Asset management• Program support (SHRRP, OPA, Infrastructure Ontario)• Partnerships (sector working groups, research, program funding and

delivery, private/public)

• HSC board is made up of a cross-section of our clients with representation from across the province

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• Committed to raising the profile of social housing and encouraging youth to pursue a career in housing

• Committed to building capacity in the sector

• Committed to working with sector organizations

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HSC Sector Renewal Investigation

SectorRenewal

Recruitment&

Induction

ContinuousProfessionalDevelopment

Professionalization&

Accreditation

• Engaged the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) to assist with investigation of Accreditation options. Specifically to:• Develop an Accreditation Framework

• Explore potential qualification routes for accreditation

• Explore the potential to develop a professional body for housing in Canada

• Consultations with sector took place in November 2011 and February 2012

• Accreditation meetings in UK in February 2012

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CIH Involvement

• Established in 1918 by Royal Charter as the professional body for the housing sector

• Non-profit organization; registered charity

• 22,000 plus members in over 20 countries

• Influence with us

• Improve with us

• Learn with us

CIH: Background

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• Personal• Member 1982; qualified 1985; Fellow 1993

• Professional qualification; continuous development

• Designed to support my needs; change with career needs

• Organizational• Training; qualifications; policy guide

• Academy; accreditation; people development

• Address our transformation agenda; strategic alliance

• Sector• Education; standards; ethics

• Policy lead; lobby; engage with broader church

• Respond to changing world; transformation agenda

What CIH Means to me

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• CIH Accredits housing education programmes at

over 100 centres in the UK

• We also accredit programmes in Hong Kong,

China, Macau, Taiwan, Australia, Republic of

Ireland, and Holland

• Intermediary between employers and education

providers

Professional accreditation

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• Purpose • Develop a specification that outlines the knowledge and skills of a qualified

housing professional in Ontario

• Explore accreditation program delivery options and models that meet the needs of the sector

• Consultations were held in November 2011 and February 2012

• Wide range of stakeholders consulted from across the province (Service managers, non-profits, co-ops, LHCs and Sector Organizations – ONPHA, CHF, IHM, OMSSA)

• Map of what housing professionals in Ontario do – and the skills and knowledge required

• Specification setting out the outcomes required from an accredited education program

Ontario Methodology

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• Positive feedback from sector - desire for

accreditation that is meaningful and challenging

• Qualification needs to be tiered, to recognize the

different levels at which housing staff operate

• Certified Housing Practitioner (Level 1)

• Chartered CIH Member (Level 2)

• Honour what currently exists, while creating a

new paradigm for professionalization in sector9

Ontario Accreditation Framework

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Certified Housing Practitioner: Routes to Accreditation

ChallengeExams

CertifiedHousing

Practitioner(Level 1)

IHM

HSC

ONPHA

OtherTraining &Education

Experience

CHF

OMSSA

Knowledge pathways tosupport preparation forChallenge Exams

Social HousingFramework

ManagingBuildings

HousingManagement

Managing Peopleand

Organizations

Routes to Accreditation - Certified Housing Practitioner (Level 1)

ExemptionPathwaysfor select

Challenge Exams

OtherAccredited

Courses

REIC

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Chartered CIH Member: Routes to Accreditation

CharteredCIH Member

(Level 2)

Distance Learning

Short-IntensiveResidential Events

Program

University/CollegeProgram

Routes to Accreditation - Chartered CIH Member (Level 2)

• Recognize existing Ontario courses & work

experience within a CIH qualification framework

• All Ontario courses can continue with value-added

CIH credit recognition

• Increase collective value of Ontario sector offerings

through the CIH process

• CIH will offer gap-filler courses for accreditation

• Customized CIH-Ontario accreditation framework

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Opportunities for CIH/Ontario Collaboration

CIH-Canada Business:

•Membership services (includes International membership to CIH)

•Distance learning programs

•Challenge exams

•Accredit College/University programs

Seeking provincial involvement:

•Locally-led

•Flexible model

CIH-Canada…beyond Ontario

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• What efforts around Accreditation are currently

underway in other Provinces?

• How are other Provinces establishing and

elevating standards for housing professionals?

• Where do Canadian housing professionals go

for designations and accreditation now?

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Discussion

Thank you

© 2012 Housing Services Corporation

Howie WongCOO, Housing Services Corporation390 Bay Street, Suite 710 Toronto, ON Canada M5H 2Y2

P: 416 594 9325 x. 252 | Toll Free: 1 866 268 4451 F: 416 594 9422 E: hwong@hscorp.ca