Margaret Follon is the Chair of the HOS board. Margaret first came across Housing Options Scotland when she was trying to leave hospital and needed help with her housing. Now she works alongside our board members helping to guide the direction of the charity. Grab a cuppa and have a read as we chat with Margaret.
Tell me about how you came to be involved with HOS
I was in Astley Ainslie recovering from a spinal abscess which had to be removed and repaired, the combination of which caused nerve damage to my spine. I wasn’t able to walk for some time afterwards. I needed quite a lot of intensive physio for a period of time. Towards the end of my stay in hospital the social worker and consultant were keen for me to go home . This was a 3rd floor flat but I couldn’t manage the stairs. There was no alternative offered. As a homeowner it felt like I had no options.
Under some pressure from the hospital staff I put the house on the market. It was all very stressful. Then, by pure chance, someone recommended this charity to me and along came Fraser. He sat down with me and pointed out all the possibilities. There were options I wasn’t aware I had. I applied through Edindex for social housing and a housing assessment was carried out. I was awarded ‘Urgent Gold Status’ as I was effectively homeless. As a result of that, I was offered the house I’m in now and I’ve been here for 12 years.
It changed my life. I don’t know what the alternative would have been. I’ve been involved ever since.
Tell me about your role and what you do
I’ve been on the board as a member for 12 years, then maybe 6 or 7 years as Chair. I chair the board meetings and the AGMs and occasionally give some speeches! I get the opportunity to represent HOS at various events which has been really fascinating for me. I’ve also joined HOS colleagues in training. Sometimes, at organisations, training is just for the staff but at HOS the board is always included in relevant training opportunities. It makes us feel part of the organisation in a meaningful way.
Representing HOS is a real privilege. And away days we’ve had, as a board, have been an opportunity for the charity to look at how we’re developing strategically. We never stay put and are always evolving because the housing situation evolves. The board look at the strategic landscape and we make sure we’re evolving at the right pace.
Tell me about the board at HOS
We’ve got a very good mixture of long standing board members who offer a huge range of experience, advice and support and then we’ve got people who have joined more recently. The great thing is we have a range of expertise from ex-clients to professionals, such as architects and others from the housing sector. We gel together as result of all our differences. Nobody feels that what they bring to the table is less or more than anyone else. The people with professional experience contribute that and myself and others bring our experiences as clients. There’s also a mixture of age ranges, it’s a dynamic group.
What do you think are some of the challenges faced by our clients?
Housing can be a minefield. The challenges are as wide and varied as the number of individuals themselves. The move to everything online is difficult for people not familiar with online, uncomfortable with it or who just can’t do it. It’s a barrier.
Applications are online and it’s difficult to speak to someone who can see you through the maze. In Glasgow for example, there are many housing associations with different application forms. The difficulty of taking that first step is eased by an organisation like HOS coming in.
For people who are vulnerable, for example people coming out of the military, who’s life is turned upside down, the access and communication barriers are some of the biggest ones. It goes without saying that the housing is not always available but even getting to that point is a challenge.
What one thing could change that would make things easier for our clients?
One point of contact. If council’s had that and the individual knew who they could speak to I think that would make a huge difference.
Tell me about any little quirks about the way we work at HOS that works for you?
Well I like quirks, I don’t like rigid predictability and I don’t think you could ever say HOS is rigid. Flexible working means the team can respond quickly, the team are based in different parts of the country which reflects that we’re countrywide. I think using different places for meetings helps the feeling that we are flexible and Scotland-wide and being in different places means you meet a variety of people. The flexibility in both working practice and our approach to supporting clients and the team is one of the things I really like about being around HOS.
Tell me about your favourite home and what makes a house a home?
Well, I have lived in 18 houses. The first 9 were furnished, rented accommodation as I was a nurse and then married a medical student who became a doctor and we moved around because of that, from Dundee to Chester, to Nantwich to Warrington and back to Dundee. My favourite home is somewhere I can decorate that feels like my own, having your own things around you, having your personality stamped on a place. The building itself for me, over the years, is not so important.
What is your favourite thing about volunteering on the board for HOS?
The different people I’ve met over the years, absolutely. And being part of an organsiation I can see developing and is always responsive. It’s really a privilege to be involved.
Tell me about what you get up to outside of your volunteering with HOS?
I spend a lot of my year travelling to see family in England and Ireland, especially my grandchildren. Over the last few years I have discovered wild swimming, I sea swim in Edinburgh. I haven’t been for a few weeks and I’m missing it. I’ve met a lot of interesting people through that.
What’s coming up next for you at HOS?
We had a really good and enjoyable anniversary event. It was a pleasure to be there. I’m looking forward to contributing to the development of the future of HOS, such as the direction of projects like Military Matters and how, as a board, we will respond to changes and continue to be dynamic and positive. There’s always something new around the corner.