Housing Options Scotland is delighted to welcome Hilary from the University of St Andrews into the team as part of her ScotGEM placement. Learn more about Hilary below:
1. Tell me a bit about yourself – what’s your background?
Hello, my name is Hilary and I am a first-year medical student on the Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine (ScotGEM) programme at the University of St Andrews and Dundee University. I previously studied Applied Sport and Exercise Science and have worked in London and Aberdeen in various sports coaching and exercise rehabilitation roles.
2. What’s your role at Housing Options Scotland – can you tell me a bit about what you’ll be working on?
I am volunteering with Housing Options Scotland as part of a placement through my course. My main role is to help with creating case studies about clients who have been helped by Housing Options Scotland and giving them an opportunity to share their experience in their own words.
3. What are you most excited about now you’ve started at HOS?
I have enjoyed learning about the housing sector as this is a completely new area for me and finding out the many ways that HOS supports people with their housing situations. It is great to have the opportunity to develop my communication skills as I speak to HOS clients and learn about the impact of housing on overall health and wellbeing for individuals and families. I have a range of experiences as a volunteer from cooking for homeless night shelters, supporting people living with cancer and lots of experience in promoting sport and physical activity to people of different ages. Volunteering with HOS is a new challenge for me but one that I have enjoyed so far and value the wonderful support from the HOS team in helping me to settle into my role.
4. Outside of work, what sorts of things do you get up to?
I love to run, cycle, and walk – especially with friends and by the beaches in St Andrews. My husband and I are massive sports fans, so we enjoy watching lots of sports, particularly the Six Nations rugby at the moment, and trying out new sports together like tennis. I also enjoy cooking and am currently cooking dishes from around the world with my husband and a friend. We’ve managed to dine in 21 countries so far this year!