Teresa's story - Black History Month

This Black History Month, we are sharing stories of the great work done by our Black members of staff, celebrating how they make a positive difference in our communities every day.

Teresa Hammond is from Caerphilly and joined United Welsh two years ago as a Customer Engagement Coordinator. Teresa is about to start a new secondment as a Neighbourhood Assistant supporting our tenants.

“I have always lived in Caerphilly and I actually now live in my childhood home, so from my own experience I appreciate how central your home is to your life.

“In my current role in the Customer Engagement team, I’m the first point of contact for everyone who calls United Welsh.

No two days are the same and no two calls are the same, but no matter how the caller is feeling, be it happy, distressed or angry, we take each moment as it comes and pride ourselves on being supportive and professional. I hope people will remember me as someone who is very helpful, caring and friendly.

“This is my first job in housing. Before joining United Welsh in 2019, I worked for Gwent Police for over 25 years in a civilian role. It was a big change to move into a different sector, but a highlight has been all the new skills and knowledge I have gained.

“The Customer Engagement Coordinator role is so important. The customer service we offer gives the first impression of United Welsh to the caller and we have to be proactive problem solvers.

“I’m pleased that the skills I have learnt in this role have helped me to gain a six-month secondment as a Neighbourhood Assistant. I’ll be using my communication skills I have learnt from the phones to support tenants face-to-face and to help our team of Neighbourhood Officers with tenancy management.

“The top three things I like about my job are working with a fabulous team, helping people, and the flexibility. Working with United Welsh is great – they have supported me personally in the last year and I don’t think many other companies or organisations would have supported me like United Welsh has. They are very caring for their staff and everyone is so friendly.

“I’m looking forward to starting my secondment and going out to meet tenants soon.”