Spotlight - Meet our members: Paul Lawlor

Discover more about the members of CIH Futures Northern Ireland. Today, we're sitting down with Paul Lawlor, communications officer at the Housing Executive.

How did you start your career in housing?

I wanted to work in an industry that helps people and I think having good quality housing is so important as a foundation for a person’s health and wellbeing. Having worked as a journalist for a number of years I wanted to move into communications and was lucky enough to get a job with the Housing Executive. At the time I wasn’t actively looking for a career in housing but I’m really glad to now be working in this industry.

What do you love about your job?

One of my main tasks is to promote the great work the Housing Executive do and I love meeting community groups that have been awarded money as part of our community grants. The funding is used for a wide variety of schemes that benefit local communities and I love having the opportunity to write about these projects.

What has been your most memorable experience working in housing and why was it so special?

Getting positive coverage into newspapers is always a memorable experience because I think it’s important to highlight the hard work and dedication of Housing Executive staff. There’s so much work that goes into making a difference in communities which can sometimes go unnoticed and it’s very rewarding to help give them the attention they deserve.