Ajman - Arches @ 50 Interview

“Arches is definitely a housing association which punches above its weight”

 Ajman Ali has been a Board member with Arches Housing for seven years now, but he is no stranger to the world of housing as he is currently Executive Director of Neighbourhood Services with Sheffield City Council. Basically there isn’t much that happens in Sheffield that’s housing related without Ajman knowing about it.

When he joined Arches all those years ago, it was a very different organisation than it is today, and Ajman is very proud to have been a critical friend to the Leadership team at Arches and speaks very highly of the team in place steering the organisation. Ajman comments:

“Arches is definitely a housing association which punches above its weight. I think all registered providers are presented with the same challenges; it just depends how you want to tackle them. Arches is an agile organisation who’s leadership team works hard, running a tight ship. Reputationally across the region Arches is held in high esteem for its partnership working and the ability of its staff teams to put customers at the forefront of their plans”.

He continues: “The majority of people understand that Arches has a diverse customer base but it’s how this is embraced and used as a ‘super power’ for community cohesion, that continually impresses me”.

When asked to describe Arches in three words, Ajman was quick to respond with Caring, Nimble and Highly regarded (yes, we know that’s four words!) and he goes on to express his pride for the organisation both now and in the future. He adds:

“I’m proud to be a Board member at Arches, from my many community visits it’s clear to see that the team have the right balances in place. Whilst Arches is centred around its community base, it’s also not afraid to take risks with new developments, creating new communities within already established areas. I’m really looking forward to the next 50 years of Arches. This milestone should be celebrated by everyone, staff, customers, partners and those in our communities”.