Secondary school pupils taking one of the new Diplomas launched this week will be the first ever to have a chance to study housing.

According to the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), this is a vital first step to educating young people about one of the most important areas of life.

CIH, the professional body for people working in housing and communities, helped develop the Construction and the Built Environment Diploma and ensured that housing was on the school curriculum for the first time. As part of the Diploma CIH has designed two specialist qualifications at Level 2 and Level 3 in the management of built assets giving pupils the chance to learn about different types of housing tenure, how housing services are provided and how individuals can influence decisions within a community.


Sarah Webb, CIH Chief Executive, said: "Perhaps if the Built Environment Diploma had been in place 20 years ago we wouldn't now be seeing soaring repossession levels. We don't teach our kids about one of the most fundamental life-skills - housing - and then we expect them to make rational decisions as adults. That’s one of the reasons I’m so proud that CIH is part of the Government's new Diplomas."

(CD/JM)