Looking beyond the front door: Year 10 students discover the people behind Trivallis

Three Year 10 students recently spent a week at Trivallis, gaining first hand experience of the many different teams that work together to support tenants and communities across Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Throughout the week, Tomos, Tayah and Samuel visited departments from Communications and Housing to Community Involvement, People Services and Development, giving them a behind the scenes look at the work that keeps the organisation running.

Before arriving, all three students had a similar understanding of Trivallis as a housing association. By the end of the week, they had discovered a much broader picture.

Tomos said: “Before I came, I knew they were a housing association and helped people who maybe aren’t as fortunate. But being in the offices for a week and seeing all the different things that go on has been very eye opening.”

One of the biggest surprises for the students was the variety of roles across the organisation.

Tayah said: “It surprised me how many different types of things fit in this one building.”

Having spent time with the Communications team, she was particularly interested in the planning and creativity involved in producing content.

“I didn’t know how much was going on. There are different schedules for posts to be put up, all the editing on videos, and it really surprised me.”

For Samuel, the highlight of the week was meeting colleagues across the organisation and seeing the commitment they bring to supporting tenants.

“I’ve actually got quite positive opinions of Trivallis now that I’ve seen the people who work here and what it’s like,” he said.

“The thing that surprised me the most was how friendly and helpful everyone is, not just with each other but with tenants. They’re genuinely trying to help.”

The placements also encouraged students to think differently about their future careers.

Tomos admitted that before the experience he had never imagined himself working in an office environment.

“I’ve always thought I would hate to work in an office, but being in that environment has turned my head a bit. It’s not as bad as I pictured it to be, and it’s opened a door for me that maybe I wouldn’t have considered before.”

By the end of the week, all three students agreed that work experience had given them valuable insight into the world of work and the wide range of opportunities available within organisations like Trivallis.

Through the placements, the students gained a greater understanding of the people, services and teams that work together to support communities across Rhondda Cynon Taf, while exploring career paths they may not have previously considered.

Reflecting on his experience, Tomos said: “It’s opened a door for me that maybe I wouldn’t have considered before.”

Opportunities like these help young people build confidence, develop new skills and gain valuable insight into the many career paths available within organisations like Trivallis.