Lauren Trouten

Working within the membership and communications team to deliver all aspects of the corporate strategy, Lauren provides support across a wide range of functions with a specific focus on events, membership and communications. This includes:

• sustaining existing and growing new membership
• improving the image and understanding of the industry
• leading event organisation and delivery
• delivering and measuring all internal and external communications as required, including social media

Leading our events function, Lauren has responsibility for the management and delivery of our flagship annual lunch and awards as well as other key events. She has overseen our programme of virtual events, ensuring members remain updated and informed where in-person events have not been possible and delivered our first virtual hustings, bringing members and politicians together to discuss key housing issues ahead of the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary elections.

Lauren is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. She is a qualified Mental Health First Aider.

“Having studied journalism at university, I was always interested in a role involving communications and this has grown over the years to incorporate our events function. I love the variety of the role – from liaising with potential new members on the benefits of joining our organisation to planning a new event or keeping members updated on key policy issues via our communications channels, no day is the same.”

“During my third and fourth years at university I lived in private rented accommodation with my now husband. Whilst we loved having our own space and peace and quiet to study away from the traditional student halls of residence, it was certainly a steep learning curve at times! Our first flat had a serious damp problem and a less than sympathetic landlord.

After graduating, we moved to Edinburgh and into another rented flat which was close to both of our new workplaces. Whilst it was affordable for us at the time, the lack of central heating and resident mice meant we didn’t stay long. We got lucky with our next flat which was just around the corner but a million miles away from our past experiences. The rent was affordable, the landlord was reasonable and the flat really felt like home. We stayed for two and a half years before we decided that the time was right to consider buying our own property. We knew that we wanted to plan for the future and buy a house rather than a flat, but quickly found that we were priced-out of a number of areas within Edinburgh. With our search taking us further afield than originally planned, we viewed (and were lucky enough to purchase) a stunning 3-bedroom end terrace property in Fife complete with extension, two small gardens and views across the Forth.

Ten years later, and we are still very much in love with our unique home. There’s so much space for our young son and daughter (and greyhound!) that we won’t be moving anytime soon.“