A Bit About My Role
My role, given its title, is to direct the delivery of our services across the organisation. Kira and I work closely together to ensure our dedicated Operational Management team have the guidance and support they need, to ensure our services are able to deliver essential interventions to our clients and tenants. I am very cognisant of the fact that the most important, life changing work, is performed by our employees who work directly with our clients and tenants. Thus, I see my role as being essential to making this as easy as possible for those doing the most essential work. This is not always easy, given the national challenges the sector faces, and difficult decisions that sometimes have to be made. However, no one person should be working in a senior role if they can’t approach these challenges in an open and honest way. Another prominent part of my role is that of ‘Nominated Individual’ for our regulated activity under both the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Ofsted. While these keep me busy, they do help in giving the assurances we need that we deliver excellent support to those that need our services. In line with this, I also lead our Clinical Governance work, which is one of the areas of my role I am the most passionate about.
How Long Have I Been with Inspire North?
I am about to spend my 16th summer with the organisation, having started in 2009. Originally this was with Community Links. However, I am proud to have been a part of the original Inspire North, and to now be part of the new Inspire North CBS.
A Career Moment I’m Especially Proud Of
I am really proud of the fact that I have been given the opportunity, over almost 16 years, to work towards a place within the senior leadership team. I started working for the organisation in the summer of 2009 at one of our residential mental health services in Leeds, Alexander House. I have then gone on to work in a number of different roles and undertake a number of different qualifications, that have culminated in my current position. While I am passionate about all the services we deliver, given my origins and consistent connection to our residential mental health services, I am always so proud to see how successful they are, after 30+ years of delivery.
What I Love Most About Working Here
I love the fact, that despite the constant challenges health and social care, housing, and the voluntary sector always come up against, Inspire North is never afraid to rise to the challenge and approach anything in a solution focused way. My preference for working in the voluntary sector is based on the fact its existence is built on working creatively to solve problems more statutory provisions are unable to. Something I believe Inspire North encapsulates brilliantly.
The Value That Resonates Most With Me
As referenced earlier, I believe that the most essential tenant of the organisation is our employees, clients, and tenants. Thus, collaboration resonates the most with me; as it’s essential we collaborate to make sure everyone’s voice is heard.
What I’m Passionate About Outside of Work
I don’t think there is person that has spent anymore than five minutes with me, that would not be able to answer this question. As my husband is consistently reminded, in the hierarchy of the important people in my life, he will always be second to Taylor Alison Swift. I am, come rain or shine, the most prominent West Yorkshire based Swiftie. That being said, my love for music in general, is one of the most important things to me. Music is one of the most essential things I use to regulate my emotions, hence my love for Miss Swift and her perfect lyrical prose. I also have a long-standing, deep-rooted love for Bruce Springsteen, and engaging in a conversation with me about either of these artists, may lose you an hour or four of your day!
As a Swiftie, it’s important I relate anything and everything to her lyrics, so I’ll end this with some of her words that I try to apply to the approach I take at work:
“Never be so polite, you forget your power
Never wield such power, you forget to be polite”
