I have been involved in the voluntary sector in Sheffield for more than 20 years since I worked with a local group to set up and run a charity delivering childcare and play activities for children. From there I moved into various paid roles within the sector including as the manager of a charity, accountable to a board of trustees. I have also been a trustee of a local and a regional charity.
My role at VAS enables me to put my experience of the huge rewards and challenges of working in the sector to good use. I love the face to face work with people that my job involves and get real satisfaction from developing and supporting lots of amazing groups across the city making a real difference.
As VCS Support Officer I work with local groups, helping them to find the support and information they need to develop and be resilient.
My work in Lunch Club Referrals involves matching people with clubs, and dealing with referrals from all over Sheffield.
I have worked for VAS since 2009 because I agree with the values of cooperation, support, diversity and creativity that symbolise the third sector.
I’ve worked with VAS since 2007 and I’ve been involved with the Lunch Club Referrals Service since it started in 2014. I’ve learned a lot from the conversations I’ve had with older people in Sheffield and I feel privileged to work alongside Lunch Club organisers in the city, who give freely of their time to make life better for the people they support.
I am the chair of the Social Care Institute for Excellence Co-production Steering Group and I try to uphold the coproduction principles of accessibility, diversity, equality and reciprocity (or getting something back for putting something in) in my day to day working life.
I also work as an Influence and Participation Coach with national Mind and I have been actively involved in mental health survivor groups since 1989.