I can’t believe that it’s been a whole half term since I started at PIE, time truly does fly when you’re having fun! When I was teaching, the end of a half term was always a good time to reflect, so here we go!
My favourite bits so far
I have realised over the last few months, school will always be my natural working habitat. Nothing compares to working with young people and their amazing teachers. I have LOVED visiting all the different schools we work with, they’re different in many ways but it’s clear they all believe it’s important for young people to leave school as well rounded individuals. Everyone has been so welcoming and teachers really do such a great job. (I’m obviously not biased here…!)
What I’ve enjoyed
I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve enjoyed everything so far (even the longer commutes, later evenings and stationery explosions!). I’m going to narrow it down to my top 3:
1) Getting involved in community work. It’s so great to see the impact of all the work we do beyond the school setting and how much the young people value and are grateful for these opportunities.
2) The variety in my work. I’ve not had a week that looks the same…yet! One day I’ll be at a school in Blackpool, the next day I’ll be in Woodley working on STUFF magazine and after that I’ll be at a meeting with other social enterprises. I love it!
3) Working in a team of women. There are so many women who work at and with PIE, all bringing something different to the team. I also love where our office is based, at the Flourish Heaton Chapel Hub: there’s always someone on hand to help, have a hot drink or a laugh with.
Things I’ve learned
The social enterprise world is not something I was fully aware existed to be honest. But there are SO many amazing not-for-profits, especially in Stockport. They operate in a different way to businesses (which I’m still learning about!) but the work they all do is really interesting!
I’ve also grown personally in so many ways, working at PIE has allowed me to realise how much better I work when I’m given sufficient time, space and trust. I have never worked with a better leader than Beth – she is personable, understanding and knows how important having a healthy work life balance is.
Final thoughts
For some, a career change would be a daunting and negative experience – but my experience couldn’t be more different. Thankyou Beth for showing me that work can have purpose, fulfil your passions and blend seamlessly with your personal life. I feel so lucky to be able to call this work! I’m looking forward to all the exciting ventures with PIE coming up – especially starting Into the Mix projects, learning more about how social enterprises work and getting involved in more community programmes.