This Summer, as part of my Laidlaw Leadership in Action project (LiA), I had a highly rewarding opportunity to work at Unlocking Potential (UP), a UK charity dedicated to removing the barriers to success in life posed by mental health challenges to children and young adults. Having successfully overcome mental health challenges during my childhood, I was particularly driven to excel in my role, understanding that my efforts could contribute positively impacting sour community, such as by informing the expansion of the reach of provision of free mental health treatments across London and beyond or by making UP more resilient to operational challenges that it could face in the future. This experience, while deeply rewarding and personal, also frequently brought me beyond my comfort zone. It was not only my first-ever time working in a charity but also a learning exercise that tremendously helped me to expand my existing skillset, as well as cultivate new, amazing connections.
In my capacity as a project development manager, I was tasked with producing a research report aimed at informing the expansion of UP’s Schools Programme, which delivers free mental health services in schools across 10 London boroughs. My responsibilities included conducting a comprehensive quantitative analysis on the socio-economic conditions of the remaining 22 boroughs and subsequently presenting the resultant analysis to my supervisor. My principal objective was to identify boroughs where UP’s interventions were most required, thereby facilitating an efficient allocation of resources, and making sure that those who need help the most will be able to access it. My conclusions were based on a wide range of borough-specific socio-economic indicators, such as the proportion of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or projected future changes in school funding.
However, my role also included a wide spectrum of other fascinating tasks. For instance, I produced a forecast of potential long-term ramifications of the recent Labour Party victory in the general elections on the demand for UP’s services, as well as conducted research to help UP in better distinguishing the nature of services it delivers from those delivered its competitors.
Throughout my LiA project, I focused on attaining three SMART goals: enhancing my quantitative research abilities, which, in my view, were not as strong as I wanted them to be, as well as refining the way I plan various long-term tasks. Previously, I often miscalculated the time required to complete extended projects such as university coursework or research reports. Therefore, my LiA presented a unique opportunity to refine this skill in a professional setting. Lastly, my third SMART goal was to enhance my interpersonal skills by building strong professional relationships with my supervisor and colleagues and by actively integrating into the team.
Now, I am very proud to say that, throughout my project, I was largely successful in achieving my SMART goals. Although I initially underestimated the time required to compile a research report on the Schools Programme, I progressively learned to segment such extensive projects into smaller, more manageable tasks, enabling more accurate time estimations for each phase. I also substantially advanced my quantitative research and analysis skills; notably, I learned to utilize Excel to its full potential. I also significantly enhanced my ability to strike an optimal balance between information and engagement in PowerPoint presentations, something I previously struggled with. Additionally, I was able to successfully adapt to the social environment in the office, successfully finding new connections, and significantly enhancing my networking skills. This enriching experience has demonstrated my high level of adaptability to new social and professional environments, further solidifying my understanding of leadership as a collaborative effort toward positive social change. Even though during my LiA I was not directly involved in on-the-ground work, the research I conducted has positively impacted UP’s approach to service delivery, helping to ensure that numerous children and teenagers across the country have an opportunity to succeed both academically and professionally.
To conclude, my time at UP was time well spent. I developed a wide range of instrumental applied skills and became a more proficient quantitative researcher. I also met some amazing people who supported me through the process, were incredibly understanding, and helpful in achieving my SMART goals. Therefore, I would like to use this post as an opportunity to once again say a massive thank you to Helen Twigg, my supervisor, and Cassie Oakeshott, the CEO of UP!
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