How long have you been working at Youth Opportunities?
I have been working at YO for nearly three years. I started in May after arriving from the UK in 2019.
What does the best day at working at Youth Opportunities look like for you?
I love my job and am blessed to be surrounded by some talented people.
My Youth Opps pizza has quite a few slices, and each is a little different.
One pizza slice is about the overall management of the organisation and meeting to allow us to better work across the business with consistency and one mission, vision, and operational cohesiveness.
Another pizza slice is the best bit of management which is the ability to support, empower and motivate my direct line reports who take such pride in their work.
The third pizza slice I would like in my day actually involves personal learning where I get the chance to see what is happening outside in the world for others in our business, the needs of young people, and good practice in program delivery for young people.
Four pizza slices are a lot, but my 4th piece is my last, this piece fills my cup up when I spend time in the training room, delivering training to young people or staff where I get to do what I do best. By engaging people in a fun and exciting way, developing a space that is safe and nurturing, we explore and learn together.
What have you learnt from one of our graduates?
This is a great question that has made me reflect hard and step into my memory banks.
I think the most impressed and amazed I have been since I arrived in SA was watching a graduate who was just starting Year 12 tell me that Youth Opportunities has saved her education.
I asked why that was the case and she told me that she had recently been awarded a laptop as a scholarship and was unable to learn at school as it was so noisy, difficult with people messing about, and no quiet space to work.
Her laptop enabled her to be able to work at home. I learnt that some people need different things to find success.
What do you wish you at 15 knew now after experiencing the YO program?
I wish I had better communication skills and better understood the impact I had on others. Communications Codes for me at 15 were nonexistent, and I often struggled to make sustainable friendships. If I had a better understanding of this space at 15 years old I believe I would have been more successful in my education and gone to Uni at 19 years old, and not 26 years old as I did.
Which of our Personal Leadership tools do you use most in your own life?
As a leader at Youth Opportunities, I probably use the Coaching Model every day in my daily interactions exploring solutions, considering decisions, and working collaboratively with others.
I have a great job and I am very lucky.