Our two newest team members, Laila and Zakiyah, reflect on what it’s like to do the Kickstart Scheme at InCommon.
Why did you choose to apply to InCommon? What were your first impressions and expectations?
L: Having only worked in the retail field for nearly 5 years, I felt it was time for a career change. Retail was never something I wanted to pursue as a career, it was something I did when I was a student at university and needed some extra income. Having thought about leaving for a very long time, I decided it was time to make that step, in hopes of finding a job that would encourage personal growth and self-improvement. My work coach had reached out to me about a job opportunity for a social enterprise and that is when I was introduced to InCommon. After doing some research, I was really fond of their core values and mission to bring everyone of different ages together.
Z: Applying for a role at InCommon did not take much thought at all - I just knew this was the place for me when my work coach introduced me to it. My first impression came from their website - I fell in love with the values of the company and what they do, which is a rare find for me. This carried through when I came in for an interview and then on my first day - it felt like a good fit and I just knew this was the place for me.
What surprised you? What have you learnt?
L: Being a Programme Officer at InCommon and actually being a part of the programmes and intergenerational schemes has its surprises. I was anxious when I started as it was a completely new environment for me but the whole team made me feel very welcomed and at ease which I absolutely loved! Everyone is fantastic at what they do and making sure we all feel included. Rosy, the Programme Manager, has been incredibly helpful with her training sessions, touching on the different software that we use at InCommon as well as different styles of emailing.
Z: What surprised me the most was how close everyone is here, it feels like everyone looks out for each other. I’ve learnt a lot about what InCommon stands for and how important our values are to hold onto as well as follow in everything we do. It is amazingly structured as well - everything has been really clear and I’ve learned a lot of new skills in the few weeks that I’ve been here.
What have been the highlights so far?
L: One of my many highlights was when I had the opportunity to take part in an activity that included baking shortbreads with some students for older residents at a retirement home. This showed me the fun aspects of the programmes that we run. Before I started working at InCommon, I wasn't aware that there was a social enterprise that encourages intergenerational schemes and programmes. When I think about it now, I feel honoured to work for InCommon and be a part of the programmes and schemes we run. I generally feel without InCommon the community would be lacking something really valuable.
Z: My best moments have come from interacting with the schemes and schools we work with. One of my first sessions was in a primary school, meeting the children and starting off with an activity to prepare some audio cards to send to their older neighbours nearby. I never thought about how heartfelt these kinds of activities would be until I saw all the ideas bouncing off the children and the excitement to put a smile on the residents’ faces. I also went along to a coffee morning at one of the sheltered schemes. Although I was not 100% confident in myself at that time, I was still able to shake the nerves with the help from the residents and my colleagues. It was beautiful to see how keen the older people were in wanting to meet with the children for the first time. If I could think of three words to describe my time here so far, I would have to choose pure, driven and heartwarming!
What do you hope for the rest of your time here?
L: I hope to gain more experience and confidence in my role as a Programme Officer, and also focus on further self-development and learning. I do believe I have the potential to gain a great amount of knowledge and learn new skills which will be beneficial for my personal growth in the long run.
Z: I hope to learn more about the ins and outs of InCommon and the impact we have on the schools and schemes we work with. I’m also excited about representing InCommon in different places and sharing the work we do, both inside and outside of work.