We thought it might be nice to give you a peek behind the curtain to see what happens behind the scenes in the Fair4All Card team. This week, Cary talks about their typical week.
As a uni student, I’m balancing quite a lot. I have my lectures to go to, notes to make and assignments to complete just for starters. Add in my uni volunteering roles, and the fact that I also need to take breaks so I don’t burn out, and it’s already a pretty busy week. And of course, we can’t forget all of the works that goes into the Fair4All Card Scheme. Even I sometimes wonder how I fit everything in!
There’s no standard Fair4All week for me – my role requirements and my timetable vary quite a lot so I rely on my calendar to make sure everything happens when it should.
My Fair4All week usually starts on Monday afternoons with our team meetings. I lead the meetings, keeping notes as we go, making sure that we keep on top of all of the tasks we have to do to make the scheme run smoothly. Once the meeting is done, I finalise the notes, and make sure everyone is clear about what tasks they have been set.
On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays I write and create the Facebook posts and I make sure it gets shared so that all of you wonderful people can keep up to date with everything we are doing. I also check the stats for each post and I’ve been gradually learning what does and doesn’t work well. I still have a lot more to learn, but I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far.
The Fair4All Card team often have other meetings throughout the week where we discuss new projects and ideas, plan new resources to make, and think about how we can make the scheme even better. It’s very rare that we have weeks with no other meetings and these all get slotted in around everyone’s busy schedules. I really enjoy these meetings as it gives me a chance to explore new ideas and think outside the box for new solutions.
Depending on my timetable and the needs of the team, I might also have meetings with the Applications team. I might be helping to train our new volunteers, or I might be explaining new ways we can improve and update our database, or I might be helping with the application process. Whatever it is, there’s definitely no chance of getting bored!
As well as all of the meetings, I routinely check through the website with Freya to make sure it’s as up to date as possible. I also have a look at ways we can streamline the scheme even more, such as creating automatic notifications every time a new application comes in. By the way, you can apply via https://fair4all.org.uk/apply-for-a-card/ – we love getting those notifications coming through!
On Fridays, with Freya’s help, I set up the agenda and meeting minutes for the next week and then have a well earned break over the weekend before getting started again on Monday afternoons with our team meetings. I love the work I do with the Fair4All Card Scheme. I’ve learned a lot about communicating with a team, especially when we’ve never been able to meet in person to work. I’ve also gained so much confidence since starting the scheme back in August 2020, and I’m so excited to see where we go next!