“My work experience placement began the day before a conference. I knew before you had to prepare for a conference like this (you can’t show up & everything be magically organised as much as we might like it to be that way!) but I didn’t realise just how much preparation goes into planning & creating displays, setting out what’s needed, writing down the plans…
I spent the day creating a display board, which took several hours, but if I hadn’t been there, that would have needed to be done by Lisa. Since I was there to do that, she focused her time preparing for a project with artist Hope Caitlin, writing down plans from a previous discussion. She also managed to make time to help me, give me advice & find me the resources I needed & fight with a printer who likes mornings even less than me!
It became more obvious throughout the week, not only the work she did for herself, but also the work she did to help others within the organisation, creating an understanding & helpful work environment.
On Tuesday we had a VERY early start, on our way by half past six in the morning, which you wouldn’t have guessed by looking at us. We got to the conference, set up, talked to people about Changing Relations, looked at what other stalls were doing, listened to some of the talks & while doing that, Lisa also wrote up the transcripts from some interviews for a future project. She planned where everything was going to go, made sure it went there, adapting to what other stalls were doing that worked well, improving our own stall based off what she was learning as she went along. She answered questions, gave explanations, leaflets & information.
Once it was over, we packed up & then … IT WASN’T OVER!
There was a theatre company who it was possible to do a project with, so we went to one of their productions to support their work. She saw I was tired & let me go home for a rest, but she went to the event before the production.
On Wednesday, we were interviewing people for a future project. We went to Sunderland, then Newcastle – wherever it was most convenient for the people we were interviewing. Lisa asked questions, recorded them & allowed me to watch (having checked with those she interviewed it was alright for me to do so) giving me a sense of what information was needed for projects & how other roles, like intimacy coordinator, worked.
On Thursday & Friday, Lisa copied up the transcripts & set me the tasks of copying up my notes from the conference & writing this beautiful blog!
My week has shown the preparation that’s needed & just how much work Lisa does not only for projects but also to ensure everyone else can work to the best of their ability, in an environment they feel comfortable in, not only looking after herself, but everyone included in the organisation. It is a job she does with care & thought.”
