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I’m really excited to be part of the team here at Community Foundation North East as the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Advisor.
My role is focused on coordinating our research and policy work, to help us understand and shine a light on the big issues in our communities, and to think about how we use philanthropy and grant making to have an impact in those areas.
I’m also keen to explore how we use stories from the frontline to showcase the difference local community organisations are making to tacking those big issues, and how we can influence those people with power and resources to play their part in tacking those big issues, especially those that philanthropy alone can’t solve.
I’ll be looking after our Vital Signs work, which digs deeper into the issues facing our communities, as well as bringing people together to discuss what matters to them, like through our recent On the Table project. We are also working with St Chad’s College in Durham on the next round of Third Sector Trends research, which will be launching soon. I’ll provide more of an update on this in the new edition of eNews.
My first few weeks at the Foundation have been a whirlwind but a really enjoyable one. From attending one of our Time to Talk roadshows helping ‘demystify’ the grant making process for charities, to meeting donors and supporters at our Northumberland event earlier this month, I’m getting a good understanding of everything we do.
What is really clear is that everyone on the team really believes in the charities and community groups in our region and wants to support them as many projects as we can, offering the funding and support they need and to make a difference to people in their communities.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what the future has in store and the difference we can continue to make to communities in our region.