Staff Spotlight - Meet our Expert Lead - Admin and HR - Jen Cela
This time we chat with Jen Cela, our Expert Lead for Admin and HR but to be fair that job title does not really tell you all that she does! So we had a quick chat with her to find out more about her role and why working with and for My CWA is more than just a job.
Tell us a bit about yourself – how long have you been working My CWA?
I have been with the team for around 2 years, in fact I did leave and then came back! I couldn’t stay away! I am passionate about our work. My previous experience of accessing our services as a client motivates me to be part of a team making a difference for other survivors.. I first worked on our New Leaf project helping people find work – I was then made a Team Leader which really helped me understand that working in this sector was for me.
What kind of things does your role entail?
I have previously worked as a solicitor for 11 years for a large law firm, so my legal background can really help with some elements of the work I do.
I prepare court reports for survivors and perpetrators – detailing the difference that the programmes we run have made. These can carry weight and really help both parties feel supported.
I also draft all of our policies and support the charity’s compliance obligations including dealing with our data and adhering to the GDPR regulations surrounding this. I am heavily involved in the HR processes – offering my support to the senior management team.
I am also the line manager for the staff based in our shop on Jordangate in Macclesfield. This means supporting the shop manager and the team of volunteers, managing the social media output for the shop, helping bring awareness to what we are doing on the ground and overseeing any events that we may hold there.
I am involved in organising staff training and oversee the admin team. Within the admin team, we support police and legal clinics, the referral processes to our service and liaise with probation and other organisations to co-locate with one another to build stronger links. I also provide admin support to My CWA’s board who meet regularly throughout the year.
This past year has of course been particularly challenging and much of my work has been ensuring that for both staff and clients alike we work within an excellent and inclusive health and safety structure.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Lots of variety! No day is the same. There is always scope to pitch in and do things you may not have experience of – like overseeing the technical side of our first virtual White Ribbon conference last year – no one is precious about their roles – we all want to work towards the same goals. Having come from a very corporate environment it is brilliant to be able to apply the skills I have and do something that really is helping many people.
Having a personal insight and wanting to make a difference drives me, and I love that this role .is integral to pushing what we do forward.
How has it been since being able to reopen the shop?
It has been fantastic – the local community have been pleased. We have seen an increase in footfall - and we have been keen to be seen in the local population. We are constantly seeking to raise the profile of what we do, and contribute to the local area. We will be at the Treacle Market in August and this will be a great opportunity to meet the locals and spread the word about what we do, as well as showcase some of the fab items we have for sale! Currently, we are supporting Macclesfield pride with some fantastic displays in our Store and on our My CWA Community Store Facebook page.
What kind of donations do you need?
We would really love to have stylish, high-quality homeware items and some accessories for gardens during the Summer.-Helping people be able to get outside and enjoy open space is so important for mental health.
We are also in need of more things that would be suitable for teenagers, we get plenty of younger children donations, which is great, but clothes and anything suitable for teens would be brilliant. Our display of sports kits and equipment has been really popular in our store during the Footy season!
In terms of things we can sell, we really want to have well known and good quality labels such as Joules, Boden or any of the high street known brands.
What are some of the most memorable things you have done to raise funds through the shop?
We have really enjoyed taking part in Macclesfield Pride “Out and About” this month. We have some fantastic displays in-store and a rainbow is hidden for children to try and find when they visit us. Our charity supports anyone, in any type of relationship and so making our services accessible to the LGBTQ+ community is really important to us.
I am really proud of the fundraising we manage to achieve through the shop’s activities. Working with our volunteers we are planning to have more ‘pop-up’ shops across the region, such as the stand at the Treacle Market. What is great about these events is that they give us a niche market to showcase some of the fantastic bargains we have for sale!.
What is unique about working for My CWA?
The commitment and the passion that people have for it – we all have skills that we could use in a commercial setting – but we choose to use these in a setting that makes a difference.
What is your vision for the shop in the future?
We really want to have a well-known status and interactive relationship with the Macclesfield community – we are working towards having a strong social media presence, we want to be seen as competitive; seen as a place to choose to shop at, where the items are fashionable as well as being good value. We are always looking to increase our team of volunteers too and I think by having such a variety of ways in which we reach out to the local community through the shop, it can be a really enjoyable and exciting thing to do! We rely on the local community’s donations and volunteering to support the shop and to raise money for the vital work we do.
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/mycwacommunitystore