The Life of an Area Coordinator

In our previous blog we have introduced a few of our volunteers and their valuable contribution to the Schools Service. However, behind each one of our volunteers there is a supportive and hardworking Area Coordinator. Two of our Area Coordinators have agreed to share their thoughts today: Enola Butler and Karin Walker cover many areas within central east coast of Scotland and have a vast amount of experience between them. We thought it would be a great idea to share their roles and how they find the responsibility of being an Area Coordinator (AC) within the NSPCC Schools Service.

Our first AC is Enola Butler, she has been with the service for 6.5 years and covers the areas; Fife, Perth & Kinross, Clackmannanshire and Stirling.

What made you want to work for the NSPCC and more specifically, the Schools Service? – I was very excited to be part of the establishment of a new programme which would help children to know that if they’re worried or upset about anything at all they should tell a grown up about it. Children worry about so many things and are rightly frightened and confused if they are badly treated by others. Our strong message to “Speak out, Stay safe” is one that I was very keen to get behind.

Hopefully you have a few, however, what has been your one main highlight of working within the Schools Service? –

Lots of highlights – when children enjoy our visit and join in really well, when P6 & P7 pupils are so obviously absorbed in discussing what’s happening to Guy, one of the characters in our workshops, when we help a specific child to get the support they need, when we reach targets. But my major highlight is always when a volunteer overcomes the challenges they have had in getting to grips with delivering the programme and moves from being terrified and quite sure they will never crack it to having a eureka moment when they realise they just have!

Finally, what has been your biggest learning curve as an Area Coordinator?

My biggest learning curve has been in getting to grips with delivering the Adult Workshops “Keeping children safe online.” A powerful message but a very different experience from working with children.

 

Our second AC is Karin Walker who has worked with the Schools Service for 3 years and covers Edinburgh, the Lothians and Falkirk.

What made you want to work for the NSPCC and more specifically, the Schools Service? –

After spending an eternity in a Corporate World, I was looking for a change of career and I knew that I wanted to go home at the end of the day feeling like I had made a difference and contributed to something meaningful and rewarding. I also knew that I wanted to work in Education and possibly a training capacity. This opportunity came along at exactly the right time.

Hopefully you have a few, however, what has been your one main highlight of working within the Schools Service? –

There have been a few but the feeling I get when myself and my volunteer team have left a school knowing that we have made a difference is very special. One in particular I am thinking about is when we delivered assemblies to 1,000 children from a big Edinburgh school, what an achievement in one day!

Finally, what has been your biggest learning curve as an Area Coordinator? –

Wow, this never stops, but it has to be going from delivering assemblies to 250 pupils to now delivering online safety workshops to parents and carers and conquering the fear of public speaking to adults, it’s taken me a while but I am there now!

Speak Out Stay Safe makes further progress!

At the NSPCC we strive to deliver our Speak Out, Stay Safe programme to every School in Scotland. Currently to-date, we have a total of 180,200 pupils across Scotland who have received the service.

SOSS involves the school service working with primary schools to ensure that children across P1-7 have an understanding of abuse in all its forms. It also provides them with the knowledge that they can seek help from trusted adults and sources of support – including Childline, whom they can talk to if they are worried about anything at all.

Here at the School Service we strive to reach our goal of having every school (in each of our areas) receive the SOSS programme. On Wednesday 30^th August, Fallin Primary School became the 40^th school in Stirling, to host both the assemblies and workshops provided by our team. This resulted in the council adding its name to the growing list of Scottish local authority areas to have had 100 per cent of their primary schools take part in the initiative.

The previous 8 authorities that have reached 100% are;

• Scottish Borders
• Dumfries and Galloway
• North Ayrshire
• Aberdeen City
• West Dunbartonshire
• East Ayrshire
• Inverclyde
• South Ayrshire

Enola Butler is the Area Co-ordinator for Stirling and this great success would never have been achieved had it not been for her and her team of volunteers’ hard work and determination with the programme.

Enola said: “Our visit to Fallin Primary School means that every primary school across the area has had the service at least once; in fact more than half have had at least two visits. We greatly appreciate the support of Stirling Council and look forward to that partnership continuing long into the future.”

It is always lovely to hear when each of our colleagues ‘share success’ with the team and this achievement is no exception. That being said, the best reward for each of us in the team is obviously seeing the children enjoying and taking in what is being said but also for the school and staff to be equally pleased with our presentation.

The Head Teacher of Fallin Primary School was very keen to share her thoughts on our service with Enola

She said: “Every session we remind staff of the need to be vigilant and careful in our safeguarding role to protect children. It is vital that children know how to keep themselves safe and tell someone if something is not right, which the NSPCC Speak Out, Stay safe assemblies and workshops do. We are glad to have had the team visit our school.”

Finally, a massive credit is due to the NSPCC Scotland Media Team for capturing such special moments throughout the day.