Emily Gray

Charity and Social Enterprise Management Cert HE

When I started the course I was Service Development Manager, and now I’ve just recently been appointed Chief Executive of the organisation. I really feel that the course has given me the confidence and knowledge to apply for this position.

Emily is from a banking background so is keen to develop her skills for the third sector.

I was relatively new to the third sector, I’d come from a banking background. So I know quite a lot about management, about sales management, but the third sector was new to me.

I’d been working in the third sector and realised that it was quite different to what I’d expected it to be when I first came into the charity world. And although I could use the management skills that I’d picked up in my job, I was keen to see my management skills develop to suit the third sector, and to build my confidence.

I had a reasonable gut feeling for how I wanted to do things, but what I wanted to course to do was to build my confidence and give me the knowledge that I needed to do my job properly.

Now I’ve encouraged another manager to attend the course, because I know the real value of the course and how brilliant it is.

Building connections

Having the opportunity to talk with managers from other charities – quite different charities actually has been extremely beneficial to me. Most of the charities that we deal with are mental health charities, so it’s given me a real insight into how other charities operate.

Being tutored by people that have experience and knowledge of the third sector is really helpful. The classes give opportunity for lots of discussion.

Courses that compliment your work

I was a bit concerned at the start about how much time it would take, but actually it’s fitted into my day to day work so well that it hasn’t been a massive strain on me time-wise. A lot of the things that I’m doing on the course fit into my work and a lot of the things that I’m doing at work fit into the course. They really have gone hand in hand.

Making significant impact

We don’t have a strategic plan at the moment. It’s something that we really need. I wouldn’t have known where to start with that before this course. Since doing the course I feel I know the headings, I know what we need to cover, I know the sort of things that need to be included, so I feel a lot more confident and in fact I’m quite excited about putting that together, and it will have a real impact in the organisation.

Marketing is something that I’d never really had any experience of. So from the marketing module, we’ve now developed a new website, we’ve managed to get our social media up and running, we’ve got new leaflets and we’ve come up with lots of new ideas of how to market ourselves efficiently and professionally, that’s been really helpful.

When I started the course I was Service Development Manager, and now I’ve just recently been appointed Chief Executive of the organisation, at quite a young age; I’m only 27. I really feel that the course has given me the confidence and knowledge to apply for this position. I wouldn’t have felt ready to apply for this position, let alone get it, if I hadn’t been on the course. It’s really cemented my knowledge and given me the confidence I need.

The organisation have been thrilled that I’ve been able to do the course, I’ve been able to present at board meetings, talked the board through things that I’ve learned, they’ve been really impressed. Now I’ve encouraged another manager to attend the course, because I know the real value of the course and how brilliant it is.


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