After studying modern languages at university, Katie Fewings wanted to make a difference. She now works as the online communications co-ordinator for Action for Market Towns, a lobby group.
What are you working on at the moment? What's in your-tray right now?
My virtual intray is overflowing. I'm editing and uploading case studies to our website for all our Action for Market Towns Award winners in time for the awards events that start this month and go on throughout July.
I'm also in the middle of creating a new area for all our work around shop local campaigns and local loyalty schemes, including My Card, a local loyalty programme that we're supporting.
All this while merrily tweeting, encouraging others – especially our chief executive – to tweet, updating our Facebook page, monitoring our LinkedIn debates and promoting our own online forum on issues affecting small towns. If I'm perfectly honest, Twitter is getting most of my love at present. It is really helping us to connect to like-minded people and to share our work with a much wider audience than we would otherwise reach – and this is from being absolutely nowhere on Twitter less than a year ago.
Why did you choose to work in the voluntary-charity sector?
I want to feel that the time I spend working is making a difference. Working for a charity, you can be fairly sure that that's the case. However, I am just as happy working for an ethically minded business such as my former employer responsibletravel.com, Ethical SEO, where I freelance, or on my own project, Ethical Weddings, an online wedding magazine and directory. It's always nice to think that in some small way you're helping to make someone's life a little better.
What's your proudest moment in your career so far?
There have been lots along the way: running the Responsible Tourism Awards successfully for three years, putting on an Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show in Birmingham with a friend, carving a niche for Action for Market Towns in the online world. But I suppose one of my proudest moments was being named in Time magazine as a socially responsible pioneer for creating Ethical Weddings – even if I'm not sure my entry was entirely justified!
What's the greatest challenge you face in your professional life?
The greatest challenge is probably the classic work-life balance – especially since 2009 when I gave birth to my daughter, Polly. For quite a while now, I've juggled a few work projects, working part-time for an employer, part-time on my own business, often some volunteering, too, and suddenly having a baby as well sent the grand plans spinning like crazy.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I enjoy what I'm doing at the moment. In five years I can see myself still working in the charity sector or for a social enterprise, probably freelance, having gained expertise in social media, SEO, writing for the web and web editing.
What's the one thing you'd change about the voluntary/charity sector?
I would like to inject the sector with the focus and drive of the private sector. Not for us all to become hard-nosed, heartless business people but to set clear targets and get things done without too much discussion, although some discussion is good. There are clear signs that the sector is already moving in this direction, especially as more and more charities set up social enterprises.
Name one person who's inspired you in your professional life.
Justin Francis, the founder and managing director of responsibletravel.com. He is so passionate about the company that he set up in 2001 from his living room and communicates his message so articulately. At the same time has a strong grasp of the business case, the marketing and the nitty-gritty of creating a successful website.
He is a great people person, he doesn't shout or flap to get things done, he's calm, professional but friendly and genuinely cares for the people who make up his team. I have learned a lot from him.
Brief CV:
February 2009 - present: online communications co-ordinator, Action for Market Towns
January 2006 - present: owner, Ethical Weddings
2006 - 2010: author, Green Girls Global
2008 - 2009: co-organiser, The Eco Chic Wedding & Home Show
2006 - 2009: project manager, responsible travel
2002 - 2006: personal assistant, Ian Ritchie Architects
1996 - 2000: BA Hons (First Class) Modern Languages, The University of Sheffield
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