As the Programs Manager, my job is to oversee the Children’s, Youth and Family Support Programs and their staff. Whilst much of my work is admin based, as a small charity we run on a small staff, so I’m often called in to support our face-to-face programs. No day is the same, and you never know what can come your way at The GBB!
It’s the first day of Vacation Care today, so there’s lots going on!
9.30am: I’m making sure all the paperwork and risk assessments are loaded onto our online folder so that staff can check them whilst they’re out on excursions – it’s not all fun and play, safety comes first!
10am: I step in and help with signing children in, whilst other staff are talking to parents and carers at drop off.
10.30am: Back to the office and paperwork calls. Admin fills in most of the gaps in my day. I’m currently working through updating our policies and procedures – such fun!
11.30am: Children come down to the office wanting colouring sheets printed – I take some time to have a chat and help them select what they want on my laptop, before printing them. It’s unicorns and Marvel characters today.
12pm: A debrief with our Family Support Coordinator and one of the Program team about a child who is having difficulty managing their anxiety. We work together and bring in everyone’s expertise and knowledge to support our children and youth in managing their emotions.
12.30pm: Lunch and a coffee run – gotta keep the energy up!
1pm: Informal planning chat in the office with the Fundraising team about ideas for our social media posts. Because we don’t show the faces of our children and youth to protect their privacy, creativity is key. It’s a team effort to make sure we can show our donors what we do.
2pm: 1 to 1 meeting with the Executive Officer – keeping me on track and checking in on the progress of my tasks. We talk through a grant we’ve just received and how we’re going to make the best use of the funds.
3pm: A cup of tea (licorice for me) and a laugh over a biscuit with a couple of staff in the office. Self-care is an essential tool when you’re working in our industry, so a good laugh and connecting with each other keeps the good endorphins flowing.
4pm: I head into the Youth Room to see what they did today on their excursion to Moore Park. Chatting to our young people is always a highlight of my day and keeps me engaged with what they’re doing and what their needs are.
4.30pm: Back to paperwork, checking through enrolment forms on our new online system. Keeping up to date with everyone’s details is an important and never-ending task.
5pm: I touch base with some parents and carers as they pick up their children for the day. Our GBB community love a chat as they shop at our Pantry and it’s nice to see how everyone’s doing.
5.30pm: Home time!