Monday
The day started with a quick tot up of attendees for the two forums being held this week, the police forum and the practitioners forum, both of which have received a lot of interest to the point that they are full with 60 or so professionals due to attend each one.
Before our monthly team meeting I had time to send out an email to our 1,200 Silver network with details of an up and coming specialist seminar, which has a few spaces remaining on it
The team meeting this month looked a little different as we were able to have both of our new specialist team members attend, it feels great to have a team of 7 sitting together all sharing one aim, to tackle child sexual exploitation.
The meeting was also an opportunity for us to have our group photograph taken for our website and publicity materials, it took a little longer than anticipated as it also involved lighting checks, camera timers, shuffling over to fit us all in and frozen smiles, hopefully the results will not be too cringey (I always think that I look like my mother in photos, as in the person in the photo –Me- seems to look a lot older than I actually think I am)
While we had the cameras out we kicked off our “Hands campaign” we each wrote a pledge or statement about our fight to eradicate child sexual exploitation on our hands and had them photographed, we intend to get as many people as we can (you, dear reader included) to do the same and send us your photo which we will put together to make one DVD or banner of our campaign.
The team meeting wasn’t all about creativity we also use it for an opportunity to discuss issues around funding bid monitoring and evaluation, policy and procedures for the office and future working and forums, seminars and conferences, including making plans for our network conference which we are hoping to host early December. The task of getting through the agenda was made so much easier by an almost constant supply of homemade chocolate brownies (Sheila), home made chocolate and raspberry bread (Mike) and a great selection of fresh fruit.
We met with the Synotech team in the afternoon for a discussion around the next stage of our interactive discussion tool for use with young people and the e-learning programme aimed at front line practitioners. Both of these tools will be accessible from the website and seeing them develop from an idea into a working, interesting and smooth tool is quite exciting.
I finished the day by sending out reminders of venue, parking and lunches to all those due to attend Wednesdays Forum.
Tuesday
A day out of the office today, interest in the police forum resulted in over 60 officers from over 15 forces across the UK putting their names down to attend meant that we hired a venue for the day, our own rooms holding up to 50.
The forum had a full agenda including an update on the ACPO action plan, an update from the OCC, an opportunity for our new specialist team member Mike Hand to explain the National Referral Mechanism and the use of Sec 58 and a really interesting presentation delivered by Nigel Archer Criminal Justice Sector Development Coordinator-Autism West Midlands -“People with autism in offences of sexual exploitation – an insight”. Nigel is delivering a specialist seminar early in June at NWG HQ.
At the end of the day I went back to the office and got as much prepared for tomorrows practitioners forum as I could – we have 42 people attending and I like to get all the crockery and paper work ready as early as I can, it is really important to me that when people have travelled and arrive there is tea, coffee and biscuits ready for them, even if they are early, so before I go home there are 50 cups, saucers, spoons and all the tea, coffee, sugar pots, water glasses and carafes to set up (saves a rush in the morning)
Wednesday
So pleased I got a lot of preparation done last night, as this morning we need to move 40 chairs from our offices down the corridor to a bigger room, its quite a job and involves dragging stacks of (heavy) chairs, propping doors open (with knees, feet or elbows) trapping fingers, stubbing toes and getting quite warm! As the rest of the NWG team arrive its all hands on deck and the job is finished in time for people arriving.
I love the forums, as it’s an opportunity to put faces to the names of the members I have not yet met and a catch up with those I know.
The forum today was particularly interesting as we had two guest speakers, Eyes Open came to Introduce of new framework for the early assessment and prevention of Child Sexual Exploitation in secondary schools as piloted in Stockport Metropolitan Council and the music video form My Dangerous Loverboy, Basis presented their latest DVD “Sick Party” and Bina gave a national update.
Once everyone was safely on their journeys home we began the reverse process of dragging chairs back to the office, washing and drying the pots and collecting the paperwork and evaluations up (a quick glance through these tells me feed back from the day was extremely positive ). One of the great things about the NWG team is that we all pull together, everyone helped with everything, so even CEO Sheila Taylor dragged the chairs, washed and dried pots and emptied the bins, it meant we could all get home at a decent time.
Once I am settled at home I have a look through the emails of the last couple of days, being at forums two days on the run means that emails do not get my immediate attention so I have a look through and answer those that I am able to and start a list for tomorrow.
Thursday
Phew, a day in the office having a catch up. As I get into work just after 8am most mornings the first thing I do is make a coffee and a bowl of porridge, then read through the news, Twitter and Facebook while I eat.
Today will be a busy social media day as there is to be a screening of a documentary tonight on Channel 4: “The Hunt for Britain’s Sex Gangs” which Sheila and Mike are interviewed in. I want to Tweet and Facebook as much as possible to ensure everyone knows it is going to be on.
The day is filled with replying to emails, activating Gold Network accounts, issuing invoices and catching up with other paperwork.
Friday
I get into work today at 8.10 am to find that Sheila has been in since 6.20 am! She is a superwoman, no, she is THE super woman.
Today the NWG trustees are holding their meeting at the office, so lunch is ordered and refreshments are set out ready for their arrival, lunch gives us an opportunity to have a catch up with the trustees which can never be a bad thing.
Last nights documentary has done its job in that it has got the issue of CSE out there again, we have had plenty of Tweets and mentions, new followers and lots of positive feedback. I spend some time posting news items onto the website and adding resources to our online library.
Friday is ‘Tidy Friday’, this is something I bought to the NWG, I like to start Monday morning in a tidy, clean office with paperwork and desks in order (tidy desk, tidy mind or something like that) so we all tidy, check food items in the fridge, empty bins, vacuum and clear away anything that has ‘moved home’ during the busy, often hectic week. I should point out that we do not have a cleaner so these jobs have to be done and it is not something that I have some kind of obsession about. The job is not too big today as Sheila started todays Tidy Friday at 6.20am!
Once the trustees start their meeting the office drops into a peaceful hush with the only sound the tapping of the keyboards.
I pack my bag and make sure I have got some bits and bobs that I may need over the weekend, I do like to be able to do a bit of work over the weekend if the opportunity arises, it is a bank holiday weekend and the weather is promising to be good so I may not do much but I do like to have my laptop ready if there is a major news story.
Just before I leave the office I leave Sheila a note wishing her a safe journey and a fabulous holiday (she is off to Ecuador tomorrow for 4 weeks ) The office will be very quiet without her.
As I walk away from my desk I whisper a little “bye’ to my boys Sean Bean and Jason Statham who look over me as I work- “see you Monday boys”
Cheryl
NWG Network 