“One of our key aims at east to west, having worked with a child, young person or family, is finishing well. Regardless of whether we’ve supported them for a term, a year or throughout their whole academic time in a school, when it’s time for our support to end, it’s important that this is done well. For those we’ve supported, it may have been during the hardest or most challenging periods of their life. For our team, they have invested energy, time and emotion in supporting that person. Closing well allows both sides to step back safely and securely from the relationship ensuring that each continues to thrive. In short, we’ve all got a vested interest in ending well.
The importance of finishing well has been an ongoing mantra of Nicki, the current Secondary Schools Lead, and someone with ten years of knowledge, experience and wisdom, who will be leaving soon.
Nicki will be sorely missed by both the team and those who work closest with her but whilst we’ll miss her as a person, the work she’s done with her team means that they’ve grown and developed into the next generation of leaders within our organisation. She expects them to take the role to places she never could, because they bring gifts and skills she doesn’t have. east to west’s blessing is that she’s given them a massively solid base to take off from.
Nicki’s Prayer Requests: Please pray for…
• …Nicki as she leaves. Leaving is both exciting because it offers the adventure of the future, and sad as she grieves for what she’s leaving behind. After ten years working with 61 paid team, 23 volunteers and 11 trustees, it’s a massive step!
• …patience as God unwraps His purpose for her next steps, a new job and new challenges.
• …wrapping things up well, handing over roles and responsibilities and generally setting them up well for the future.
• …her time off with husband Tim who is on sabbatical until December; that they will appreciate the time and make the most of it – and not drive each other mad(der)!
• …blessings for all the new team starting in projects and new schools; the new Interim Heads of Schools as they hold the team moving forward; the three new volunteers going into Magna Carta (Jake), Thomas Knyvett (Nicola) and Matthew Arnold (Phil); and the senior leadership team as new and exciting opportunities arise.
(by Ant of east to west)