Rebecca was recently promoted to Team Coordinator supporting our Criminal Rehabilitation Service in the North-East. She spoke to us about her work...
Tell us a little bit about you!
I'm a mum of three. Two daughters and one son, my son being the youngest who is neurodivergent and needs a lot more support than an average nine year old child. My home life is completely based around family and children. We don't have the luxury of having childcare and never have done which is why I only work in term time.
How long have you worked at Changing Lives, and what roles have you had in your time? Tell us a bit more about your roles.
I have worked with Changing Lives since March 2024 where I started off as a sessional specialist outreach coach where I could work around the children. I worked set days every week during the school hours. I then moved onto a term time only contract still working as a specialist outreach coach in August 2025.
My manager Dawn Harrison really supported me in exploring this avenue. Changing Lives had never had a term time only contract emlployee prior to myself. Dawn worked hard and attended lots of meetings to advocate for the contract to be put in place as a trial. Dawn is very much on board with working mums and understands the need for some mums to have the flexibility during school holidays. She knew how important it was for me to be at home when the children were off but wanted me to have the benefits of having a contract for the little things like the Christmas voucher which I wasn't entitled to as a sessional member of staff. I then applied for the job application of team coordinator and was successful in a promotion. I moved into that role quite swiftly in October 2025.
During my time as a specialist outreach coach mty job role was to support women within the criminal justice system with many different pathways which their probation officer refers them in for such as emotional wellbeing, finance benefits and debts or accommodation. The job role is to support women with any struggles they are having within the pathways and liase with other services. As a specialist outreach coach, I also lead a hub in one of the areas which was on once a week where I would organise groups, involve other services to help with onward support and take the group out for emotional wellbeing support to places like Seaton Delaval Hall where they would learn all about the Delaval family and their history.
What does your new role entail?
My role as a team coordinator entails coordinating the team of coaches we have, completing 1-2-1's, returns to work, absences, organising events, making sure the teams training is up to date, autorising holidays, allocating service users to coaches, taking part in audits, audit prepararion, leading team meetings along with many other duties.
How does your role differ from your former role now you hold more responsibility?
My new role differs from the former role because I lead events, help improve processes, mentor and manage coaches and it has the expectation of acting independently with minimal supervision.
How do you feel you had to develop professionally (and personally) in order to secure your new role?
I feel a development of professional upskilling to prove capability and personal development to handle increased responsibility was needed to secure a higher level role.
