Former Raith Rovers player relishing new charity role

We are a Scottish charity called WorkingRite.

Where is it based?

Founded in Leith, Edinburgh, we now work throughout Scotland with our head office in Glasgow.

What does it do?

WorkingRite is a charity that works with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, who often have not engaged with school, supporting them into mentored placements with local businesses. Many of these eventually become full-time employment and apprenticeships. We also work in schools, supporting pupils as they move into the world of work.

Who does it work with?

We are a charity and our beneficiaries are all young people from less advantaged backgrounds. The relationships we build are with the young people, their parents and carers and also the businesses we place the young people with. The impact they can have on these young people’s lives is incredible. Young people will always remember their first boss! We are always looking for small businesses who might be open to offering mentored placements to a young person from a challenging background.

What is its annual income?

£1million

How many employees?

23

Why did you take on the role?

Firstly, I believe in the work, aims and objectives of WorkingRite as a charity wholeheartedly. Coming from a less advantaged background myself, I fully understand the impact and importance of employability work and meeting young people where they are to support them towards the careers that are right for them. I’ve always been very passionate about social mobility. I believe there is talent everywhere, just not always the opportunity for young people to fulfil it. This role gives me a great opportunity to apply all the experience I’ve gained and to really make a tangible difference to young people’s lives across Scotland.

What were you doing before?

I’ve had two very different careers before now. I was lucky enough to be a professional footballer for 12 years in both Scotland (Raith Rovers) and England (Millwall) and learn loads both in terms of life skills and from the various managers I had that were transferrable into what I do now. I’ve subsequently worked in a number of senior roles in the charity sector over the past 11 years, in London (Amnesty International and Plan International) and more recently in roles based in Scotland as a director for ProjectScotland, Get The Gen and as part of the wider national charity Volunteering Matters.

What do you least enjoy?

In work it’s definitely admin-related tasks. I’m a people person at heart and would much rather chat and build positive relationships with people than be sat at my desk staring at spreadsheets.

What are your ambitions for the organisation?

I’m so excited to get started. WorkingRite already has a great platform of success built on years of experience of supporting young people across Scotland. I’m keen to see us expand and do more. Whether that is doing more of what we already do in new places, or indeed doing new innovative projects in areas we already support – continuous improvement and potential growth are high on my list.

What single thing would most help?

As always in the charity sector – long-term funding is key to building models of success. Pressures on charities’ services in Scotland are at an all-time high and sustainable funding sources are hard to come by. Income generation is my background though, so I will be working hard to source more funding and create new partnerships that can help us be even more successful.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?

Happy and motivated people are key. If you can support and empower your people by pointing them primarily at things they are both good at and they actually enjoy, then this will almost always set them and your business up for success.

Where do you find yourself most at ease?

Family and community are huge for me. I’m a dad of three young boys and involved in the local community football club as a head coach in Haddington. So any time spent with my boys, kicking a football about and I’m very happy and content.

If you weren’t in your current role, what job would you most fancy?

Given my sporting background, let’s go with manager of an SPL football club. Being honest though, I wouldn’t fancy the insecurity of it all and how much you would be in the public eye anyway!

What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?

One of my early football managers once said to me: ‘No matter where you are or what you are doing, always behave like someone is always watching’. Sounds slightly Big Brotherish, however I took it in a positive sense in terms of thinking about work ethic and always upholding high standards for yourself and I’ve taken that into every job I’ve ever done.

What is the best book you have ever read? Why is it the best?

I have to confess, I’m not a huge bookworm. However, I’m currently reading Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO and I guess that’s pretty relevant given this role will be my first CEO role. He also does great podcasts with a number with senior leaders given their own perspectives, so I try and take something from each of them.

What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?

I can think of two that stand out. Having a career-ending knee injury for my football career at age 29 was a pretty difficult. Luckily, I had always been planning for life beyond football and had studied for a degree – so the transition into the real world of work was less daunting for me than it might have been for others. Other than above it’s the constant instability of funding in the charity sector that causes the greatest challenges. Seeing amazing projects close or the people who lead them lose their jobs just because a particular funding cycle comes to an end never gets any easier or less frustrating.

What do you now know that you wish you had known when starting out in your career?

That hard work and dedication pays off in the long run. I’ve often been described by friends or family as being quite lucky. I’m a great believer in ‘you make your own luck’ and I am yet to meet anyone who has been continual successful in both life and work that doesn’t attribute that to lots of hard graft along the way!

 Interview by Scott Wright