The Four Cs - Key Takeaways After One Month at CAST
Last month I started a new job as Programme Lead at CAST, here are some of my reflections over the past four weeks.
Culture
Starting a new role after a year off on maternity leave can certainly come with its challenges.
Having a work life balance is more important than ever before and my biggest fear was working for an employer that was not receptive to that. I knew from the moment I received an email confirming that I’d been shortlisted for an interview that CAST was not going to be one of those organisations to worry about. I’ve experienced nothing but warmth, trust and friendliness ever since. No question is a stupid question, regular wellbeing check ins at meetings allow us to share any blockers for the week and as long as we’re getting work done, if I need to leave to take my daughter to the doctor no eyebrows are raised. We are human after all, and life gets in the way sometimes. CAST understands that and it’s such a refreshing culture to be part of.
Collaboration & Continual Learning
Collaboration and continual learning is at the heart of all of our work. Working in partnership with charities, funders, civil society organisations and tech agencies is fundamental to our success here at CAST. By taking an all hands on deck approach and working in an agile way we are continually able to flex and pivot our work, responding to feedback and the needs of users and partners through a build, measure and learn approach. I’ve only been here a month and already I feel like I’ve learnt so much from my peers and have been provided with the freedom to innovate and implement change. Being open to improvement and ensuring there is an open culture of learning doesn’t exist everywhere but it’s key to CAST’s work and it’s one of the ways we support organisations to embed digital, design and data into their everyday practice.
The Challenge Ahead
One month into the role and I’ve spent a lot of my time absorbing information, reading extensive handover notes and participating in 1–1 inductions with my colleagues. I’ve been given the space to learn and absorb and now I’m ready and raring to get going. Over the next few months my focus will be on delivering the next phase of The Innovation and Digital Accelerator Programme (IDA), working in partnership with Sport England to support National Governing Bodies harness the power and flexibility of digital and design, to help more people from more communities access and enjoy sport. I’m looking forward to working closely with Sport England and seeing what the next four weeks brings!
