One of the main reasons starting out as a freelancer is so terrifying is because of the huge (occasionally for me all-consuming) fear of whether you\u2019ll have enough, or even any, work to keep the money coming in. You\u2019ve purposefully waved goodbye to a regular, known, paycheck (maybe this definitely is early-onset midlife crisis\u2026) So, as I start to explore what\u2019s out there, here\u2019s how the game plan is shaping up:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The piece of work I secured was facilitating a staff away day for a charity. It\u2019s something I\u2019ve done in almost every job I\u2019ve had \u2013unconsciously or named and known. I\u2019ve run events, supported multi-sector partnerships, supported teams to explore and improve processes and teamwork, managed projects, led consultations and evaluations with stakeholders, all of it is about facilitation. \u00a0When you recognise that facilitation is about supporting\/helping\/guiding a group into working better together and achieving their goal(s), you find it everywhere. As a known skill and one I was experienced in, I felt confident offering this. In terms of how often this work comes up, definitely a \u201cto be confirmed\u201d and I suspect it\u2019s a lot based on relationships and the reputation you develop \u2013 word of mouth is likely one of the most powerful ways of becoming known.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similarly with facilitation, evaluation has been a theme throughout my career. I\u2019ve reported on single service outcomes in bigger organisations, whole organisational impact for others, and even partnerships. I\u2019ve looked at economic value, social impact measurement and community outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My second ever piece of work is two evaluations for a charity undertaking advice work, looking at both their quantitative data from casework and qualitative data, interviewing clients, caseworkers and strategic partners. Following that logic model through from activities to outputs to outcomes. Trying to answer that fundamental questions of \u201cwhat has changed\u201d and \u201cwhat impact has the change had?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early on when I started more seriously considering the transition to freelance proper, I applied to volunteer with the Cranfield Trust. I\u2019ve since starting mentoring the leader of a one-man-band charity who really wanted an external\/independent person to explore new ideas with and support with the planning process, particularly in the absence of a team of colleagues. While I\u2019ve done this ad-hoc and very informally for colleagues before, for example, with new managers finding their feet, or members of my own team, it\u2019s not necessarily an area I\u2019d considered for freelance work but I\u2019m keen to build my experience and see where it leads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within the same organisation, I\u2019m hoping to take on some volunteer consultancy, and already had to turn down an amazing strategy\/business planning piece of work just because I\u2019m already spinning a few too many plates for my sanity. And while I could feel the words \u201ccount me in\u201d forming and recklessly telling myself I\u2019d just \u201cfit it in\u201d, deep down, I knew I\u2019d be setting myself up for a whole heap of stress, and more importantly, doing a disservice to the charity in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first piece of freelance work I ever pitched for came out of left field \u2013 a national body I\u2019d volunteered with before wanted some strategy and planning support. What surprised me was how much I wanted it. How gutting it was to hear it had gone to someone else and how it had lit a bit of fire in me of wanting to chase other opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same organisation, having completed its strategy and planning day, has now progressed to having a clearer plan of work for the year ahead and alongside it is a freelance opportunity to do some of this \u201cdoing\u201d. \u00a0It\u2019s mostly focused on high level comms and resource building and is work I\u2019d love to do given the committee are great people I\u2019ve worked with before and it\u2019s a passion project given the work I used to do. Interestingly it\u2019s also a regular freelance slot, with monthly hours for a period of more than 6 months \u2013 a jackpot for me right now if I\u2019m able to secure it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I realised quickly that one of the ways to help make a success of this was to share my new career with old contacts \u2013 all the people that I\u2019ve worked with before (and would want to work with again!). I had lunch with a colleague who was working in quality\/information governance and is taking a career break, I met up with an old colleague for a walk and a put-the-world-to-rights session who\u2019s now senior in fundraising, and I contacted a previous colleague who\u2019s now in operations in a national charity. I dug out my LinkedIn account, updated my info and tried to remember every name of everyone I\u2019d ever worked with. It did make me smile thinking how many would think \u201cI haven\u2019t heard from her in years \u2013 I wonder what she\u2019s up to\/wants?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An old contact through work was hugely enthusiastic at my news and was quick to say how much she needed me. But as yet, no further details or contact. I feel like that might be the first of many \u201coh definitely we must talk\u201d type exchanges where you get really excited about lots of potential new work but realistically can\u2019t rely on them in terms of planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was an opportunity at an amazing for-women-by-women organisation that offered regular hours\/income, and a part of me wanted to apply, because I need something. But its that classic of \u201cis anything better than nothing – or does it actually have to be a proper something?\u201d In this case, I think it was my need for security talking loudest. It\u2019s primarily a fundraising role, and while I\u2019ve got experience in it, I wouldn\u2019t say its expertise and more importantly, it doesn\u2019t get me fired up thinking about taking it on. Also, going back to my newly established day rate, as hard as it was to acknowledge, it didn\u2019t make the bar and I figure I should at least start as I mean to go on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A phenomenal piece of work came up around exploring integration after immigration, looking at policy and practical interventions at local level. While I\u2019ve never worked in immigration before, I was in contact with two other people who were specialists in the field, and we looked at a collaboration on it. Sadly between us, our diaries just couldn\u2019t make it work. Even though I was so, so close to doing the classic \u201cI\u2019ll just find the time\u201d as if I\u2019ve got a magic time machine rather than having no work time available for another two months, two small children, and general life to contend with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve thrown my hat in the ring for a really interesting organisation using community voices to create international social change. They\u2019re looking for freelance project leads to support their projects and the way in which they present themselves and their work got me hooked. Projects last 3 \u2013 12 months and come up on an ad-hoc basis. A \u201cwatch this space\u201d one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another hat was thrown into the ring for this one. An organisation looking for urgent freelance support on communications and policy development for its work developing young peoples\u2019 skills and resilience. Really interesting work and another one where the role would provide some regular hours and income over a few months. Another \u201cwatch this space\u201d one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I love training – something about the adrenaline of it, something about a love of teaching, something about being able to see the results on the day as people take on information, form ideas and new approaches. When I first started considering freelance, it was solely looking at being a trainer, and that just felt like a huge uphill battle starting from zero. So, while I think about other ideas for the non-profit\/voluntary and community sector, I\u2019ve got a few specific ideas to utilise what I\u2019ve done before and plug a potentially huge gap in the market (albeit probably not likely to be a hugely high fee paying one) and run some training alongside other work. One that needs a lot of research and development work but I\u2019m eyeing up a quieter August to have a better look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve always enjoyed writing and want to explore opportunities for freelance writing on the side. Partly because it\u2019s just something I like and partly because it could be a really flexible addition to the mix because they should be short assignments to take on as and when I like. Admittedly, I haven\u2019t explored it much to test how much opportunity there is it\u2019s definitely on the \u201cwould like to have list.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we moved into our house a few years back, having a spare room was (and still is) one its best features. It\u2019s been a huge benefit for hosting friends and family, especially when they\u2019re up to help us with childcare or work, and I remember clocking the potential for renting it out if we ever wanted or needed to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it feels like the time has come. We recently had a leaflet through our door about a local language school looking for more host families, and I realised it could be a perfect additional income stream to help us through this transition period, or even longer term. I\u2019m keen to try it to get a feel for how much extra work it is and how it feels having someone else in the house (and the extra responsibilities if we take someone under 16), but my gut feeling is it could be a fun new adventure for the house, especially for the kids getting to experience new people, languages, cultures etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Admittedly, this feels like more like a scatter gun approach than a clearly defined business concept with identified markets etc. However, it does reflect the range of my jobs\/experience, as well as the work out there in the sector at the moment. Plus, I don\u2019t think I feel hugely motivated to dive into one specific area and hole myself up in there at this point. The opposite even. I\u2019m more thinking of trying to do more uncomfortable things, stretch myself a little and see what it brings. I\u2019m keeping a track of what I\u2019m pitching for and what I secure to see if any themes emerge as I get further into, as well as the critical factor of what pays. So watch this space\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the main reasons starting out as a freelancer is so terrifying is because of the huge (occasionally for me all-consuming) fear of whether you\u2019ll have enough, or even any, work to keep the money coming in. You\u2019ve purposefully waved goodbye to a regular, known, paycheck (maybe this definitely is early-onset midlife…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":123,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[13,11,15,12,21,10],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-start-up","tag-charity","tag-consultant","tag-founder","tag-freelance","tag-non-profit","tag-start-up-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t