Victoria - Local Development Worker based in London
Meet your Local Development Worker
Hi Friends,
I'm thrilled to have joined Britain Yearly Meeting in September 2022 as London's Local Development Worker.
I'm keen for us to get to know, and trust, each another so please don't hesitate to get in touch. I want to hear about your success stories, upcoming events, what matters to you, what you want to achieve, what support you might need and any challenges you might be experiencing as individuals, groups, meetings and across London. I can't wait to collaborate and support you to build loving and thriving Quaker communities.
Before taking up this role I worked in politics working for an MP. Beyond that I've spent a decade working with individuals and intergenerational communities to identify and achieve their goals, become more inclusive, navigate conflict and burnout and make space for love and joy. I also have a background as a campaigner and creative facilitator working on a diverse range of issues including sustainability, anti-racism, disability and migrant justice. I'm really excited to use this experience in a faith-led context learning from and collaborating with Friends across London. Outside of work I like to spend my time cycling, with my hands buried in soil or in proximity to large bodies of water.
In recent months I've joined Meetings for Worship and Area Meetings and provided support in a range of areas including simplification. If we've not yet met in person or connected virtually I look forward to doing so soon!
What is Local Development Work?
Local Development Work builds on the success of the Vibrancy in Meetings pilot which explored whether having locally-based staff would support Quakers to build thriving, inclusive and all age communities. You can find out more about the pilot and watch Friends speak about the difference the support made here.
Britain Yearly Meeting and Woodbrook recognise that Quaker communities are best placed to know what support they need to build the word described in the six themes of in 'Our Faith in the Future'.
Local Development Work can be anything that falls within these themes spanning the spiritual, pastoral and practical (including property and finance). These roles are based within the Quaker Life team at Britain Yearly Meeting but are dispersed across Britain working with Friends across their region.
You can find out more about Local Development work here.
How can you support Friends?
I am available to support Quakers across London's seven Area Meetings - South London, North London, London West, Kingston and Wandsworth, South East London, North West London and North East Thames. This can be as individuals, committees, small groups, Local Meetings or at Area Meeting level.
This is a new role and is very much responsive to what the 1300 Friends in London need but support can take the following forms:
- Accompaniment
- Signposting to other BYM and Woodbrooke resources
- Facilitating workshops and events on a variety of themes
- Listening, encouraging and enabling
- Connecting Friends with people and resources
- Assisting with major projects
- Reviewing existing activities or processes
Whether you are excited, curious or unsure about whether I can support you it'd be great to hear from you.
How can I get in touch with you?
My contact details are below
Email: victoriab@quaker.org.uk
Work phone: 0207 663 1062
I work 28 hours a week normally between Monday - Thursday. However, this does shift on a weekly basis as I also support Friends on evenings and weekends.
I work flexibly between Friends House and elsewhere but do let me know if you happen to be passing through and want to meet.
I'll be setting up monthly online drop in sessions shortly and will share further details once these are up and running.
How can I find out what you have been working on?
You can subscribe to my newsletter which for regular updates (around 4 times a year) on my work with Friends across London. I aim for this to be physically displayed in local meetings too for Friends who may find this to be more accessible.