Pallion Action Group (PAG) was set up initially by local residents to address the lack of services and projects for residents in the area. It has grown over the years and is a well-respected community hub with another two buildings in Sunderland.
PAG offers social, recreational, digital and educational activities for the whole community. The charity focuses on those hardest to reach and provide inspiring, sustainable projects to help alleviate poverty, grow aspirations and help support those in isolation.
Karen Noble, CEO, reflects on the impact of winning the Weston Charity Award and the Pilotlight 360 programme.
Why apply for the Weston Charity Awards?
After COVID it was clear that there was going to be more pressure and demand on voluntary organisations. PAG was aware of the Weston Charity Awards, and it felt like a really good time to apply. It was an opportunity to be part of a journey where PAG could get the support to grow the organisation, Manager, Board and staff in line with the increasing needs of residents.
How did the Pilotlight 360 go?
The Pilotlight 360 programme exceeded expectations. As a Manager I had to make time to sit down with the Pilotlighters and prioritise the strategic and governance side of the organisation to fully appreciate the value of the Award.
For someone like me, who is always going 100 miles an hour, the entire process was made so much easier from the support around me. I was always sent little prompts about the work I was completing, offering support and ideas to help with the process.
It’s easy to get caught up in the “real-world”, where every day in PAG there would always be some sort of crisis for our beneficiaries. Whether it be someone dealing with homelessness, wanting a CV, needing a benefit sanction, a relationship break-up or just wanting to get online; no two days are the same.
I can honestly say that if I didn’t have the help of the Pilotlighters, everything would be pushed aside, and dealt with later, resulting in longer days and little time at the weekends for myself. Having the meetings set out in advance made it easier to block out time and I really liked when the Pilotlighters visited our charity’s headquarters, which resulted in my organisation coming to life for the Pilotlighters.
It was good to get out of the office and come to London, and an unexpected bonus was that I was able to do significant work on train journey without having interruptions!
What have been the results of the programme?
My job title is now CEO and I have a PA, as it was made apparent very early on, in the Pilotlighters work, that I had a huge workload and needed support. I have also strengthened the Board, and I can see the confidence of the Board growing. My loyal staff have loved seeing the growth throughout the year with more projects.
I always thought I was pretty good at my job, but having external people, many who did not know about the kind of work I do, validating my work has made me feel more confident. I probably had a bit of imposter syndrome, but this has now gone! I know what we do at PAG is special and I recognise that its my vision and passion that gets it delivered. Now I feel more comfortable in celebrating what we do.
I feel my bid writing has improved and I have a clearer understanding of social objectives and how to measure them effectively. Previously I just thought “great job” and moved on. Now I know how important it is to document KPIs and metrics.
Could you provide a sentence or two describing your experience of the programme?
I said on my last visit to Pilotlighters in London that I have gone from just plodding along, doing my job to now emailing the Prime Minister on how to run the country.
It’s true — I always knew what I did was worthwhile but now I have the confidence to stand my ground against anyone when campaigning for support, funding, projects and changes to help those most vulnerable in our communities. I now know our worth!
Top takeaways from the programme
I wanted this Award, I knew it would force me to sit down and take stock and ultimately improve PAGs delivery, governance, and sustainability.
I would say to anyone applying; you must be committed to the programme and don’t be afraid to, ask questions if you do not understand anything, . There was some terminology that was different to what I used, but it was explained to me very well.
Have an open mind: no-one is criticising, and they just want you to be the best version of yourself.
Always be honest, If you don’t have a fully honest and transparent relationship with your Pilotlighters, it’s not going to work.
And lastly, be disciplined and take lots of notes!
Related Charities
Pallion Action Group
Pallion Action Group was set up to improve the living conditions, community facilities, social, educational, and economic opportunities available t
Have you applied yet?
Award winners receive a package of support that includes unrestricted grants of £6,500 to help develop a sustainability plan and accelerate growth, and free access to the Pilotlight 360 programme.
The application deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 8 January 2025.
