Jay Anderson is Chief Executive at Age UK Wirral and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and a Chartered Manager. He leads a £3.5 million organisation working with older people throughout later life.
Tell us about your journey with Pilotlight.
Just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, my organisation participated in Pilotlight 360 so I have first-hand experience of what Pilotlighters can bring. I found the process of bringing together a cross-sector group of people to share their insight and reflections really useful, which prompted me to apply to the Ignite Initiative.
Why did you become a Pilotlighter?
When I first started in the Community, Voluntary and Faith sector, there was very little sector-specific leadership and management support and you often had to learn the hard way (i.e., through your mistakes). As I’ve developed in my career, I’ve always seen it as part of my personal Corporate Social Responsibility to give back to others working in the sector. I get a huge amount of personal fulfilment and development out of pro bono coaching and mentoring work. Becoming a Pilotlighter was an opportunity to be a part of a wider team and to hopefully offer something of value to another organisation as well as learning from the other Pilotlighters.
What has been your biggest challenge?
One of the biggest challenges was recognising that the organisation we were working with were perhaps not ready to move as quickly as perhaps our vision as Pilotlighters was.
What’s surprised you most?
The value of what I had to offer – particularly aspects my leadership that I perhaps took for granted.
What’s your proudest moment?
Witnessing the change in outlook and confidence of the CEO and Board that we were working with was definitely my proudest moment.
Tell us about the impact Pilotlight has had on you, both personally and professionally.
Pilotlight has provided me both personally and professionally with new opportunities and a chance to connect and network with people I would probably otherwise not have met. It’s been an extremely enjoyable and rewarding experience, and one which I will look back on with fond memories.
Is there anything you wished you'd known as a first time Pilotlighter? What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming a Pilotlighter via the Ignite Initiative?
My advice would be don’t think about it – just do it! Until you are actually working with a real organisation it’s impossible to understand the difference you might make.
Describe being a Pilotlighter in three words.
Rewarding. Inspiring. Humbling.
The world needs your skills
We are looking for driven, ambitious individuals from all walks of life who are seeking leadership development to become Pilotlighters on our Ignite Initiative.
This initiative offers a package leadership development support, worth approximately £2,000, for free to successful applicants. It's open to anyone who’s experienced barriers to their professional development, whether that be due to their age, disability, gender, race, religion or beliefs, sex, sexual orientation and/or socio-economic background.
Also by Jay Anderson
Putting your purpose into practice
I feel like there has been an increase in the last five or so years of leaders coming into this sector from outside the charity world. Some take to it like ducks to water, but others sometimes just don’t have the authenticity needed to become the purposeful leader that charities inherently need.