Now that our new fundraising team have been onboard for six months, we thought we’d take the opportunity to get to know them a bit better! Here we ask them a few questions about working at Learning with Parents and what brought them here…
Jen Robinson-Slater
Fundraising Manager
Tell us a bit about what you did before joining Learning with Parents
Prior to joining Learning with Parents, I was part of the fundraising team at a youth charity, focused on providing all young people with opportunities to thrive, not just survive.
Before becoming a fundraiser, like many of the Learning with Parents team, I was a secondary school teacher in Bristol schools. This classroom experience gave me valuable insights into educational challenges and the importance of home learning support. I was drawn to fundraising because I saw it as another way to make a meaningful difference in education, but from a different angle.
What first drew you to Learning with Parents?
I was drawn to Learning with Parents’ innovative approach to breaking down barriers between school and home learning – it addresses such a critical gap in education. I was excited by the opportunity to use my fundraising experience to support an organisation making such meaningful change in this area.
What’s the day-to-day of your role like?
My day-to-day role is pretty varied – which is a definite bonus. It might include managing relationships with our brilliant existing funders, preparing progress reports, organising update meetings, and ensuring we’re delivering on our commitments.
I spend a portion of my time researching and identifying new funding opportunities – whether that’s grant-making trusts or corporate partnerships. I work closely with our team to gather impact data and stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of our work.
Most importantly, I aim to develop sustainable funding plans that support our organisational growth and ambition, helping us reach more families.
What’s the most exciting thing you are working on right now?
We are half way through our financial year now and have some great opportunities on the horizon. It’s inspiring to see how our evidence-based approach resonates with potential corporate partners who recognize the long-term societal benefits of supporting parent engagement in education. We’re learning more about what works and what doesn’t every day and it feels like an exciting time to join the team.
Chris Britt-Searle
Fundraising & Communications Officer
Tell us a bit about what you did before joining Learning with Parents
I’ve done all sorts of things, including being a cycle courier, an eco-builder and a university administrator, but I spent around eight years working as a classroom assistant in a special needs school and an alternative provision. I like to think it’s given me a really broad range of skills and perspectives.
What first drew you to Learning with Parents?
I liked the idea of continuing to work in education, without being right on the frontline! I also really liked that they had been listed as one of Escape the City’s ‘Escape 100’ – The top 100 organisations to escape to. I really wanted a job with purpose in an organisation doing things differently and that’s certainly what I’ve found!
What’s the day-to-day of your role like?
My job is effectively two different roles, so my time is split between the both of them. This keeps me on my toes and keeps things nicely varied and interesting. On an average day I’ll be monitoring our social media and scheduling content, researching prospective funding opportunities and writing grant proposals.
What’s the most exciting thing you are working on right now?
I’m really enjoying the prospect research side of my role, rooting around for opportunities, following tangents and trying to think creatively about ways we can secure new funding. It’s especially exciting when you come across a potential opportunity that no-one else has spotted.
What’s your favourite thing about working at Learning with Parents?
It’s just such a great place to work. We have a lovely team of people here and it’s been so warm and welcoming. It also provides a nice balance, being able to see everyone in the office but also work from home for half the week. I also especially like seeing the impact of the work we do. I love scrolling through the feed on our platform, seeing all the fantastic photos and comments that have been uploaded by families.
As a registered charity, all of the work we do, supporting children and families to have enjoyable learning experiences at home, relies on the support of our dedicated funding partners.
Learn more about partnership opportunities