STAFF PROFILE: Sam Hewitson – Communications Coordinator
“Our Place allows whole families to be directly supported in one safe, welcoming and collaborative space.“
What roles have you worked in before Our Place?
I’ve worked in youth work and community development fields. My last job involved working in partnership with local secondary schools to support students’ career pathways and their transition from secondary school into further education, training or employment.
What attracted you to work at Our Place?
What really attracted me was seeing it as a way to work alongside and support the community on many different levels. I also liked that it works towards improving systems and influencing system change that indirectly supports families.
What’s your role? What does it entail?
I’m a Communications Coordinator, which involves working alongside our Communications Director and all teams within the organisation. Much of my role is focused on writing and producing website and news articles, managing social media accounts and supporting sites with communications needs and requests.
“Much of my role is focused on writing and producing website and news articles,
managing social media accounts and supporting sites with communications needs and requests.“
What specialised skills and knowledge do you use in your work?
Having firsthand experience within an Our Place site has been extremely valuable. This experience helps me to understand the nuances of different sites and the Our Place approach. That allows me to be well-placed to work alongside our site teams in various ways.
What has been a great part of working at Our Place
I’ve been really supported to explore my interests — I’ve always had an interest in working within the communications space. When I expressed this, I was supported and given opportunities to gain experience in this area and work alongside our Communications Director.
What is your favourite memory of working at Our Place?
I love the adult education graduation ceremonies at Doveton College. I really enjoyed helping put this event together and giving the students a well-deserved celebration for all the great things they’d achieved.
“It was great to see all their family and friends attend the graduations and meet them all.”
What are your interests and hobbies?
Outside of work, I’m a very busy mum of two, and I often spend time coordinating and attending my children’s extra-curricular activities. I’m also an active volunteer in my local community and when time permits, I volunteer for an organisation that supports new mothers by being a peer support mentor.
What’s a fun fact about you that people may not know?
I’ve been skydiving and loved it. I want to do it again!