This week Ciarán has joined our team as our new Admin Assistant! In this weeks blog, he tells us about himself and what motivated him to apply for the role!
What were you doing before you joined the AKU Society?
I just moved from Leicester where I was working for a charity called VALUES that cared for adults with learning disabilities, a really rewarding role that had an emphasis on championing social inclusion and participation in the wider society. I could be teaching English one day and taking people down to see Leicester City play the next. I stayed in Leicester after finishing my journalism degree at De Montfort University, it was whilst I was studying I realised I wanted to pursue a career in the 3rd sector so I started volunteering for the charity VALUES that went on to employ me.
How did you find out about the AKU Society and what attracted you to the role?
My previous job instilled in me a love for the charity sector, and I wanted to continue working for an organisation that positively influenced people’s lives. After deciding to move in with my girlfriend in Ely, I found my new position online. It ticked every box and allowed me to continue helping other people and giving a voice to those who may feel like they haven’t got one. I am looking forward to gaining experience of hands on behind the scenes running of a charity, whilst seeing the impact my work has on the lives of those effected by AKU.
What do you most want to achieve at the AKU Society?
I want to make a positive influence on the lives of those affected by AKU, gain valuable experience of the day to day running of the charity and ultimately become an integral part of the AKU team. I would love to contribute to the smooth running of the clinical trials and make patients logistics as easy as possible.
What are your hobbies outside work?
I love mountain biking, hiking and photography and try to get out and do them as much as possible. I love finding a brilliant pub and sampling new ales and I try to keep on top of Leicester City FC’s fortunes as much as possible.
Favourite book/film/TV show and why?
My favourite book is Jack Kerouac’s ‘on the road’, It was one of the first books that I read whilst I was at university and instilled in me a love of the written word, and gave me itchy feet.
I’m an avid Star Wars geek and I’m very excited about the new films! My parents are as big a fans as me, it was one of the first films I saw. Michael Winterbottom’s ‘The Trip’ is by far my favorite TV show, as it shows two of my greatest loves, the north and good food!