Lovisa Stenström, 28
Training co-ordinator, Hope UK

"I get to meet so many completely different people who have one thing in common: they want to make a difference in society"

So, what do you actually do?

I am assistant training co-ordinator at Hope UK, a Christian drug education charity. I recruit volunteers from all over the UK who want to make a difference to society through getting trained to be drug educators. I am involved in their training and I provide them with support such as phone liaison and a newsletter.

What experience did you need to get into this job?

I was involved in a drug prevention charity in Sweden (my home country) for a number of years. I was leading a youth organisation there for a while.

How did you get into this job?

I knew about Hope UK and I simply wrote a letter saying I wanted to work with them for 10 months. They replied straight away saying I was welcome.

What does your typical day involve?

Anything from photocopying, to interviewing a new educator, to planning our next event. I also answer questions from people who are interested in the training and those who have just started.

What kind of personality is best suited to working in a job like yours?

You have to enjoy working with different people and listening to their stories. You need to be focused to deal with the training and try to get everything right when taking a training session.

What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had in this job?

The annual conferences we have for all educators. Suddenly all the names on my lists come to life, they are real people and they are so fascinating!

What are the best things about your job?

To meet and get to know so many completely different people who have one thing in common: they want to make a difference in society.

What are the most challenging things?

To lead training sessions and mark work which the educators have completed. It is really scary to tell a person who is sometimes more than twice my age what to do and how to do it.

Any top tips for someone wanting to get into this work?

Start volunteering! It gives you good experience and a chance to get accredited training. Think properly about what you believe in and how you think we can make a better world and start from there.

Hope UK
Telephone: 020 7928 0848
Email: info@hopeuk.org
Web: www.hopeuk.org