Me and my job: Educating and empowering

Kathy Webb

Name: Kathy Webb
Job title: Community organisation champion
Company: Western Bay of Plenty District Council / President at Alzheimer's Tauranga / Trustee at Foundation for Youth Development (FYD) / Trustee at Social Sector Innovation Trust

What does your job involve?

Advocacy, connecting and empowering people. Whether it's in my paid employment with Western Bay District Council or with Alzheimer's or FYD, it's connecting, informing and educating people: helping people to understand that the power is with the community, they just need to communicate and connect in the right places.

My voluntary roles with Alzheimer's, FYD and the Social Sector Trust are governance roles, so the focus is on the business of those organisations. However, those roles still require strong relationships and thorough knowledge of compliance and legal requirements. I have to confess that its very difficult to keep my fingers out of operations, and with Alzheimer's I have failed as I'm now deeply embroiled in event management.

What's the most challenging aspect of your role?

Having enough time in the week.

What's your proudest work moment?

Sorry, can't pick just one, but: Some of the community planning we do at council, where communities come together, actually hear one another's voices and understand that they all want the same thing.

And dreaming up the Brainbusters Charity Quiz for Alzheimer's 14 years ago. After a break of 10 years, I've been encouraged to run it again and everything has fallen into place. Ben Hurley signed up, sponsors have jumped on board, and we're partnering with Aquinas College to help them out, too. brainbusters.co.nz

What training/experience have you had to prepare for your role?

Although I do have some academic qualifications, the best training I've had is life experience and understanding that it's all about relationships. Being able to see things from other perspectives and working with people. Oh, and of course, persistence and follow-through.

What's the best piece of career advice you've received?

It's not about me. Whatever you do, or whatever happens as long as you do the best you can, you are doing the best you can. Don't take things personally, good or bad.

How would you describe your work wardrobe?

What I wear reflects the people I will be with on that day. It can be corporate if I'm meeting with corporate people or in the council chamber, or it could be casual
(mostly it's casual) black jeans a top or tunic that will hide that last custard square I ate - I love colour. (I must confess that in the weekends I'm a slob.)