Reflecting on My time at Pathfinders

Head and shoulders image of Jamie Hale, a white person with dark red hair and a red beard, wearing black, with their head on a black wheelchair headrest

Reflecting on My time at Pathfinders

BY JAMIE HALE

A picture of Jamie, a white person with dark red hair and a red beard, wearing a bomber jacket and flannel shirt, in a wheelchair outdoors

Hello! 

It feels odd to be writing this now, four months after finishing at Pathfinders. Some major life events just as I was leaving meant that I never quite left the way I’d expected – and so never did a proper retrospective, or a proper goodbye. 

I joined Pathfinders in Summer 2020, as a job-share with Jon. We were just getting started with UpLift still, the Housing project was wrapping up, and Suzanne was doing some fantastic research work. Over the four years I was there – two working alongside Jon and two independently as CEO, we achieved a huge amount. From formalising processes and finance software to building trans-European collaborations, connecting with and getting income for a range of projects, further solidifying the ones we have, and growing the staff team, a lot changed over those four years. What didn’t change was the heart of Pathfinders, which stayed user-led and member-centered.

When I think about the things I contributed to, and achieved, at Pathfinders, some of the ones I’m proudest of include:

  • Securing Kickstart funding soon after I arrived, allowing us to support people into work through placements at Pathfinders, and seeing the impact on their careers in the future
  • Working with Skills for Care to access funding to develop our PA and PA Employer training over a number of years – supporting numerous PAs to develop their skills in working with people with muscle-weakening conditions, including all of my PAs. It has also supported lots of PA Employers to build their skills and access resources helping them become better employers, and to improving their recruitment and retention
  • Founding the beginning of our equipment loan library  – from battery packs or generators to a windows-based eyegaze system, giving our members access to the life-sustaining and quality-of-life enhancing equipment we need 
  • Fundraising for and starting the user-led Advocacy service, where people with muscle-weakening conditions can access expert advocacy support, delivered by an expert advocate embedded within a team and community of people with muscle-weakening conditions, drawing on our community expertise

In terms of the wider organisation, I’ve really seen the the difference UpLift makes to people’s lives at the annual Weekender – and experienced the transformative sense of community it creates.

I’ve been astounded by the quality of the research we’ve done, and at how accessible the documentary presentation made it to take in. I’ve watched staff and communities grow and develop, and I’ve also been there as we’ve said goodbye to some very valued and much missed members of the Pathfinders community. 

My decision to move on came because I was ready to take the next step in my wider career. After my four year term, I felt confident that the organisation was in a strong position – with an excellent staff team and well-resourced projects. The work Pathfinders does is exceptionally valuable, and makes such a difference to people’s lives, and I remain a member, a strong supporter, and here to help. 

I wish Pathfinders and its team the very best, and won’t be far from Pathfinders – neither the Facebook group nor the wider organisation. Thank you for a fantastic four years, and here’s to the future!

Jamie