Flying High with Skylarks with Deirdre Carswell

Career Returners

“I have to say I'm in a role that is probably my favourite role that I've ever had in my working career”

After a twenty five year career in the corporate and private medical sector, Deirdre (Dee) Carswell successfully made the move into the charity sector.

Her journey to this transition was not always smooth sailing. Although she’d been involved in pro bono work throughout her career, she made the first leap in 2019 when she left the corporate sector to set up as an independent charity consultant. But the pandemic threw Dee off course as she took a career break to care for various family members including her two daughters who have additional needs. After three years, Dee tried to resume her consultancy but with ongoing responsibilities at home, this proved difficult.

She fortuitously came across Charity Interns (now called The Well Placed), a moment which she now refers to as her ‘stars align’ moment! The organisation offered six month placements in the charity sector to help attract those from the corporate sector wanting to make the switch. Dee successfully gained a placement at the Alzheimer’s Society which was a fantastic learning experience and networking opportunity and proved a brilliant springboard into her new career. After finishing the placement, Dee secured a role as Head of Fundraising at Skylarks, a London based charity very close to her heart, which supports children with additional needs and their families.

“I really felt quite strongly that I wanted to work in the charity sector as I had spent quite a lot of time as a carer. I felt I wanted to bring that experience with me, but I also felt I had so much other experience that was so transferable that I'd really hope to bring all that with me.”

For advice, support, opportunities, and connection, see our Career Returners website: https://bit.ly/3eAhKQH

To learn more about the charity internship Dee participated in, see The Well Placed: https://thewellplaced.org/

For more details about the experts and organisations inspiring and connecting people to make changes to their careers, take a look at the Careers can change campaign at careerscanchange.co.uk . A big thank you to Phoenix Insights for sponsoring this episode of the podcast and their support for the Careers can change campaign.