Growing up, I was indecisive on what I wanted to be. I started working in a takeaway, play centre and retail until I decided to make my love for animals my career. I volunteered at multiple animal rescues, worked in kennels and onto a veterinary practice. Several years of emotional rollercoasters seeing how animals were treated sadly overtook the good times leading me to rethink my next steps.
Still wanting to use my caring side and wanting to make a difference for others, I switched to health care, first in private domiciliary care, before heading into the NHS. I spent three and a half years in mental health services where I did my Trainee Nursing Associate training and became a member of the RCN. Shortly after qualifying I changed to where I am now in the community district nursing team.
After a couple of years, I kept thinking what’s next. I love to learn but didn’t know what path to take. I know that learning and training can often be some of the first things dropped when capacity is low. However, with continuous low staffing, training being delayed can create a knock-on effect where staff may not be fully competent while working, but this can sometimes be an after-thought, usually when it's too late.
Being a representative (rep) didn’t occur to me until I saw an RCN email about becoming a rep. I became curious and wanted to know more. I informed my team leader of my interest in hopes to negotiate time to complete my training. I became a learning rep to be an advocate for members and be a voice for training not to be forgotten about, as well as highlighting opportunities available to maintain competency, but also to maintain continued professional development where the trust might not offer.
Unlike other RCN representative roles, learning reps don't have legal backing on making lasting changes, instead relying on discretion and processes to be able to make the representative voice heard through learning avenues within the workplace. As an accredited representative, I have a designated supervising RCN officer who supports me in my role. They have been a great support, especially introducing me to other reps within the trust and opening up possibilities on what I could do as a rep.
I am being a voice for the RCN by using my learning rep training as well as encouraging learning to be included in conversations. I regularly attend staff side and partnership forum meetings, as well as sitting on working groups such as for Avoidable Harm and Nursing Profiles, plus being available for members in trust inductions and support sessions.
I wanted to further use my frustrations and passion for learning to build recognition of the learning rep role, learning and development within the workplace and connect learning reps across regions in a positive way, so I chose to put myself forward to represent Yorkshire & the Humber on the UK Learning Representatives’ Committee earlier this year.
I was elected in September 2025 and attended my first meeting in October. I felt overwhelmed at first, but each member of the committee was welcoming and put me at ease straight away and I’ve since met most of my committee colleagues in-person at the recent RCN Joint Reps Conference in Leeds. Already feeling a part of the team, I have come away feeling motivated to connect with fellow learning reps in the region, build the profile of the learning rep role and empower members to advocate for their learning and development.
Still wanting to use my caring side and wanting to make a difference for others, I switched to health care, first in private domiciliary care, before heading into the NHS. I spent three and a half years in mental health services where I did my Trainee Nursing Associate training and became a member of the RCN. Shortly after qualifying I changed to where I am now in the community district nursing team.
After a couple of years, I kept thinking what’s next. I love to learn but didn’t know what path to take. I know that learning and training can often be some of the first things dropped when capacity is low. However, with continuous low staffing, training being delayed can create a knock-on effect where staff may not be fully competent while working, but this can sometimes be an after-thought, usually when it's too late.
Being a representative (rep) didn’t occur to me until I saw an RCN email about becoming a rep. I became curious and wanted to know more. I informed my team leader of my interest in hopes to negotiate time to complete my training. I became a learning rep to be an advocate for members and be a voice for training not to be forgotten about, as well as highlighting opportunities available to maintain competency, but also to maintain continued professional development where the trust might not offer.
Unlike other RCN representative roles, learning reps don't have legal backing on making lasting changes, instead relying on discretion and processes to be able to make the representative voice heard through learning avenues within the workplace. As an accredited representative, I have a designated supervising RCN officer who supports me in my role. They have been a great support, especially introducing me to other reps within the trust and opening up possibilities on what I could do as a rep.
I am being a voice for the RCN by using my learning rep training as well as encouraging learning to be included in conversations. I regularly attend staff side and partnership forum meetings, as well as sitting on working groups such as for Avoidable Harm and Nursing Profiles, plus being available for members in trust inductions and support sessions.
I wanted to further use my frustrations and passion for learning to build recognition of the learning rep role, learning and development within the workplace and connect learning reps across regions in a positive way, so I chose to put myself forward to represent Yorkshire & the Humber on the UK Learning Representatives’ Committee earlier this year.
I was elected in September 2025 and attended my first meeting in October. I felt overwhelmed at first, but each member of the committee was welcoming and put me at ease straight away and I’ve since met most of my committee colleagues in-person at the recent RCN Joint Reps Conference in Leeds. Already feeling a part of the team, I have come away feeling motivated to connect with fellow learning reps in the region, build the profile of the learning rep role and empower members to advocate for their learning and development.
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