A day in the life of GMYN’s Income and Partnerships Lead

Hi, I’m Phil, the Income and Partnerships Lead at GMYN. 

It’s an unusual job title, so what exactly does it mean? 

Essentially, it involves our incredible supporters. I work closely with them to create opportunities which contribute to GMYN’s mission and help them make a difference in the local community. I also make sure they have an amazing experience doing so. 

Let me give you a glimpse into the varied and rewarding work that might go into a ‘typical’ day.

Morning:

After responding to emails, my day might begin with a bit of sleuthing. This involves finding, researching and connecting with companies or individuals who might be interested in supporting GMYN. Although it’s time-intensive and only a small proportion of people will end up engaging with us, it’s an essential part of the job that helps us grow our fantastic community of supporters. The trick is making the right approach to the right people, and this takes patience, persistence, and a dash of creativity.

When someone does engage with us, there’s still lots of work to do. At this stage, many people haven’t heard of GMYN, and they usually aren’t ready to get involved straight away. Building meaningful relationships takes time, but that’s part of the thrill! Each connection has the potential to turn into a partnership that could change young people’s lives for the better.

Midday: 

Now it’s time for a coffee to help me through the afternoon. If I can, I’ll arrange to have a coffee with one of our prospective, new or long-standing supporters. It’s a great opportunity to share updates about GMYN’s initiatives and explore how they can help us grow. 

I like discovering what motivates our supporters and connecting them with opportunities which align with their goals and interests. If they want to support young people into employment, they might like to host a careers workshop or workplace visit. If they’re a football fan, they can join our 5-a-side football tournaments. Once we’ve established an opportunity for them to support GMYN, it’s all about creating excitement and showing how their involvement impacts the young people we work with.

Afternoon:

Afternoons often see me immersed in kanban boards, spreadsheets and the minutiae of event planning. There’s always something exciting in the pipeline, whether it’s a sponsored challenge, business event or brainstorming session for our next big fundraiser. I’m responsible for creating our calendar of fundraising events and making sure they go without a hitch. 

When I’m not planning an event, I might be coordinating our external communications to keep our supporters in the loop. With any luck, this might involve my favourite part of the job – celebrating and thanking our amazing supporters. Whether it’s a shoutout on social media, a spotlight in our newsletter, or a heartfelt hand-written card, I love showcasing their achievements. It’s a way of reminding them just how incredible and impactful their contributions are.

What make it so rewarding?

So, that’s a snapshot of my ‘typical’ day. 

I say ‘typical’ because no two days are ever the same. One day I might be cold-calling potential supporters, the next I’m cheering on participants at one of our events. My role is incredibly varied but I wouldn’t have it any other way – I think it’s the most fun, rewarding and downright brilliant job I can imagine.

The part I love the most is working with our incredible supporters. I’ve been lucky to inherit some fantastic relationships, like the one with Big Yellow Storage. I’m also proud to have forged critical partnerships with companies like Westwood Recruitment, Weightmans and Cloud Perspective, who are providing essential funding for our work. Without these relationships, we wouldn’t be able to make such a huge difference to the lives of vulnerable young people so it’s incredibly fulfilling to see them flourish.

To everyone who supports us—thank you. You’re the real heroes of this story, and it’s a privilege to be part of your journey.

For more information about the brilliant work that the GMYN team do, please see more here.