Lola Oates

What did you enjoy most about being a caller in the campaign?

Speaking to different OW’s who all went to Wellington at different times and hearing how Wellington led them into their careers and life they now have today. I found it really engaging talking to so many different people and thoroughly enjoyed the range of conversations I have had during the campaign. Also working in such a lovely team makes such a difference and having lovely chats before and after really impacts how the sessions go.

What did you personally learn whilst taking part in the campaign?

I learnt a lot; it is definitely a tough job however I feel like I can have a conversation with literally anyone now. I felt passionate about the foundation and really enjoyed explaining the project to many individuals and discussing how important the scholarship is.

Would consider being a caller again and would you recommend being a caller to other recent OW leavers if we were to run the campaign again?

Definitely, I think the skills gained are extremely important and there’s no better way to build them. I think it’s important especially as OW’s, to recognise how fortunate we are to have been at Wellington and so it teaches one a lot to try and raise funds for such an important foundation so this Wellington experience can be shared further.

Did being in the campaign reiterate/reflect why you wanted to be involved?

It did! I learnt a lot throughout the two weeks. It made me proud to be an OW and to work to share this opportunity for future Prince Albert Scholars. This campaign drew my interests further into the sector as well, and even though the scholarship is a small step in the right direction it has made me want to do even more to further equal access to education and other areas of life.