From a classroom full of children to an office full of dogs

After 12 years of teaching in primary schools, I was ready for a change in career. As much as I loved teaching and inspiring the next generation, I was fed up and exhausted with the ever-increasing paperwork and politics involved in education. I knew I needed to make a change to improve my own wellbeing and when I saw the job as an Animal Companionship Coordinator at Our Special Friends (OSF) it felt like the job description was written for me; it was literally my dream job! Helping people and helping animals.

So, I took the leap of faith and decided to apply for the job. I was very excited when I was offered an interview but also super nervous. I hadn’t had an interview outside of teaching for over 12 years. However, once I arrived at the office in Newmarket, and was greeted by the waggy tails and wet noses of the office dogs, I felt more at ease. The human and animal health and welfare sector were completely new to me, but I did have many transferable skills and knowledge from my time teaching. I was offered the job and felt very excited to start this new chapter of my career but also felt sad to be leaving teaching behind.

After my first week at OSF, I knew I had made the right decision. I was welcomed into the team, and I certainly enjoyed the novelties of not being a teacher. To be able to enjoy my lunch break without worrying about marking books, preparing for the afternoon lessons, or dealing with behaviour issues was a lovely change. Being based at The British Racing School, also means we have the added bonus of going for a walk at lunch to see the horses in the stables. I don’t think people outside of the teaching world fully appreciate how non-stop teaching is from the moment you arrive at school at 7am until you leave at 5:30pm (if you’re lucky). Now I work 8:30 – 4:30 which gives me the time and energy to have a better work life balance. It’s a much better pace working in the office too however we do have our moments where it’s ‘all hands on deck’ so to speak when we respond to crisis situations.

My job as an Animal Companionship Coordinator is a very varied role, where no two days are the same. It involves meeting and assessing clients in the community for our animal-assisted activity programme or for dog walking support. I still sometimes pinch myself that I get paid for having a chat with a client or for taking their dog for a walk to assess its suitability. Don’t get me wrong, at times it can be difficult and upsetting to meet vulnerable people who are lacking the care and support they need but I also get chance to meet people who have amazing stories to share about their lives from fighting in WW2, to travelling the world and even meeting the Pope! I assist with fostering to reunite and provide adoption support. As well as networking, attending events and working closely with the Volunteer Support Manager to recruit more volunteers.

I thoroughly enjoy my job and it is rewarding knowing that we are helping support people and animals in need. If there is ever a chance for you to join the Our Special Friends team, then I would highly recommend it!