Laura Price

“Hi. My name is Nhung.”

These five simple words marked the beginning of my English language journey as a little girl. Back then, when asked about my dreams for the future, uncertainty clouded my responses.

However, today, I proudly stand as a Vietnamese communications practitioner with an MA in Global Communication for Development & Social Change from Loughborough University. And in January 2024, I embarked on a new chapter as a Communications and Impact Officer and Time to Shine Leader at The Rank Foundation. My work focuses on enhancing both external and internal communications to support Rank’s ever-thriving network.

Allow me to share the story of how my 2024 unfolded.

It started on a positive note, etched in my memory by the day Sonia, my line-manager, called with a job offer just a few hours after my interview. I almost bursted into tears and couldn’t help but dial my mom’s number. A woman whose education journey halted at age 13, she’s not familiar at all with the intricacies of my academic and job-focused stories. But the pride and emotion in her voice were palpable as she heard the news.

I started the first week with the utmost warm welcome from Rank. But I confess, amidst information overload, I was nervous about uncertainties and sceptical of my own capabilities! And my line manager was the one who reassured me to take my time. By the second week, as I organised the information, and started to receive compliments from my colleagues, my confidence soared. This propelled me to attend the Time to Shine launch conference with newfound confidence.

Gathering in London for a 2-day residential conference at the Royal Foundation of St Katharine’s, East London, I encountered the concept of a “residential conference” for the first time. Icebreaker activities, organised by the Rank team, set a lively tone. We played mini games, shared organisational insights, and built connections. The positive experience continued over dinner.

The second day was pivotal, starting with Jen Mackay’s session on Leading with a Growth Mindset. Exploring fixed and growth mindsets, we delved into how they shape our learning, skill development, and goal achievement.

The session instilled in me the belief that our mindset influences our potential to be leaders in all aspects of life. Before the conference, I often believed I was insignificant, unqualified, and my contribution didn’t matter that much. But this time, I’ve learned that “whether you think you can or can’t, you’re probably right.” (Henry Ford).

A mini game reinforced these lessons, and our team collaborated creatively to perform the Happy Birthday song in Croatian!

Meeting our line-managers over lunch, we transitioned to Action Learning Set (ALS) groups, guided by our experienced facilitator, Chris. I delved firsthand into what ALS entails and how it works.

With objectives for the year mapped out, the ALS promises a year of growth and collaboration, and I’m eager to work with Chris and my ALS team all over the next 12 months.

We concluded the conference with Four Seasons Work Preference Profiling by Steve O’Smotherly, providing insights into individual work preferences and fostering a deeper understanding among team members. We collaborated with people sharing seasonal preferences and our line-managers to optimise the Time to Shine experience in the workplace. It’s interesting to know that the Four Seasons Work Preference is not designed to measure our ability and/or effectiveness in the workplace, so there’s no right or wrong!

Embarking on my Time to Shine journey, I am reminded that success transcends backgrounds and education levels. If I reflect on myself a year ago, with a fixed mindset, envisioning a little Vietnamese girl with an average English level from a mountainous area in Northern Vietnam, being the first in my family to pursue high school and beyond—how could I dare to imagine I could come this far? Yet, I’ve learned that persistence and hard work lead to success, acknowledging there’s still much to learn.

A dream job that leverages communication strategies for tangible and positive impact has become a reality. As a Time to Shine Leader, I anticipate encountering challenges and opportunities, and I am ready to embrace them all. “I aspire to become a professional communicator for development and social change” — a response to the once tricky question.

Stay tuned for more insights and unforgettable moments throughout this inspiring journey that I will share with you throughout the year.

The Rank Foundation’s very own 2023 Time to Shine leader, Bhabishya Paudel, reflects on her year of incredible experiences in her role as Brand & Communications Assistant, as part of the Time to Shine leadership programme.

As my Time to Shine journey comes to an end, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Rank Foundation for giving me this incredible opportunity. The journey has been a rollercoaster of nervousness and excitement, but it was all worthwhile.

This is my third and final blog. If you’d like to read my first and second blogs the links are below.

Blog 1 – Time to Shine Leader and her journey

Blog 2 – Bhabishya’s Time to Shine journey

How it started
I still remember it like it was yesterday. It was end of January, clouds were hovering over the sky making it a cold and freezing afternoon. I arrived for the interview and Caroline – Deputy Chief Executive, Sonia- Assistant Director of Operations and Louise- Comms Consultant were waiting in a nice open-plan kitchen area of the office. I said ‘hello’ and I could hear my voice shaking.

I believe the key to success in an interview is showing your true colours. In other words, just be yourself. I kept telling myself ‘I can do this’ because I really wanted to work and what is more thrilling than working in charity like The Rank Foundation?

My confidence was low and I didn’t believe in myself, but Rank saw something shine inside me. I now know this little spark was there all along. It was just hidden as time went by.

The Rank Foundation hired me as a Brand and Comms Assistant under the Time to Shine leadership programme. This experience has given me a great insight into the Rank Foundation’s work, Rank’s Network, and their support. It has helped me enormously to build my confidence and my career.

During the programmes, I attended Action Learning Sets, which have been instrumental in my personal development. Action Learning Sets are peer to peer learning experiences. We listen to our peers and ask them with open questions, which will help them think about and tackle any issues they may have.

What I’ve achieved
As a part of my role, I handled an artwork competition from beginning to its completion, which was an excellent learning experience for me.

Responding to a call for artists, the Network submitted some fantastic artwork, which made it very difficult to judge. It also made me realise the level of engagement from Rank’s Network. The winning artworks are now proudly displayed in Rank’s coworking in London.

I also made a video for the coworking space, which was a success on Rank’s social media channels. The list goes on, I was involved in several other tasks and projects, but these are the projects I am particularly proud of.

The Rank Foundation’s annual conference was a nerve-wracking experience for me, as all the Time to Shine leaders had to present a showcase in front of 350 people from Rank’s Network. I wrote and read a poem as part of my showcase, it was a fantastic feeling, and I felt a sense of achievement. This made me realise that I want to continue writing poetry!

What’s next?

It feels a bit surreal now, looking back from the time I started to where I am now.

This programme and opportunity have opened many doors for me. I am confident that this working in the social sector is a career path I want to pursue.

I want to take this opportunity to thank the Rank Foundation for acting as a stepping stone in my career and helping me to achieve my personal development goals.