5 Minutes with Huda and Kate
We caught up with Huda and Kate, two panelists from our Equality Fund 2024 panel. A young local resident and an avid volunteer spoke with us about why they felt it was important have their voices amongst other community members’ on a participatory grant making panel.
Huda
My time as a panellist could not be summarised in one word, a sentence or this blog to fully describe how much I have truly enjoyed and cherished every moment of this experience. I recall in childhood, my borough was known for its endless amount of playtime activities, community events and access to all kinds of support services; however, as I transitioned to secondary and sixth form I felt the bustling and lively area I once knew disappeared gradually.
I noticed the rampant inequalities faced by members across all walks of life from the lack of third spaces i.e. youth and homework clubs for young people, an increasing number of food banks each year and homelessness on almost every corner of the street. It felt painful to stand watching idly by and not have the chance to make a difference.
Once I discovered Camden Giving and the opportunity to become a panellist, I had to take it if I was going to contribute to any difference in my local area. My experience at Camden Giving was far from what I expected, which was a serious, tense and formal atmosphere given that the issues we would be discussing were quite pressing and heavy.
“Being part of the panel made me feel that I was taking ownership regarding decisions being made on behalf of the borough. It made me feel like I was making a positive difference in improving the conditions of our borough. ”
However, the moment I walked through those doors everyone welcomed me with smiles and we naturally began to share our background and stories about ourselves and what Camden meant to us. I looked forward to each session not only for the free pizza and snacks as much as I enjoyed them, but to hear about the range of services in Camden, what they had to offer our residents to alter their lives for the better as well as the perspective of other panellists regarding what was best for the borough. Though the decisions and sacrifices we had to make as a group were tough, the unity, patience and transparency displayed by the group were remarkable to witness and be a part of.
It was an honour being a panellist amongst so many amazing individuals and organisers. I would mark my time at Camden Giving as a treasured moment in my life and would like to thank everyone for all the efforts and hard work that was displayed. Camden Giving breaks down the barriers that cause inequalities, increasing long-term prosperity and the life chances of all.
Kate
Why did you fund the projects you funded?
I really enjoyed funding the projects and learning about all the different goings-on within the Camden area that I had previously not known about before
The projects aligned so well with the Camden Giving’s mission and strategic objectives. The projects had great potential to further the organisations and project purposes and long-term vision within the community. A few of which I could relate to on a personal level and loved learning about.
WMCK is an amazing fund in my opinion. I don’t think there is anything like it in the London area. My favourite thing is the fact that it’s the community that are making the decisions on where the money goes which is so important as the community are the ones that understand what is needed.
What was easy and what was hard?
Trying to understanding the immediate impact of the organisations was difficult. I found it hard to not want to fund everyone, all were very good projects and well written and important. Identifying projects aligned with Camden Givings missions also. Evaluating ethical and social responsibility was a bit difficult to for me. The easy bit was actually discussing all of the applications with the other panelists. It was nice to hear perspectives from other people that I may not have thought about previously.
As for challenges, a few were hard to read on an emotional level, some were very moving seeing the impact that the funding would make to the organisations and the Camden community.
What impact will you hope the fund will have
We hope that funding the charity has led to significant positive changes in the community, improve lives, sustainability , and inspired further change for social good.
And personally, I hope the money will enable the chosen organisations to enhance their capabilities, expand their reach, achieve their goals more effectively, and create a lasting positive impact within the camden community and for the people that need it the most.
and finally, why did you feel it was important to be a panelist?
I felt it was important to be a panelist to help choose the best projects for the area by people that know the area, I used my knowledge of local area to make good choices, and make a positive difference in the community.
“For me it was great I think I got to improve my social skills and to meet other panellists so we can share our interests, own opinions and having discussions about whats happening in Camden and what we can do to make a difference.”
You can find out more about the great pieces of work going on in our community, funded by this year’s panel here and if you’re a local resident and interested in becoming a panelist, we carry out recruitment at a few times a year, so keep an eye out on our recruitment page here.