This is the first blog in a new ‘day in the life’ series from KCL’s Diversity Digest blog. In this new feature we will go behind the scenes, getting to know our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Team and find out more about their work.
Our second ‘day in the life’ feature comes from Jessica Cole (she/her) our EDI Project Administrator.
Jessica Cole, EDI Project Administrator.
My name is Jessica, pronouns are she/her and I started working as an EDI Project Administrator at King’s in January 2022.
When I’m not commuting to the office, I usually start my day with some “at home exercises” which usually consists of weight training and strength building exercises to get my energy levels up, ready to tackle the day. When I am in the office, I enjoy the walk from London Bridge to Lavington Street, particularly as Spring is emerging. I will then have my breakfast, which would usually be an almond croissant or Belgian waffle.
When logging into my computer, the first thing I do, is to say good morning to the team on our shared Project and Partnerships MS Teams Channel, then I check the Teams messages and updates I have missed to make sure I am up to date on my team’s activities. I reply to any messages I am tagged in and add any relevant actions to my To Do List. One thing I love about using Teams is that you can see what other members of the team are working on and share ideas, and feedback to the team.
As the EDI Projects Administrator, I am currently in charge of dealing with inquiries that come though the Diversity Inbox. We usually get a wide range of different queries including, questions about eligibility and access to training sessions and general EDI consultation. We also get quite a few emails from external organisations hoping to arrange a collaboration with King’s or invite us to EDI events, workshops and talks across the country.
If I am working from home, I like to spend my lunchbreak going for a quick walk round the block or catch up on some of my favourite Netflix shows (I am currently watching Peaky Blinders for the first time and loving it!). If I am in the office, I love to catch up with the team and then going for a stroll in London looking at the various shops, particularly independent stores. I always bring a packed lunch as I am saving to buy my own place, (so no cheeky Nando’s for me!).
One of the important parts of my role is to assist in the management of EDI projects within the Social Sciences and Public Policy (SSPP) faculty. Each faculty has an EDI committee responsible for different workstreams, such as bullying and harassment or decolonising the curriculum. I usually assist in tasks such as helping to arrange training sessions for staff and students within the department, assisting with their communications plan and general administrative duties such as taking minutes and setting the agenda for our next committee meeting.
As part of my day, I also like to work on any projects, or pieces of work I have been allocated. For example, I am currently working on a small communications project for the Employee Assistant Programme (EAP – a free programme that provides staff and their immediate family members with support, counselling and advice). To carry out the project, I have been having regular meetings with the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) to discuss my ideas. This includes a list of potential stakeholders and the next steps. I am enjoying this project as it gets my creative juices flowing, particularly as it is a programme that is very beneficial for all employees.
My after-work activities differ from day to day. On a Monday, I attend my Wing Chun (martial arts) class for training. On other days, I might catch up with a friend for dinner, watch my favourite tv shows or enjoy a compelling book. I am currently reading “New Daughters of Africa” edited by Margaret Busby (an international anthology of writing pieces by African women).