Spotlight on…Michelle Kipling

Find out how Michelle balances her busy role in AMBS with her community and dementia awareness work – and discover how, in just 30 minutes, you can find out how to support your community.

Please can you tell us about your role in Alliance MBS and what your biggest challenge has been while working from home?

I have worked for the Business School for 25 years. My current role is Academic Services, Social Responsibility & Accreditation Manager. Just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it! It is a very varied role, as the title suggests, but I really enjoy the array of work I am involved and the number of teams I am able to engage with.
Like most people, my biggest challenge this year has been juggling additional workloads created by the pandemic and managing my own wellbeing and that of my family. However I also appreciate how fortunate I am which has helped me to have wobbles, reflect and adjust. My team recently reflected on the past year and we noted how we actually feel more connected in some ways as we were spread out all across the building pre-lockdown. There have been some positives as well as the many challenges.

Alongside your role you’re active in a number of community-related projects - for the University and personally. What are your drivers for this, and how do these projects inform your day to day role?

Part of my role supporting the Social Responsibility agenda for the School has enabled me to engage with the Education Leadership Trust – this includes Levenshulme, TEMA and Whalley Range High Schools. This partnership has been in place for over five years and our main event is an annual Inspiring Womens Conference. This is an opportunity for young girls in our local community to hear from successful women and hear their career and life stories, followed by employability workshops to develop their soft skills. I know when I was their age, and I didn’t know what to do with my life, I would have loved to have heard from women who not only succeeded, but failed, got back up and carried on with Plan B (or even C and D in some cases). A career does not have to be linear and resilience is key which is something they don’t seem to realise and they become anxious when they haven’t got it all pathed out in front of them like some of their friends. These are messages I have learnt for myself and I’m in a fortunate position to work for the University where I can support the next generation to figure it out too – but much earlier than I did!

As part of Dementia Awareness Week (from 17 May) you’re planning some Dementia Information sessions for Humanities colleagues. Please can you tell us about them and what people can expect on the day?

I attended a Dementia Friends Session at the University nearly four years ago and heard about the five key messages that the Alzheimer’s Society want everyone to know about Dementia, so that people living with this disease can be supported in the community and live well. As a result I decided to become a Dementia Friends Champion and the session will involve me running through these five key messages. It is not a training session - rather an opportunity for people to learn a little bit more, raise awareness and consider what small thing they could differently with their new found knowledge and understanding when out and about in the community. The virtual sessions have been adapted a little compared to the face to face content, but the important messages are still there, delivered through a few short activities and visuals to support people’s understanding. There are no tests I promise!

Who’s been the biggest inspiration in your life and why?

Literally anyone that fails, owns their mistakes, is honest with themselves and others and gets back up again.

• Book your place on one of Michelle’s 30-minute information sessions.