Q&A with Alice Lamb, LandAid’s newly promoted Director of Operations!

Since April 1, LandAid’s Deputy Chief Executive (DCEO), Alice Lamb, has added a formidable, additional cog to her wheels, following her appointment to Director of Operations.

03/05/2023

Her new role, which will see her have responsibility for all LandAid’s outward-facing work – fundraising, engagement, and impact – doesn’t mean that she will be relinquishing her DCEO role (which she has gone from strength to strength in since 2019) any time soon, in fact it’s anything but – and Alice is ready to grab her dual role with both hands and dive straight in.

Before her day-to-day gets even busier, we sat down over a cuppa with Alice, to chat about her new role, what this means for LandAid, her plans and hopes for the year ahead (and beyond), as well as an opportunity to reflect on her time at LandAid to date.

Firstly, congratulations on your promotion to DCEO and Director of Operations. How are you feeling about this?

I’m super excited to be in my new role and to be a part of LandAid at this hugely exciting time. We have just had our best fundraising year ever! This means that we can increase our impact, in turn, providing so many more young people with a safe place to stay.

I am a fundraiser by trade and in my new capacity, this allows me to oversee the full operations of LandAid – not only raising the funds but playing a part in seeing where the funds go, creating real impact for vulnerable young people, and ensuring that the money we raise is used in the most effective way.

It’s clear this new position means a lot to you, personally and professionally. What does your new role mean for the organisation and how LandAid operates?

This role joins together the 3 pillars of our organisation and strategy – Engagement – Income – Impact – therefore ultimately bringing oversight of LandAid’s key operations within my remit and in effect responsibility for shaping and maintaining the ‘LandAid journey’ (from engagement (comms), to fundraising, to impact)

We are in the final year of our 3 year strategy and are on target to reach our goal to create 1,000 vital homes for young people – this is a huge achievement – but only just scratches the surface of the issue of youth homelessness.

This also means that we are starting to shape our new strategy, set to launch in April 2024, which I am looking forward to developing collaboratively with the support of our Team, Boards, Trustees, Committees, Corporate and Charity Partners.

We know that sadly, now more than ever, LandAid’s mission is vital. Last year, 129,000 young people between 16-24 years-old approached their local council for housing support. This number is rapidly growing, with figures standing at 86,000 in 2017. 

How long have you been at LandAid, and how has your time prepared you for your role?

I joined LandAid in 2017 as Director of Fundraising and was promoted to DCEO in 2019.

Throughout those roles I have been lucky to hold at LandAid, I have learned a lot – from our team, supporters and charity partners. A particular shoutout to LandAid CEO, Paul Morrish, who has mentored me from day one, and from whom I have learnt the key fundamentals of how to end youth homelessness (and how to run an extremely effective and efficient charity!).

Paul saw a spark in me and has helped to nurture me into the leader I am proud to be today.

It’s fair to say that you’ve achieved a lot in your 6 years at LandAid and your contribution to the evolution of the charity is unquestionable. What would say your greatest highlight/ standout moments have been?

There are highlights to be drawn from every single day – I fully believe in celebrating the small wins as well as the big wins. If push came to shove, the key moments for me have been meeting Prince William on day one at LandAid, our Partnership with StreetSmart, to building the LandAid SleepOut to its current success.

I’d also say my role in launching Steptober, the newly formed Patrons Network and playing an integral role in the development of initiatives with the property and wider built environment industry, including our emerging Employability Programme.

They say it’s people that make a place and nowhere is that more true than at LandAid.

I am proud to have helped establish an INCREDIBLE staff team of committed, talented, motivated, professionals who all play their part in making LandAid so successful. I am privileged to work with our Partners, Supporters, Trustees, Boards and Committees who are incredibly generous and supportive of our cause. And I am continually in awe of our charity partners, who work tirelessly to support the most vulnerable young people in our society, inspire me to do my job every day – not to mention the super resilient young people that we support into safe, accommodation.

Charity clearly runs in your veins (and your spirit). For anyone thinking about a career in the sector (or in fact a future career at LandAid) what would say are the best things about working here?

I love the culture and the fact that we are great collaborators – adding REAL value to charities and the lives of young people. 

As an organisation we are nimble and agile – it’s an energetic and fast paced place to work and I can promise you, there is never a dull moment!

Thanks Alice! Before we let you get back to your busy day, do you have anything else to add?

LandAid is small but mighty – and I feel so excited to see what is next for the charity and honoured to be a part of such a powerful social movement to end youth homelessness.

The entire team at LandAid would like to congratulate Alice on her new role.

We are all equally as excited to have her at the helm of our operations!

Find our more about the wider LandAid team here