Lucy Parsons recently joined our team as Urban Insight Coordinator.
We asked Lucy about what things in her life have led her to this role, and what appeals to her about Urban Insight.
I was always someone who had a heart to want to help people, especially when I was younger. When I went to uni I had this idea that I would get a job in a non profit helping people which was maybe idealistic at the time. It is definitely informed by my faith. I want to practically love people because God practically loves us in a very big way.
I used to work in a school and I love to work in community development and this job is bringing together a lot of areas of my life that I thought were random. It all comes from a desire to do good in the community. I also like that I’m working among people, not just in a big corporation. I’m in the thick of it.
What appealed to me about the Urban Insight program is that it’s a mix of working with schools and people who have experienced homelessness in the past. It’s a really interesting initiative that provides school students with an opportunity to think about life from a different perspective. Often they are not exposed the kinds of stories from the guides and those stories are really important to help them on their journey of thinking outside of themselves. It's a great way to draw kids in and to help them think about how they can help someone who is experiencing homelessness after being made aware of it. They develop empathy and a greater sense of what is going on in their city. And it’s a great way for the guides who walk with us to know that their story can be impactful. They love to do it, you can see that, and it’s great to be part of it.
We are hoping to run some Urban Walks for our supporters soon. Contact Lucy at Urban.Insight@roughedges.org.au to express your interest!