Fond Farewell to Alison Coupe

Alison Coupe, Community Investment Director is now leaving the organisation on 31st December 2011 after 15 Years at Impact. Here’s a quick interview

So, Alison, what’s your plans for after Impact when you will have all this free time?

First, a few months to think about what I want to do in the next chapter of my life…a kind of Zen emptying of the mind…it is crammed with so much Impact stuff and there is another world out there…I will of course be planting plenty of seeds too.

What’s your biggest achievement from working at Impact?

That’s a hard one, I have been privileged to lead so many really top class projects that have been developed by staff from across the organisation. But I think the greatest achievement is having a major influence over how we work and what we do as an organisation, perhaps epitomised by the Blueprint.   I never doubt people’s commitment to what we do.

 What are the key things you feel you have achieved in your role?

There have been huge challenges from finding funding, to passing inspections with “flying colours”, to satisfying a whole load of external expectations.  And then there’s the vast diversity of what we do, so you have to be very flexible and creative in your approach.

Sometimes it’s the small things that add up to the whole. I think that building a team which very much has tenants, residents and the communities in which we work at it’s heart has been one of my most rewarding challenges.

Also we have levered in a great deal of additional finance to help us develop new projects, achieving a good balance between the business case and meeting our values and commitments.

I have had the opportunity to support and mentor a number of staff helping them to develop their skills and then go on to do really great things for Impact.  I have really enjoyed bringing together groups of people from different parts of the organisation to work on particular ideas. 

And finally, there’s has been a huge amount of learning for example “how to tender and actually win contracts” to keeping cool when a member of staff knocks on the door and says “Alison there’s a massive hole in my budget”.

Do you have any stand out funny moments?

The incident of the toilet brush…Janet, I am truly sorry. It’s only funny when I look back

Do you have any memories of wanting to bang your head against a wall?

PLENTY…but that what managing people does for you, we all have our idiosyncrasies and it’s good to get it out of your system in a safe place and then gird your loins for action.

And finally…… will you miss it?!!?

Yes, in a way, but it is absolutely the right time for me to move on. It’s time to explore new passions and new ideas.