Jayne Degiorgio has worked at POhWER since the start of 2021, starting as an advocate and now working as a Head of Service for London and the South East.

Before joining POhWER Jayne worked in a totally different industry – cinema. Jayne says: “I was made redundant during the COVID-19 pandemic after working in a variety of management roles in cinema for 15/16 years. I saw POhWER as an opportunity to do something different.

I was already thinking about changing my job and wanted to take my career in a different path.

“It was important to me that the environment I worked in and the organisation makes a difference to those around them and with the services they provide. I also wanted the flexibility of working from home, so they were the aspects I was looking for in a new job.”

“I knew I wanted to work for a charity, I have done lots of fundraising in the past and have a lot of time for charity so POhWER felt like a good fit.”

POhWER is the leading advocacy charity in the UK, and all of the advocacy services we provide are free to access, independent, and confidential.

Our team of trained, skilled and knowledgeable advocates will provide person-centred support to people to enable them to understand and safeguard their rights, obtain information, request access to services that meet their needs and ensure that their views, wishes, and choices are represented, understood and can be acted upon.

Jayne was excited to change her career, and advocacy has been a great fit for her. “When I was looking for job options I came across being an advocate which I felt would meet my criteria. I knew this could kick start my career in a different way and would also be more in line with the values I apply to my life now.”

“When an opportunity in advocacy came about, I was given the full training and support from the start. I would have had the opportunity to work towards qualifications had I stayed as an advocate and in my current role I am able to support staff who are starting out as an advocate.”

“Based on my leadership and management roles in the past, I was able to progress from an advocate to the position I’m in now which has been a great opportunity.”

“My job as Head of Service is to support the community managers and the advocates with the delivery of their services across the area that I cover, being the South East and London. I’m overseeing these contracts and giving the support that is needed, making sure we’re meeting the quality standards and targets that are set by those that fund us. It’s also very important for me to make sure that our community managers and advocates have the tools to do their job.”

Jayne’s team consists of approximately 120 people, with most of these paid advocates, seven Community Manager and a few volunteers. 

“I would definitely recommend becoming an advocate, for all the reasons that I did. This role is an opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives and in communities which I am grateful to do.”

“You’re able to support people who don’t have anybody else available and to make sure the right provisions are met.”

For more information on how you could become an advocate with POhWER, please see our Current Vacancies page.