ACTivist of the Month: Natalie Brabben

Having a strong academic foundation in English and Film and a career in higher education, Natalie brings both creativity and dedication to her role as the Creative Writer at Spring ACT. Besides her work, Natalie juggles her time between travelling and training for her fourth half marathon! She aspires to continuing building her career to make a positive impact on people, particularly the younger generations. 

So, what motivated you to join Spring ACT?

I was looking to work with an organisation that promotes positive social change and really liked how Spring ACT was doing that through technology. It felt very futuristic. How AI (which I feel like I’d only ever heard horror stories about!) was being used for social good really fascinated me.

Despite the progress made, domestic violence and gender inequality remain critical issues. I wanted to be part of an organisation that actively tackles these problems, and Spring ACT seemed like the ideal choice.

In terms of this role specifically, I have always enjoyed communications and the ways in which you can create a powerful narrative through storytelling. I wanted to join in a role where I was able to do this and apply my experiences to a sector and cause that I feel passionate about. Given that I’m still early in my career, I viewed this role as a chance to learn, grow, and contribute to a meaningful mission.

What have you enjoyed and learnt from being a creative writer for Spring ACT?

I’ve been volunteering with Spring ACT for almost a year now! In this tenure I’ve supported a range of projects and enjoyed the creative freedom that comes with blog writing. Each brief presents a new challenge and opportunity.

My favourite pieces to write are for the “activist of the month” series. It’s really cool getting to learn about other activists in the organisation and understand their motivations for wanting to join and see projects they’ve been doing. I think the articles are also good opportunities to put a face onto the work the organisation is doing and get to know people behind the mission a little more.

I’ve definitely learnt a lot from the tasks I’ve worked on. I’ve been fortunate enough to get some really insightful feedback and I think because I’ve worked on such a range of topics it’s helped me become much more flexible and adaptable. The whole team has been super supportive and the insightful feedback I’ve received from them has been invaluable for my learning. 

How has your experience with Spring ACT benefited you personally and professionally?

It’s benefitted me loads!! I’ve certainly developed my writing skills and it’s been exciting to write on a range of topics and be able to support and edit others’ writing. I think the versatility of my role and the content I’ve led on has definitely strengthened my confidence on my writing skills and adaptability.

I also feel much more knowledgeable about the topic of domestic violence – it’s not always a fun topic to learn about but it’s been really insightful and has inspired me to further engage in this important work.

Why is involvement in activism and social justice so crucial, especially for younger generations?

I think it’s super important. It’s an experience that teaches you a lot and gives you a purpose besides your usual work. In my case I feel being younger has actually somewhat made being involved easier! I feel like I have less responsibilities than I would if I were older and it’s a great way to explore things I’m interested in whilst still helping others.

What advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering or becoming an ACTivist?

Definitely to do some research beforehand – there’s so many opportunities, causes, and organisations out there that it can be almost overwhelming when you’re first approaching it. 

Volunteering is also a commitment so you want to make sure it’s with a team you’re passionate about and that the work is going to be interesting to you.

I would also definitely recommend reaching out for a chat with the team you’re interested in – when I first started, I chatted to the Head Coordinator, Simon, for about an hour just about the role, the organisation, and the people in it, and it really made me way more confident that it was the sort of thing I wanted to do and made me excited to start.

What are your future goals, and how do you see yourself contributing to Spring ACT or similar organisations?

In terms of contributing to Spring ACT, I think I’d like to explore different writing styles and expand my expertise, particularly in social media and corporate communications. Aside from that, I’d really like to continue my involvement in activism in any way I can. It would be amazing to turn that kind of work into a career of some sort, but I’ve still got a lot of time to figure that out!

 – Interviewed by Elodie Whyte  for Spring ACT