Building on a well-established foundation of non-profit communications and project management, Scarlett joined SpringACT in early 2024, and now acts as Volunteer Communications Manager.

Throughout her time at SpringACT she has successfully developed the communications strategies and brand identity fundamental to Comeback CatZ, an upcoming app aimed to combat sexism and imposter syndrome, and led the planning, creation, and launch of the app’s instagram page.

When not actively trying to make the world a better place through her work and volunteering, Scarlett can be found with a book, doing yoga or finding new ways to stay active. Let’s take a closer look at the person behind the passion:

Firstly, what made you want to join SpringACT as an ACTivist?

I love writing and creating communications strategies and campaign plans, and I wanted to volunteer so that I could do this whilst supporting a cause I believed in.

When I discovered SpringACT, I was instantly in awe of the work the team does and the impact they’ve had, and I knew I would have so much to learn from the other ACTivists. Working on Comeback CatZ, I definitely found the issue immediately relatable.

We’ve all been there, stood stumped without a retort to an offensive comment. I knew that this could have a huge impact in helping users stand up to sexism, and felt that it would be a really exciting project to join!

How was your experience working on the Comeback CatZ project? In particular, how did you go about setting up the successful branding and communications for it, and was there anything you learnt from the experience?

It’s been such an honour to work on this project. Meeting and working with the entire team has been truly inspiring! Watching the idea come to life, seeing the concept becoming an app, and hearing all the amazing ideas being shared was incredibly energising!

I think it’s important to note that the branding and strategic communications work was a very collaborative experience. I wanted to make sure that everyone, whether they be from the tech team or the website team, had an opportunity to have their say on what our messages and brand were saying. It showed me that an idea really does get stronger when we work together. I used this to create a foundation that I hope continues to guide the team in keeping the Comeback CatZ brand engaging and inspiring.

When you joined you already had a very rich background in communications and non-profit branding. Were there any experiences or skills that you feel helped you in your activist work?

I’ve worked in communications in the past and I think previous work in creating communications strategies and implementing a robust communications analytics function helped me to really identify our audience (with some help from other amazing ACTivitsts of course!), the kind of content we want to share, and how to make sure this was serving our goals as an organisation.

It also showed me how important it is to review and learn from ourselves, which is why I’m constantly reviewing our performance to see what our audience likes to see the most and how we can reach them.

What sort of impact has your work on Comeback CatZ had on you? And what sort of impact do you hope it’s had on other people?

I think my work on Comeback CatZ has definitely made me braver and more confident. Working so closely on communicating why and how to stand up against sexism, believe in yourself and overcome self-doubt has taught me a lot. I feel like it really is a testament to how important Comeback CatZ is.

I definitely feel like I could stand up for myself and speak up when something isn’t right more confidently because of the work I’ve done here.

I hope it has the same impact on others, because

We all have a role in ending sexism, and the more people that speak up, the better a place the world becomes.

What advice would you give someone looking to become involved in activism and social justice work?

Dive in with both feet! It really is an experience that you won’t regret.

My best advice would be to find a cause that’s really important to you, and align this with the skills you already have and the things you know you enjoy.

It is a big commitment and does take a lot of time and energy, so aligning activism with your passion will help you to have the most impact. Finding a team that inspires you and a cause that you want to support will give you as much energy as it takes!

Given all your experience within the humanitarian, development, and climate sectors, what would you say the future of activism looks like?

The world is a scary place right now, especially for women. You only have to look at recent moves away from DEI, the overturning of Roe V Wade in the United States and the presence of figures like Andrew Tate to see that activism for women’s rights is more important than ever.

I hope to continue to use my voice to speak up for what is right and wrong and demand more from our governments and leaders.

Stories that both highlight the urgency of tackling sexism and show the success of activism are going to be crucial to fighting injustice.

It definitely isn’t going to be easy, as space for activism has been shrinking around the globe, but I know activists like the Spring ACT team will rise to the challenge.

Following on from this, what does the future look like for you? Do you see yourself contributing to Spring ACT or similar organisations in the future?

I’m definitely going to be following SpringACT’s journey closely, and I can’t wait to see Comeback CatZ rolled out! I think it’s such a valuable tool that has the potential to really turn the tables on everyday experiences of sexism. As I mentioned before, activism is a big commitment and I’m going to be taking a break for now to recharge ready for the next adventure.

– Written by Natalie Brabben for Spring ACT