Meet our CEO

Published on 17.02.21

Hey there, welcome to our first blog post of 2021

Tiny Changes is excited to share that we have a new team to take us into 2021. Over the next few weeks we’ll introduce them here on the blog.

If you are a newsletter subscriber, or follow us on Instagram, you might have spotted that we appointed the very first Tiny Changes CEO – Kara Brown. In her role, Kara leads the wider Tiny Changes team and works with our Trustees and advisors.

We recently chatted to Kara about her role, her hopes for Tiny Changes and the young people who inspire her. Pop the kettle on and join us as we get to know Kara a little better.  

 

I think the word ‘inspired’ gets thrown around so much that it can lose impact, but that’s how I feel working with young people.

The Tiny Interview

So Kara, tell us a little bit about your Tiny Changes journey so far… 

I’ve been involved in Tiny Changes for over a year now. I’m one of so many inspired by Scott, his art and music, and his family’s vision to help young minds feel better. The first meeting I had with Marion, Neil and Grant was over a cup of tea one morning in Edinburgh. There are some seemingly small moments in life that you know are significant, even as they’re happening. Listening to the Hutchisons that morning was one of those. We’ve achieved so much since then; we have a bigger team, we’ve funded 25 mental health projects and rebranded the charity. I have to keep pinching myself because this is a dream job and I get to work with so many talented people.

 

Aside from helping young minds feel better, what are you passionate about? 

My biggest passion is women’s rights and equality. I’ve spent over 10 years working in that area and I’m a member of the First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls. My lockdown passion is Marvel films. I watched all 23 MCU films, I’m now hooked on WandaVision, and ready for Marvel to release a Dora Milaje film.

 

Who’s a young person who inspires you? 

We recently hired a young person to join the Tiny Changes team – Filo. She blew us away in the interview, which isn’t easy on a video call. She’s leading a group of over 100 young Wavemakers, developing a volunteer policy with a focus on diversity and inclusion and she’s the friendly face behind emails if you write in to us. I think the word ‘inspired’ gets thrown around so much that it can lose impact, but that’s how I feel working with young people. I’m motivated by the work Filo produces and she makes me want to be a better leader.

 

What’s been your Tiny Changes highlight so far?

The online music festival we ran in lockdown was my 2020 highlight. Tiny Gigs was a huge amount of work and it was also one of the most fun, moving things I’ve ever been part of. We raised over £20,000 for young people’s mental health. It was important to us to have a diverse line up; so many music festivals don’t. We worked with artists from around the world, different ages, genders and music genres and over 70,000 people watched Frank Turner’s closing gig.

Tiny Gigs was a rare time of ‘togetherness’ in a difficult and disconnected year. Community is what Tiny Changes and Frightened Rabbit brought into my life and when I needed it most. We’re now building a community of tiny change makers together. Watch this space for ways to join in.

 

What songs do you always sing along with? 

Ohh, lots. There’s a song by Lil Kesh – ‘Is It Because I Love You’ – that reminds me of my godsons. We always sing and dance together. They’re in Gambia and I miss them so much, but when I play this song and dance around, it makes me smile.

 

What does a typical day at Tiny Changes look like for you?

Every day is a little different. I spend a lot of time in meetings. My favourites are phone calls when I can go for a walk in the park or by the sea and discuss work at the same time. Work at my desk includes writing our annual budget and plans, preparing reports for the Trustees and working on fundraising or grant-making with the team. I recently spent the day listening to an intergenerational panel aged 16-71 review Make Tiny Changes Fund applications. That was cool.

 

What do you hope that Tiny Changes will achieve in 2021?

We’re on a mission to raise lots of money for children and young people’s mental health over the next few years. We need even more tiny change makers to pull it off. Who’s with us? Together, we’ll make tiny changes to earth.

Until next time

We hope you enjoyed today’s blog post and we can’t wait to introduce you to more of our Tiny Changes family. Remember, you can keep up to date with our news and announcements by signing up to our newsletter or following us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. You can also donate to Tiny Changes today. 

Join the conversation and become a tiny change maker today.

This is just the beginning of the journey, and with your help we can make lots of tiny changes that lead to a huge difference in how young people are supported and listened to.

Follow us on social media, add your voice to the community and become a tiny change maker today.