Meet Your Colleagues - Fiona Neely

Here at SERC we are keen to promote internal colleagues to allow staff the opportunity to get to know each other and put a face to the name, particularly due to the size and scope of SERC.

This week’s “Meet your Colleagues” features Fiona Neely. Fiona is the Community Development Officer, working in the Customer & Community Services department here at SERC.

What does your role at SERC involve?

I’m the Community Development Officer here and am based in Lisburn. My job is to liaise with the community, voluntary and statutory organisations across the 3 council areas and highlight the courses and services on offer at SERC. In particular I work closely with staff from the school of Adult Education helping promote one of their courses on offer - ‘Restart ‘Education’. My job would involve being out in the local community a few days a week trying to engage with individuals, parents’ groups, community groups and residents associations; for example trying to encourage individuals to return to education and hopefully help alleviate some of the fears they may have.  

Tell us a bit about your background?

I graduated with a history and politics degree from Queens University. My first full-time job after graduating was working for a training organisation in Carrick, who had the contract for JobSkills/learndirect. I worked for this organisation for almost 3 years before moving to East Down Institute in Downpatrick as an eLearning Facilitator in 2004. When the colleges amalgamated in 2007 I was transferred to Lisburn campus and took up the position of Community Development Officer. I have been here ever since!  

What 3 words best describe you?

Open-Minded, Honest, Insightful  

What do you like to do outside of work?

I enjoy going to the cinema, going out for dinner and visiting as many new places as I can!  

If you could swap jobs for a day who would it be and why?

If I could have any job for the day, I would swop with someone who reviews hotels/holiday resorts. I love travelling so I would like the opportunity to see if this job is as good as it sounds. However, travelling the world and getting paid to do so, how could it not be!  

List 3 items you would want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?

Knife, Bug Spray, Hammock  

What is your favourite film and why?

To be honest I don’t have a favourite film as such, but I do enjoy watching films that are based on true events.  

Where do you most want to travel, but have never been? 

Too many places to mention! A few years ago, I went to Costa Rica and visited some of the national parks, which was an unbelievable experience so I’d would like to do something similar again. My next adventure will hopefully therefore be a “wildlife holiday”– I’m thinking either safari, a gorilla trekking trip or Arctic cruise.

If you would like to partake in “Meet Your Colleagues” please contact Calum Donaldson (Marketing and Engagement Intern) at cdonaldson@serc.ac.uk for more details.