Staff In The Spotlight - Interview with Finance Admin Assistant Deborah Odutola

Our latest Staff in the Spotlight features our Finance Admin Assistant Debbie, who recently joined the Youth Music team. Here’s a bit about her!

Hey Debbie! Tell us a bit about yourself and what your career has involved so far?

My working career started with a combination of roles in Accountancy and Law; both these Sectors held great interest for me and I applied myself with studies and training to be able to demonstrate and perform the necessary skills within these fields. My first two jobs were in Finance and then my following three jobs was as a Legal Secretary. With each role, I was able to gain a lot of experience with financial and legal administration. My confidence grew and I developed many transferable skills that were of great use in either field.

I eventually took a thirteen year career break to start a family, be a “stay at home” Mum (very rewarding, tough at times, but worth it), also, my Husband and I started a Limited Company; we are both the Directors.

I wanted/needed to return to working outside of the home, so I started as a Volunteer Team Assistant for Prostate Cancer, I really liked that I was a part of such an important cause, that was really helping and enlightening the public.

I was determined to rebuild a career for myself; I knew I wanted to continue to utilise the skills and experience that I had acquired over the many years in Finance and Law and also; it was a new “digital era”, I left one world and came back into another, (with emails, modern laptops, cool mobile phones that didn’t look like a brick). A more advanced and efficient way of working; there were a lot of new things that I wanted to learn.

I decided that I preferred working in Finance but I became quite drawn to the Charity Sector, I had hoped to be able to get a role in Finance, working for a Charity that held causes very dear to my heart and was also “Youth Centred”; to me, it’s a blessing and a miracle that I was able to get this job, working for Youth Music as it consists of so many things I was looking for in a job.

You’ve been at Youth Music for a couple of months now – how are you finding it?

I have been here for nearly two months and I love it! Working remotely is a very different way of working, especially when all my previous roles have been 100% office based. But Youth Music has equipped me with the tools I need to do this job. The team meetings are so informative, yet professional and relaxing at the same time. Youth Music really helps me to feel a part of something so big, engaging, and positive for the Youth involved. Even in these difficult and challenging times there is a lot vision and purpose being expressed. Everyone is so wonderful and helpful; I know there is always someone to ask when I have a question or need help for specific task.

You’ve mentioned that you like to sing, who are your favourite artists to sing along to?

I have an almost ridiculous eclectic taste in music, I love 50s, 60s Motown, Country Music, Soft rock, Soul, R&B and all forms of Gospel. I often like to sing along to Gospel Artist Fred Hammond or Darlene Zschech (Christian Worship leader).

Can you play any instruments? If not, what instrument would you like to play and why?

Sadly, my keyboard is sitting at the back of my wardrobe, I took lessons many years ago, but I did not master the art of playing the instrument properly, “It is still a dream, that one day I will fully learn”. I would love to play and sing for people, as a hobby.

Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing?

Socialising, going out to the dinner, gym, theatre, cinemas, and Church (lol…those were the pre-coronavirus days) almost everything that is hard to do now.