Learning, Leading, and Growing at Treasure Seekers
I never planned to be the General Manager of Treasure Seekers! In fact, I started off managing the gift shop; a role that pretty quickly taught me retail wasn’t my thing! From there, I moved into administration, then operations, and eventually into my current role. Each step came with its own challenges, but ultimately, they all led to where I am now: supporting our department leads and helping Treasure Seekers run as smoothly as possible. I always say that I try to bring order to chaos!
Like most jobs at Treasure Seekers, the role isn’t exactly what we thought it would be before stepping into it. Treasure Seekers is such a unique place; we don’t really deal in black and white. Every day brings a different challenge because every person we work with is different. We take a truly person-centred approach, which means there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Just people, their needs, and how we can best support them.
Learning to Lead
What I have learned from being in this role is that leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about learning, adapting, and growing. I wouldn’t say there’s been one pivotal moment that shaped me as a leader. It has been more like a slow accumulation of lessons from the experiences (and mistakes!) along the way. One of the most significant lessons I have learned is the importance of equipping others. I am a natural fixer (in fact, Craig bought me a “fixer of everything” plaque) so I am often tempted to step in and do things myself, but I’ve learned that real impact comes from teaching and empowering others. That’s where the long-term change happens.
The Hardest Part
The hardest part of working in the Voluntary Community & Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector is knowing there’s always more to do. If we had more resources, we could help so many more people, so much more effectively. Instead, we have to get creative. We rely on the generosity of others. Whether that’s funding, time, or expertise; we work around the limitations as best we can. It’s exhausting at times, and we often feel like we’re firefighting.
That’s why having a strong team is everything. I’m lucky to work alongside people I trust. We don’t always agree, but that’s what makes us stronger. We challenge each other, we push each other to see different perspectives, and when things are tough, we remind each other why we do this work. In every meeting, we must ask: “What’s going well?” Because when you’re constantly fixing problems, it’s easy to forget to celebrate the impact you’re making.
The Reality of What We Do
One of the things I wish more people knew about Treasure Seekers is just how intense this work can be. It’s not glamorous. Often, we’re meeting people when they are at their lowest. And when someone is in survival mode, they’re not thinking about the bigger picture or the wider social impact of their actions—they just need help. Sometimes that means food, sometimes that means shelter, sometimes that just means someone willing to listen. Building trust with people who have never had it before takes time. And patience. And a lot of kindness.
Why We’re Different
What makes Treasure Seekers different is that we don’t have a checklist of who we will and won’t support. You don’t need a specific diagnosis or meet a particular criteria to walk through our doors and find help (or fun!). We meet people where they’re at and try to offer something meaningful to them, in whatever way that looks like.
Looking Ahead
My hope for Treasure Seekers is that we can keep going for as long as people need us. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to exist at all because the world would be safe, accepting, and the systems in place would work in a way that works for everyone. But until then, we’ll keep doing what we can with what we have. And that, in itself, is something worth celebrating.
