Bounceback Feature - harriet Wells
Harriet has recently become full-time a member at Oru after finishing her Bounceback scheme. Due to the uncertainty of self-employment, Harriet realised that she needed the workspace more than she thought. She has now taken the leap into freelance work as a podcast producer. Read more about her time at Oru below!
Hello Harriet! Thank you for sitting down with us today for a chat.
Would you like to start by telling us a bit about what you do?
Yes, so I am a podcast producer for a variety of shows. Producing encompasses a variety of roles, including scripting, editing, sound design, recording, and development work. For example, the project I am working on at the moment is entirely international. Therefore I have been training local people, such as journalists, to help me record interviews by walking them through how to use our technology in order to obtain the best quality audio. In addition to the interviews, the benefit of having a team based in other countries is that they have been able to help me capture audio to create a soundscape for the episodes. This involves recording noises such as traffic, cafes and bustling streets (wherever they may be in the world) in order to create an authentic atmosphere, which we cannot do from using generic sound libraries in the same way.
What brought you to Oru?
I was aware of Oru, due to living locally and knowing it was a community that I wanted to be a part of. The timing on the Bounceback scheme was really ideal for me, as it had aligned with my decision to quit my job and to become self-employed! Paying for a coworking membership was not a financially viable option for me, so 3-months of free hot-desking was a great way to transition into freelance work.
How has the Bounceback scheme helped you?
The transition from working in an office to having to work from home was really difficult - so having a community and networking space, to speak to other freelancers and creatives, was incredibly helpful and motivating - everyone has been so friendly! After some time here I actually started to realise that I needed it more than I thought, and started relying on the time I spent in the co-working space more than I had anticipated.
What do you love about working from Oru?
As I mentioned before, the community feel of Oru is such an inviting and friendly atmosphere - seeing the same faces everyday is a really nice feeling. As well as using the co-working space, the wellness addition has been a real treat and a brilliant option to have as a member. I use it almost everyday and have been enjoying the Dynamic Pilates and Barre classes.
What’s next? Any exciting plans you can share with us?
A project I'm super proud of working on and currently producing - is a show called 'What Makes Us Stronger' - from Women for Women International. In each episode, the podcast profiles women in different parts of the world who are affected by war, discussing their situation and the daily challenges that they face. This has been a really inspiring project to be a part of, Women For Women have numerous offices internationally and help provide essential services such as education and training in technology, financial independence and personal rights to women facing injustices within their own countries. The offices find women with inspiring stories or collectives who have been subject to oppression - from there we help record these narratives by using local journalists and willing participants who send back audio which I use to create the finished episode.
Here is a little series description:
What makes us resilient in times of crisis? And how does conflict and hardship shape who we are? What Makes Us Stronger tells the stories of some courageous women who’ve lived through unbelievably difficult times in countries like Afghanistan, Syria and Democratic Republic of the Congo to name a few, and explores how each of them took on new roles and found the strength to keep going. What Makes Us Stronger is a series by Women for Women International, an organisation which invests where inequality is greatest by helping women who are forgotten — the women survivors of war and conflict. Hosted by Nisha Singh, Global Policy and Advocacy Manager at Women for Women International.
Please click the link here to give a listen to the project that Harriet has been working on with the non-profit Women for Women International, aiding inspirational stories of many women, worldwide, who are dealing with the daily struggle of conflict. Trigger Warning: These episodes do include traumatic stories, so please read episode descriptions before listening.
Also, see how you can help women in war torn communities.