Okay decision time - Help!
If you’ve been following for a while, you will know that I haven’t worked since September when I had emergency surgery to save my life, and I’ve been struggling with my health ever since.
So, I’m really, really, really broke. I left my career in January last year due to illness and extreme stress - I was a Human Resources Professional working in the mining and oil and gas industry (I’ll tell you about that one day), and I left to work in a community centre in the area of the arts. I was starting up a youth arts programme. I was paid barely enough to eat on, mostly it was voluntary. Basically I got about AU$150 a fortnight. No, not much - but that’s what it like working with the community.
Down side of perfect job (apart from the lack of funds), is the coordinator of the centre is very difficult to work with. She’s all over the place. ie, the youth arts programme which I got some great funding for from the office of the youth, she turned it into a school holiday programme trivialising it. None of the target kids would come, because it was silly. Only 10-12 years olds would come. I was targeting the highly creative, misunderstood 16-21 year olds.
Anyway all that aside, here’s where decision time comes in.
1. I go back to the community centre and just get on with it. At least its art of sorts. (not much money, but no stress)
2. I go back to uni and finish my diploma in coaching and start up a consultancy in life coaching and executive coaching. (lotsa money, bit of stress)
3. I do yoga teacher training and teach yoga to the desperate people in the region that are begging me to do it. (very expensive course - would need to work out a payment plan)
4. I grow vegies and sell them at a farmers market 1.5 hours drive away. (need money to buy a cool room and some machinery).
5. I harass my poor hubby to hurry up and finish my studio so that I can paint and sell paintings.
I really do not know what to do. I’m going into the community centre to meet with the coordinator today. A friend who is working there told me to stay away. She said the funding I got hasn’t been spent as I said it would, so the coordinator will be looking for a fall guy.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
I don’t have any suggestions for you I’m afraid, but just want to say that I hope you work it out!
Miss Pragmatic here… it seems like all your options except for #1 involve either spending money (#2,3, and 4) or having to wait until you are able to earn it (#2,3,4 and 5). Seeing as you say you are really, really, really broke, your only option to receive money very soon without expending any is #1. Also, #1 is the only one where you have a guaranteed income, whereas the other all rely on people buying goods or services from you, which can take time and is less stable - and it seems like you need a stable, regular income right now.
But - your options aren’t mutually exclusive. You can implement #1 immediately while still working on #4 and 5 straight away (you’ll need extra time to take care of the garden/paint, but that’s a second job for you!), or you could work at #1 for a while until you have saved money to support yourself and implement #2,3 or 4.
Incidentally, the great thing about working in government/community is the excellent processes around dismissal. If your boss is looking for a fall guy then it’s a long road for her to try to do so - are you a member of your union?
Best of luck - I know what it’s like to work in an uncomfortable atmosphere so I totally understand why you’re looking at alternatives! But needs must I guess - so good luck with whatever you choose to do.
Thanks so much. This makes a lot of sense. I was too close and getting quite confused.
I have met with the coordinator and we have come to an arrangement. So far so good. I am working on grant applications and will be conducting workshops and assisting with the youth arts where I can. Or in her words, “swan in, get the kids working on something, swan out, and they’ll clean up for me”.
I chatted to the lady who has been looking after the youth arts for me, and she said the target kids are starting to wander in now, which is fantastic. She said she doesn’t have an artistic bone in her body, but she is great with the kids and a great organiser - so its all turning out well.
Thanks again! I’d really much rather just paint and grow vegies, but one cannot live on love alone.