Megan has been a resident member of our Board since 2018. As part of our 35 years of West Kent campaign, she shares her reflections on how living in a West Kent community has supported her personal and professional development as well as her aspirations.
What has your journey with West Kent been as a resident?
I have been a West Kent resident since a very young age, and it is safe to say that West Kent has shaped my life in more ways than one. It gave me a neighbourhood where I could play out on the street, ride bikes with friends and go trick or treating (something I always remember looking forward to). It gave me a home, community and a safe place for myself and my mum to grow, and that I did.
I was always the type of child who wanted to do absolutely everything, Brownies, ballet, taekwondo, you name it, I wanted to try it (and get the outfit for my dress-up box). When I was in Year 5, I played a very small role in the Year 6 play - a playing card in the production of Alice in Wonderland!
It was around this time that my 9-year-old self realised I had found my calling. I was going to be an actress, mind made up. I went and told my mum the good news and that she didn’t have to worry anymore because I was going to be a famous superstar. Unfortunately, my school didn't have any extra-curricular drama classes (I wasn’t naive enough to think stardom came overnight, I needed to put in the work), so she searched elsewhere for me. The only class close enough ended up being more than we could afford but my mum, being the person, I got my determination from, told me she’d find a way.
She ended up spotting a West Kent rising stars bursary poster on our estate, advertising a fund for kids who wanted to do something creative. So, she went to speak to someone at West Kent and filled in an application form for me. A few weeks later, we had the money for my drama classes, hurrah!
The reason I tell this story is because it does feel so pivotal to the beginning of my whole life. By having access to the fund, I fell in love with acting even more. I got a drama scholarship and a 100% bursary to Sevenoaks School for sixth form, which allowed me to travel around Germany performing with my class. I then attended drama school and became the first person in my family to get a degree.
I now have an agent and am pursuing acting as a career!
So many people from my background, or with my lived experience, don’t have access to the arts in the same way others do, I even wrote my dissertation on this topic.
I feel so grateful that West Kent not only invested in my physical safety by providing us with a home, but they also made a long-term investment in my future. I will never forget how West Kent helped my dream of pursuing an acting career become a reality.
What motivated you to join our Board as a resident member?West Kent has given me a springboard in life, and I really wanted to learn more about the organisation and be a part of the team that helps people like me through such thoughtful and innovative resources (like the Rising Stars Bursary Fund).
I applied to join the Board via an application form and then had a few rounds of interviews with other Board members. It could not have been a nicer process; everyone was so friendly and welcoming with such a clear commitment to making sure the residents’ voices are heard at every level of the organisation.
What have been some memorable moments while being a member of our Board?
For me, what is most memorable is the team's unwavering determination to provide the best service possible for West Kent residents.
West Kent supports residents in their careers through apprenticeship schemes and their employment and training service, which makes a huge difference and has innovated over the years to form partnerships with local charities and other housing associations, helping residents into new or better paid employment. West Kent is always putting residents at the heart of their decision making and this makes me proud to be a resident and a Board member.
How would you describe West Kent in three words?
Courageous, committed and community.