From Everest Base Camp to Digital Heights with Camilla Field
Our profile series strives to highlight the incredible heights individuals reach within their NFP organisations, and did you know some of them have actually reached Everest Base Camp?
Read on to hear how Camilla Field, from Church Army, is both literally and figuratively climbing mountains with their digital transformation project to expand their supporter base. Hear her advice for leading your team to the top of the mountain with you!
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your role and what attracted you to work for Church Army?
I’m Camilla Field, Head of Digital Transformation at Church Army. Church Army was founded over 140 years ago and we’ve got about 40 projects across the UK and Ireland working with the most marginalised in society, reaching all different points of crisis. Our efforts address various crises, including homelessness, knife crime, food poverty, mental illness, and social isolation. We work through partnerships and collaborations, striving to help them as best we can.
With around 20 years of senior-level marketing experience in the financial services and education sectors, I had always aspired to work in the not-for-profit sector. When approached for the role of Head of Digital Transformation at Church Army, I was initially unfamiliar with both the role and the organisation. However, it was the breadth and impact of the inspirational work of Church Army with the most marginalised in society that attracted me. I wanted to feel I was making a difference to individual lives and whilst I don’t have a faith background, I very much align with the values of the organisation.
To get to know you a bit better, could you please share something that you’ve really enjoyed about your role, and something about yourself that your colleagues might be surprised to hear?
I really enjoy leveraging digital technology to improve collaboration which in turn enables us to make a meaningful impact on our projects. Church Army is a geographically diverse organisation with projects spanning the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Digital tools enable us to connect, collaborate, and facilitate peer-to-peer learning, for example, our homelessness projects in London and Cardiff greatly benefits from shared insights and experiences. This exchange of knowledge is invaluable, and it also helps to mitigate the isolation that can sometimes affect our teams.
A personal fact that many of my colleagues may already know about me, is that I’m quite adventurous. In 2022, I undertook a trek to Everest Base Camp. While it was a significant personal challenge, I also turned it into a fundraiser to support our women’s homelessness project in London called The Marylebone Project. We have a piece of artwork in one of our social areas that says, “The best views come after the hardest climb” and that mantra resonates with a lot of our women who when faced with adversity have walked their own unique personal journeys. So, it seemed very appropriate that every footstep I’d take on my adventure should raise funds for them. I successfully reached Everest Base Camp, and it was quite an emotional moment when I got to the top as I reflected back on some of our women and their journeys that had inspired me. After I got back, I went to Marylebone to speak to some of our women about my adventure and how their braveness and resilience motivated me.
What are the biggest challenges you have experienced when bringing people along with you on a change project? And what advice would you give to organisations about to embark on a project?
From the outset of our project, I was very keen to capture all the voices of the key stakeholders. Understanding their needs and wants is crucial, as it is their day-to-day roles that we’re aiming to make more efficient, enabling them to be more successful. When reviewing the needs and wants, it’s important to ensure the requirements align with the organisation’s strategic goals and objectives. All roads should lead back to these goals. Sometimes, the ‘desirables’ can murky the water slightly, leading to an overly long and impractical wish list. However, by going through a few different iterations, you can strip it back to clear objectives and requirements.
For our partner selection panel, I ensured the key businesses and the project delivery team were represented. I wanted them to feel involved in the decision-making process and to help shape the CRM. It is important to take everyone on the journey, including the wider organisation. Since we have colleagues who are fully remote, based in different areas across the United Kingdom, communication was key. We needed to ensure that, regardless of their location, they understood what we are doing and why. Sharing the rationale helps people understand the potential benefits in their context.
One of the biggest challenges is to not just transfer our existing processes to the new CRM. I am determined to take this opportunity to change how we do things. Change is often difficult for people, so it’s essential to highlight the benefits of the change for both the individual and the organisation. For example, a new CRM platform will help future proof our frontline work by making our fundraising more effective, by engaging new audiences and creating more meaningful relationships with our supporters. In addition, business processes with be reengineered to be more efficient, creating more efficiencies across teams such a Fundraising and Finance. I believe in not just dictating how we are going to do things. It’s about bringing people to a joint conclusion on how to improve. This approach shows that their voices have been heard. If we don’t meet the needs that have been voiced, we miss the point entirely.
Are there any upcoming or recent technologies that you think will change or disrupt the sector and how?
I believe AI is a fascinating area that could impact our sector. Internally, it can enhance our efficiency in responding to different user groups, whether they are donors or volunteers. Improved responsiveness drives engagement, and by leveraging intelligent automation, we could provide quicker answers, potentially fostering faster and stronger relationships.
AI can also influence how individuals use our services. By applying our learning from various projects, we could change lives on a larger scale. However, I’m also very mindful of the digital poverty issues among many individuals we work with. The digital world’s rapid evolution makes it easy to overlook those without access. Many lack access to necessary devices or data, which hinders their ability to engage with our services online. This digital divide became particularly evident during the pandemic when children were sent home for remote learning. We had to distribute laptops and devices to households without connectivity. Similarly, rough sleepers often lack the means to register online for services like Universal Credit. In response, we provide ICT provisions in our frontline projects to give individuals the chance to access services
Looking ahead, we’re considering revamping our web offerings. Traditionally, we focused heavily on keywords and SEO to rank higher in search results. However, there’s been a shift towards voice-activated searches, with people increasingly using Siri, Google, and Alexa to find information. This change prompts us to rethink how we engage with web content and make it relevant to natural, verbal questions rather than relying solely on keyword tagging. Also, as more people seek information on the go, integrating geographical correlation and other intelligent features into our digital strategy becomes essential. We need to adapt to how audiences are engaging in their daily lives to stay relevant and accessible.
Is there a particular piece of work or activity that your organisation has carried out that you’re particularly proud of?
The Marylebone Project is our flagship project and it’s the largest women’s only homeless project in London and the UK. It’s been going for over 90 years, and we have 112 residents as well as a drop in centre.
After completing a needs-based analysis, we identified a significant demand for more specialised services, particularly those catering exclusively to women. While there are many excellent homelessness provisions and charities, most of them serve mixed-gender populations. Given that 85-90% of the women we support have experienced domestic violence or sexual abuse, entering mixed-gender homelessness facilities can often trigger trauma for them. Therefore, it was crucial to expand our operations to provide a safe and supportive environment specifically for women when they need it most.
The Sanctuary operates every day of the year offering a safe space for women at all hours of the day and night. We also offer a place to equip them back into independent living. There is a range of different services, whether it’s language skills, professional qualifications as well as a range of well-being activities and more conventional therapies to help them overcome their trauma.
One of the key impact indicators we like to recognise are the women who each year successful move on to independent living, integrating back into society. For the last 5 years, 100% have maintained their tenancy which is amazing and demonstrates that our wide-breadth of services has enabled them to start to rebuild their lives, crucially helping to raise their self-esteem and giving them the building blocks to shape their future.