Staff Spotlight: Josie Crisp
Meet Josie, our Cambridgeshire Progression Coach!
Josie joined Villiers Park in September 2024, but her connection with the charity began much earlier as a Year 12 student attending an Inspiring Excellence residential in 2018. Inspired by the experience, she has come full circle as a Villiers Park alum, now supporting young people in Cambridgeshire.
Josie is passionate about helping every young person look to the future with excitement rather than fear. Outside of work, you'll find her at comedy gigs, painting by numbers, or walking her black labrador, Dougie.
How long have you been at Villiers Park, and what first drew you here?
I joined Villiers Park as a Progression Coach in September 2024, although my first interaction with the charity was back in 2018 when I was a Year 12 student and attended one of the 'Inspiring excellence' residentials. My time on the residential had such a profound impact on me that I was drawn to work for the charity so I could give back and make a difference in the lives of young people from backgrounds like mine.
What does your role involve, and how does it contribute to Villiers Park’s mission?
I work with young people from Year 9 to Year 12; this involves delivery of 1-2-1 coaching sessions and group Leadership Challenge projects. At Villiers Park our mission is to empower young people to succeed, therefore I work directly with the young people to support their skill and knowledge development, such as increasing confidence and motivation but also understanding their future possible selves and preferred post-16 pathway.
Looking back, what experiences or influences prepared you for the work you do now?
Before joining Villiers Park, I completed both a BSc and an MSc in Biology and Molecular Biology, something I didn't think possible until attending the residential!
What’s a project or initiative you’re most proud of, and why does it matter to you?
I am always so proud of the Leadership Challenge projects that students propose, design, and deliver. Some of my favourite projects are a Flower planting initiative in school, a fashion show for recycled prom dresses, joyful paintings that have been displayed in pastoral house offices, and a book board to encourage reading.
These projects are super important in instilling a sense of leadership, many students have gone on to apply for school leadership roles such as student president, something that sets them apart from the crowd, it's important to me to help them get that recognition they deserve when they may otherwise be overlooked.
How do you see your work making a difference for young people or colleagues?
In such a short period of time I repeatedly see students go from strength to strength. The most obvious change I see in the young people is their increased confidence; students grow to understand that their voice matters and their opinions deserve to be heard. Once their confidence is increased other skills fall in line, I see them having more motivation for schoolwork, better communication with staff and other pupils, increased agency and sense of purpose when discussing post-16 options.
Most importantly I see a spark of excitement as they begin anticipating their futures with positivity and not fear.
If you could spend a month anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you hope to experience?
I would absolutely love to spend a month in the Maldives, I would spend everyday snorkelling, learning to scuba dive, and lying down in the sun for hours on end.
Go-to comfort meal?
Pasta, pasta, and more pasta
Song that always lifts your mood?
Vienna by Billy Joel. I have some of the lyrics tattooed on me as a reminder of how much I love it.
