For me, one of the highlights of this year is being appointed as a staff member on the OCF Board. It’s a chance to think in a very different way about the organisation. Being part of key decision making process has been fascinating, and has actually changed how I think about my everyday work.

My highlight for the year was getting such a glowing report from the external verifiers at OCN, who came in to check the work of our first Community Development cohort, and the quality of our course. It was a real buzz to see all that hard work pay off.

Technology has achieved so much this year, but I think I’m probably proudest of being part of the design and build of the very first totally online assessment for basic IT skills. People can learn online, take a test online, and get an Entry Level 3 certificate from City and Guilds. It’s a great way to prove their skills, and it’s already boosting CVs and confidence.

One of the best bits of my year has been the events I organised for the specialist networks. It was great to meet these centres in person, hear about their work, and capture some of that best practice. It’s been a privilege to work with people who do so much for some of the hardest to reach and most deeply excluded groups out there. I’ve learned a lot.

I came back from maternity leave halfway through this year to find a very different business, working with new partners, and developing new income channels beyond government. I feel very lucky to be part of OCF at such an exciting time, and I’m looking forward to seeing the projects we’ve been working on in 2012-2013 come to fruition in 2013-2014.