The Volunteering Award Shortlist

Alison Naftalin, Ministry of Justice

Alison Naftalin, the Head of Legal at the Office of the Sentencing Council, volunteers one day a week for Lively Minds, an overseas development charity that she started herself. Alison was inspired to set up Lively Minds after a trip to Ghana where she saw that children living in poverty were not getting basic educational opportunities.

Alison took a career break and spent one year working in Africa where she designed and implemented an education programme in several communities. She then recruited and trained local staff to continue to expand the programme. Alison returned to the civil service following her career break, but has taken a 20 per cent pay reduction so that she can volunteer for Lively Minds one day a week.

Alison now manages six members of staff in Ghana and Uganda and, under her leadership, Lively Minds has opened cheap and sustainable educational programmes in 30 communities, giving over 4,000 children a better education and a better start in life. Alison has recently brokered a partnership with UNICEF, a testimony to the quality of their programme. Alison demonstrates how one ambitious person can make such a big difference to the lives of so many people though creativity and determination.