Catherine Rodgers

Case Study

How would you like to be described?

Useful and Kind!  But before this, compassionate and passionate and joyful.

How would you describe what you do?

Supporting people to realise how much power they have to change the world.

What is your greatest achievement?

Being able to spend my days doing the work I love of connecting with others to try and make the world a better place

What was the cause or ’trigger for this journey of making the world a better place through being useful and kind? And how old were you? When did you realise you could make a difference?

Growing up in a family of mixed origin - Kenyan and British and seeing how differently my cousins (Kenyan and British) lived made me see inequality first hand from a very young age and which just seemed so unfair.  In my early teenage years, finding out about organisations that worked on social issues such as Oxfam, Amnesty or animal rights groups showed there are many other people out there that want to make the world better. 

Growing up I went on protests with my parents including anti-apartheid as well as animal rights protests and that was what helped me see that I could be part of making a difference. 

The moment when Nelson Mandela was released from prison has stayed with me and I like to link that to being part of protests when I was young… (not sure he was released because of the protests but it’s something to help link a small action to a large change)

Was it something your parents are/would have been proud of and encouraged?

They definitely encouraged me to understand the challenges of growing up with a mixed heritage but not sure they would ever thought it would become my career 

Who or what were your early influences?

From teenage years, I would say Nelson Mandela as it was happening at a time when there was a lot of coverage on apartheid and I remember when I was young, as a family we wouldn’t buy South African produce. The artists that performed at Free Nelson Mandela concerts made it feel more accessible and that everyone should be involved. 

What were you doing at 16?

Apart from usual teenage things of parties and school, I volunteered with Oxfam to get petitions signed at music festivals and wrote letters as part of their campaigns 

What advice would you give your 16 year old self?

You don’t need to be an expert to make change happen!!  I think I saw others as the ‘experts’ but all of us have very different roles to play 

What advice would you give to other young people?

You have the power to make the world a better place! If you connect and work with others, anything can be overcome. We need to listen to and understand people we disagree with so we know how to change their points of view, rather than see them as people to fight against 

What has been the most difficult challenge on the way and how did you overcome it?

Doubting that I could be part of making the world a better place. For many reasons - dropping out of university, not being a technical expert, I doubted what my contribution could be to campaigns or organisations. 

I had amazing friends and colleagues around me who helped me see what my contribution was and that it didn’t need to be the same as others. Your uniqueness is what helps make groups work better! 

What do you think are the changes we need to see in the world and how can being U&K help solve those things?

We need to appreciate that not everyone has the same opportunity in life to be safe, healthy and happy. We all have different lived realities which influence how we make decisions or what views we have but we are all human and need to be heard. We need to support each other, listen more and act together. 

How are you useful and kind to yourself - what helps and hinders?

I make sure I spend time with people that I love and support me to be better! Working in social justice can sometimes take its toll and it’s good to have time when you are caring about yourself…. So that you are able to continue to care for others 

How are you both useful and kind to others (the easy ones and those who are more difficult to be U&K to)?

I think its really important to listen! To understand where people are coming from and why they feel the way they do. I try to make sure I see things from other people’s points of view so that I can learn and know how to support or influence them 

What is your biggest challenge in the future?

Knowing what my role should be in making the world a better place, where I should spend my time, who I should  be supporting whilst making sure I don’t get burnt out. 

What do you wish you had done differently?

Believed in myself more when I was younger. That I could be part of changing of the world.