Tariq leads on our fundraising efforts, and works to build and maintain our partnerships with businesses. Once upon a time, Tariq considered a career in radio journalism – but we’re very glad he decided to pursue fundraising and ended up with Form the Future! Read on to find out more about Tariq’s role.
Could you explain your current job role?
I am responsible for identifying sources of funding and raising money to support Form the Future’s work. This could be from corporate partnerships or by applying to trusts and foundations or other funding bodies. We’re also planning to raise our profile and recruit contacts and supporters through social media.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My job is about building relationships with people which lead to donations, so I will spend time contacting people and companies, setting up meetings and doing follow-up actions.
I could also be planning fundraising events, writing proposals or attending networking events to develop new contacts. Sometimes I help out at some of our school activities or speak at conferences and workshops about what we do.
Could you tell me about your career path so far – how did you get to where you are?
I did a degree in History and Politics and then worked in university administration eventually moving into fundraising. While most of my working life has been spent in higher education, I have also worked for an international relations research institute and an anti-corruption campaigning organisation.
I have been a City and County Councillor and during my period of office I was a self-employed consultant to help fit in my responsibilities. I also taught a couple of history courses for adults just out of interest.
What motivated you to want to work for Form the Future, and what do you enjoy about working here?
I’ve always been interested in education and in equality of opportunity – making sure that everyone has the chance to develop a fulfilling career. Form the Future is an organisation that is doing much-needed work in this area.
I enjoy working with lots of different partners and meeting people from all sorts of backgrounds.
What are some of the challenging aspects of your job role?
Fundraising is hard and only some of the people you ask will give. We are in a competitive environment with many organisations competing for limited resources.
It can take a long time to get from an initial contact to a donation so you have to be very patient. You are also part of a team and you need to work together effectively to deliver results.
When you were younger, what did you want to be? How has this changed as you’ve progressed in your career?
I was always interested in developing a career in politics but also enjoyed being involved with educational institutions. I’ve tried to balance my interest in both through the jobs I’ve chosen and being politically active in my spare time.
Initially I was interested in radio journalism and might have gone down that route had not an opportunity come up in a university that I decided to take.
Where would you like your career to be in 5 years’ time?
I hope that in five-years I will be in a role that will allow me to put all of my years of experience to full use. Careers are about learning from both successes and failures and adapting so that you are stronger to face the next challenge and be more effective.
