3 years on

4th June 2021

On the third anniversary of joining as CEO, Jane Powell reflects on achievements so far and looks ahead at what's still to come.

Today, 4th June, marks three years since I started at the BSA/STAMMA. I'll be honest, 2018 seems eons ago. There was a plan — and pretty much that's what we've stuck to: build the infrastructure, strengthen the brand, build services, start changing how the fluent world views and responds to stammering. 

The first months were tough. Long-term supporter Owen Simon had kindly left us a legacy, but it wasn't clear when that legacy would come. Money was tight, and there were many times when I was the sole occupant of the office. And then the legacy came through and supercharged our plans. There's been lots of course-recalibration along the way, but that's to be expected. 

Still, three years later, I'm blown away by the first Conference I attended in Cardiff in 2018. I can't wait till next year's conference in Liverpool. 

Our communications focus has moved from tackling 'stammering isn't a joke' to 'It's how we talk'. These things in hindsight seem simple, but it is a bloody process getting there. The pandemic drove a coach and horses through our fundraising strategy. But moving over to Salesforce to manage membership and other information, a virtual call centre and the new website, have helped us create a solid base to build up from. And with a brilliant staff and volunteer team, the course has held. 

The campaigns and branding, all pro bono, have kept us on target with membership growth. I can see from Salesforce that last month brought in 149 new members and supporters. In 2018 the average was around 30. Our support services have expanded, now running to every weekday and with the addition of webchat — free, confidential and there for anyone. 

We're about to launch new workshops for parents too. That's just the start of our ambition in terms of the support we want to provide. The narrative around stammering is developing well — we see people feeling able to 'come out' about hiding their stammer, others finally being comfortable to talk freely about it. Stammering is how some people talk — this just needs acceptance. Not curing or overcoming. 

And boy do have we great plans for the future. As ever, huge challenges too. The ongoing pressure on the NHS, exacerbated by the pandemic has decimated the NHS support for adults — so much to work on there. 

It is these actions which create a tsunami which drives real change. I've seen that as CEO at CALM, and I see that change happening now.

The enduring impact on me is this community. Still, three years later, I'm blown away by the first Conference I attended in Cardiff in 2018. I can't wait till next year's conference in Liverpool (August 24th-28th). 

I've just caught sight of one of our members Kaitlin Naughten, Scientist at the British Antarctic Survey and author of the Climate Sight blog (@kaitlinnaughten) tweeting about how diverse this community of people who stammer is. Dead right. It has been a privilege to meet members and make what I trust are lifelong friendships. Like everyone, I've missed physically meeting people, meeting our members. Not just for the warmth and the company, but for the understanding, the feedback, the criticism, the insights which are so central to guiding the development of everything we do. But luckily there has been Zoom and Teams and emails. 

Three years on and while much of my thinking has changed, my one core belief is the same. We change the world together, one sentence, one action at a time. While STAMMA HQ can land campaigns, provide services and information — that cultural and political change is created by our members and those who stammer. One conversation at a time — breaking the assumptions and thoughtless actions of fluent speakers. 

Those small but groundbreaking personal decisions to announce a stammer, to not hide it, to challenge negative wording, to challenge the idea that we are not good enough. It is these actions which create a tsunami which drives real change. I've seen that as CEO at CALM, and I see that change happening now. It is never just the one thing, the one person, the one event — but a slow-motion, uncontrolled explosion. I'm proud to be here, to be part of that, and hopefully be around for a while yet. This is a movement. Join us.