Jessica Agudelo

Why did you decide to become a freelancer?

Becoming a freelancer was not in my career plan! I’ve had the privilege to work with amazing organisations designing and leading programmes, from increasing mental health literacy as part of national programmes in schools to developing crisis intervention helplines and peer support projects locally.

Alongside these leadership roles, I would deliver workshops and training for my teams on wellbeing, the power of peer support and resilience-building. Colleagues from other departments heard about these and asked for the training. I remember having a conversation with one of the directors, who encouraged me to consider taking up a ‘train the trainer’ course to further develop my skills in this area. I listened!

Many years later, I joined the national training team for a well-known mental health training provider as a side freelance job whilst maintaining my full-time job. I met so many freelancers there, learnt a lot from them and got a glimpse of what being a freelancer was about! I loved it but didn’t consider working as a freelancer at the time for fear of not having a regular and consistent income stream.

The events of 2020 sped up my desire to do something different and have more autonomy over my career. I developed ‘Building the Power of Us’, which launched in August of that year, to address the emotional support required by individuals during times of transition, change and isolation.

We met weekly and explored identity, belonging and wellbeing through conversations, reflection and Systemic Constellation practice. This experience helped me connect with my passion for stories and reconnecting people across cultural boundaries to develop self-awareness, self-confidence and peer support. In January 2021 I became a freelancer full time.

What would you say are the benefits of working in a museum consultancy rather than in a museum?

I have never worked in a museum so I wouldn’t be able to compare. What I can share is that working as a consultant has many benefits. Firstly, I am able to meet people from museums of different sizes, working styles and locations. This provides me with a ‘bigger picture’ view of what my clients’ needs are and provides essential insight in terms of what I can bring to support and effect change.

As a wellbeing and mental health training consultant, I get to hear about what impacts people’s wellbeing every day, plus what can help, and wonderful and diverse stories of resilience and good practice. I get to facilitate conversations and enable groups to share their experiences safely so that we can work together to develop skills, familiarise each other with useful resources and work towards making workplaces psychologically safe.

How has the cost of living affected freelancing in the sector?

The cost of living has had a huge impact. Where budgets have reduced significantly, organisations are being more careful about how they spend their money. Where organisations are unable to undertake long term planning, projects are shorter and so too are advance bookings. Many freelance colleagues are having similar experiences.

What skills do you think are most important for freelance or consultancy work?

Being a freelancer is so much more than what I offer organisations. I offer mental health and wellbeing training, project consultancy and one-to-one therapy. Listening, asking questions and communicating non-judgementally really helps understand what a person, team or organisation is trying to achieve while also exploring cultural nuances, systemic blockages and complexities.

I like to work with organisations that share similar values to mine so being able to articulate clearly what I do is very important. Flexibility and openness works both ways. I welcome feedback and enjoy working with organisations that are open to receiving feedback too – both positive and constructive!

Keeping my skills and knowledge up-to-date and facilitating the sharing of information in a way that is accessible is also key. However, I have to think of myself as a business, and with this comes a range of additional skills – such as meeting new people, building relationships and adapting quickly to new environments and situations. I refine and articulate my offer every time a new opportunity arises, and with that comes researching, pricing and promoting my work. I also manage budgets, do data collection and even create social media content.

Every day, week and month is different so managing my workload in the face of constantly changing timelines is important too.

Mentoring and coaching support helps me reflect on my achievements and stay positive, especially when times are hard. For example, not hearing from clients despite submitting a lengthy proposal, or being rejected or waiting.

What do you wish someone had told you about being a freelancer?

I was and still am so passionate about the work I do that perhaps I was initially naïve to think that through trust, high work ethic and recommendations I could reach as many audiences. The reality is that all freelancers need to develop skills in IT, finance, content creation, etc., and this can be difficult for many, especially when we have tight timelines to meet while juggling a personal and home life too.

I was fortunate however to have mentors very early on in my career who coached and supported me with vital insight, information and guidance. Asking for help and delegating is crucial. I can’t do it all so paying someone to support me in a particular area of work has been a game changer and, in turn, I am supporting another freelancer by offering them work.

What should museums be doing to support the wellbeing of freelancers in the sector?

Clients should consider the additional prep time and work that happens behind the scenes so that budgets and timelines are allocated fairly. It’s important to keep communication open, give and receive feedback, and pay on time.

It helps to receive recognition for the work. A ‘thank you’ or even an invitation to meet the team for a coffee or tea if most of the work has been done remotely is much appreciated.

I am human too and despite enjoying the autonomy and control I have, I do at times feel very lonely in my work. I miss having a team and colleagues to chat to every day. I have been working with Royal Museums Greenwich for over a year and they have been so welcoming and considerate of my needs as a freelancer. They have invited me for a tea and chat to meet the team – despite not working with them every day, I feel part of the team!

You can follow Jessica on LinkedIn