Amongst the snow drifts and chilly winds of 1st March 2018, the UK VA Conference became the launch pad for an initiative for the profession to focus on how a career choice to be a Virtual Assistant can be influenced by factors that may not be just solely about starting up your own business.
Sometimes, a whole range of circumstances may dictate that becoming a Virtual Assistant is actually one of a small number of options that you may have open to oyu to generate an income, or stay in work – be that as a stand-alone VA, a franchisee, or as an associate VA.
So, just who might become a Virtual Assistant, and why?
Just over three years ago the teams that head up our business activities for pa-assist, BeMyVA, the UK VA Conference and UK VA Awards compiled a statement for a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy, and with minimal edits since then, it reads:
We campaign for the Virtual Assistant profession to be more readily recognised – we see the world of the VA being one that is as inclusive as possible, reaching out to areas requiring encouragement, regeneration and employment.
We believe that becoming a Virtual Assistant and working remotely can be an introduction to a whole new income stream, particularly for those that may have limited access to transport; be restricted by location; or have personal circumstances – such as restricted by mobility, health or family commitments – that may prevent ‘traditional’ employment being a practical or viable option.
With the belief and passion of our partners and supporters, we know the profession of Virtual Assistants can make a positive difference to both day-to-day challenges of work-life balance and the wider social economic factors.
We will look forward to encouraging more VAs begin their new career and business journeys all around the world.
As we go on our travels, especially around the UK, we meet untold numbers of VAs from a wide range of profiles in and outside of the social media channels, all are business professionals operating as highly competent Virtual Assistants.
Frequently, we talk about how and why they started out as a VA.
Frequently, we are surprised, shocked, saddened, and inspired by stories of the adversities that are overcome – including health challenges, domestic circumstances, restricted work or career opportunities, dependent loved ones, those requiring or providing care, and many more variants that may all find a solution in working as a VA.
Now, a growing number of those inspiring and outstanding people are prepared to share their stories.
First up, a leading supporter of our #MyVACareer campaign is Naomi Campbell of VA Velocity – click here for more details …
