Staff stories
Ginika Ogidi - Senior planning lawyer
My career path has been diverse and enriching, encompassing roles as a school teacher, shop assistant, and a solicitor across various local authorities. I've also had the privilege of being a head teacher in a Montessori school, in addition to serving as a litigation lawyer with the Government Legal Department before joining Test Valley Borough Council. These varied experiences have significantly shaped my character and contributed to the person I am today.
What I enjoy most at TVBC is the variety of work and the responsibilities entrusted to me. I truly appreciate the space to grow, learn, and have impact, as well as the consistent support, and excellent training opportunities. The strong presence of collaboration, kindness, accountability, and the understanding within the organisation makes it a truly supportive environment to thrive and improve.
The council actively supports and facilitates meaningful professional development through various initiatives and programmes.
These include fostering and encouraging effective teamwork by way of regular formal and informal meetings and days away from the office for senior management team, providing supportive management, and offering a range of leadership training and development programmes. Recently, all senior leaders have been enrolled onto a very practical programme course called the "Gane Changer”. This programme was offered predominantly to further the skills of senior leaders but also to prepare us for the change that is coming to local government by virtue of local government reorganisation and to ensure that we all embrace this change rather than being fearful of it. Managers are expected to disseminate this knowledge throughout the organization to ensure it has a broad impact. These programmes also aim to heighten our workplace awareness, including understanding how our attitudes affect the wider team.
The opportunities provided by TVBC which includes, constructive feedback exemplifies the commitment to nurturing talent through the organisation's core values.