In Conversation with: Fiona Aird, Development Officer at George Watson’s College

Innes Burns, Participation & Communication Officer at Children in Scotland, interviews Fiona Aird, Development Officer at George Watson’s College, about the modernisation of the school through inclusion, social responsibility and pupil voice.  

IB: Afternoon Fiona! Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.  

FA: Hi Innes! I’m a Development Officer, otherwise known as a fundraiser, at George Watson’s College, where I help design and deliver events that connect our broader School community. My specific role in the team acts as a bridge between fundraising and engagement: ensuring our events are purposeful, inclusive, and reflective of the values we want to represent the School. The operational aspect of my role is akin to stewardship: I work one on one with donors, looking after individuals and their donations, to ensure they have a smooth and pleasant experience throughout their giving journey. 

IB: How do you ensure that your events are welcoming and inclusive for all students, regardless of background or ability? Are there any specific ways you try to include voices or perspectives from less represented or disadvantaged communities in your school events? 

FA: Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do in our office. From a fundraising perspective, inclusion looks like broadening the scope of what it means to “give” or “give back” in the case of our alumni community. People often have this warped view that a Development Office is only after money and the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, we have a very successful bursary programme that solely relies on generous donations and for that we are so grateful and appreciative, but our fundraising efforts go far beyond this monetary aspect. We actively seek the support of former pupils who can give back in terms of their time and expertise. This is so valuable in offering a tangible inside into the “real world” for all our pupils, regardless of their own background or circumstances, and gives them an experience beyond the boundaries of what they can learn in the classroom. We are mindful about accessibility in our opportunities to give and our hope that this model encourages people to offer what they can. 

IB: How do students participate in planning or shaping of events? Do they have a voice? 

FA: Pupils are always central to our fundraising efforts. At the end of the day they are the ones who we do this for and therefore involving their voices in the process is critical. Pupils work with our office in various capacities whether that be through charity committees or attending a one-to-one session with our team in what we call an ‘Enrichment’ session. Ultimately, we aim to create a culture of philanthropy amongst our young people from an early age and we hope that duty of charity, or Ex Corde Caritas, will last a lifetime both in terms of their relationship with the School and beyond. 

IB: I love that. Watson’s definitely seems like a school that cares. How do you balance the school’s resources and privileges with a sense of social responsibility? 

FA: As a well-resourced school, we’re very aware of our responsibility to use that privilege for the community at large. I think that awareness is crucial in fostering a culture of understanding. Many of our fundraising activities include an element of partnership or community outreach, such as collaborations with local schools or charities. We believe it’s about using our platforms and resources to create opportunities for others, not just for ourselves, while simultaneously encouraging meaningful collaboration. 

IB: Speaking of modernizing, do you use any modern technologies? How is AI being used to plan and run events? 

FA: Technology on the whole I would say actually plays a relatively small role in my day to day as a fundraiser. When used properly I think it is an excellent tool for fundraising, such as ensuring clean data sets and GDPR compliance, however, call me old school, I think there nothing that can replace the connection made by human interaction. We want people to feel a part of something tangible at Watson’s therefore delivering impact in person and seeing results firsthand has a much higher success rate – sorry ChatGPT! 

IB: Amazing. Have you learned anything from past events that you take forward with you? What are those lessons, and what does success look like?  

FA: Each event teaches us something new, often about communication, inclusivity, or general pacing. We’ve learned that success isn’t just measured by numbers or smooth delivery, but by how our stakeholders feel during and after the event. If they leave feeling inspired, connected with the School, and that their voice mattered and was heard, then that’s success to us. 

IB: Thank you Fiona, I know you’re busy so I won’t keep you. Anything final for our readers? 

FA: Just thanks for having me!