I'm not the world's most consistent Twitter user, mainly using it to follow my beloved Surrey Storm when they are on the road playing Netball Superleague matches. However, several months ago, Claire Balding tweeted about an initiative called Inspiring the Future and it really grabbed my attention.
The charity aims to connect people from a wide range of industries up and down the country with schools to promote a multitude of possible careers. Naturally, I saw this as a fantastic opportunity not only to spread the message about translation and interpreting, but also the many other careers that may require languages.
It really doesn't matter what you do - you may be part of a large multinational corporate company, you may be a skilled electrician, or like me, you may be your own boss. Everyone has something they can share. Everyone has the opportunity to inspire the future.
When you sign up to the scheme, you only need to provide a few details about your field, and what sorts of things you can do to help your local schools. It may be that you go and give a talk, attend an options evening or even help with mock interviews. Whatever you do, you will provide young people with much needed insight into what you do. You may not inspire them to follow in your footsteps, but you may be able to guide their choices towards their dream career.
If this has piqued your interest, head to www.inspiringthefuture.org and sign up!