Changing the System
- bey0ndM@gz!ne
- April 12, 2021
- Cover Story, Default
- 0 Comments
ALIA EYRES shares her vision and aspirations in her role as the CEO of Mother’s Choice, from creating encouraging networks for individuals to tackling structural issues on a foundational level.
You were previously a corporate lawyer, what made you decide to join Mother’s Choice?
I was actually at work at my law firm and decided to pop down for a cup of coffee from the local coffee shop. I knew Mother’s Choice was looking for a new CEO, and as a passionate volunteer I had been actively thinking about who I could recommend for the job. As I waited for my coffee that day and read through the newspaper, I saw the role advertised in the SCMP. I’m not sure how to explain it, but when I saw the ad, I had what I can only describe as a “AHA moment” – and I knew that this is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.
It was not an easy decision to leave my corporate law career behind and apply for the job of CEO at Mother’s Choice. I recall the moment when I was finally offered the role after months of interviewing. I was providing my letter of resignation to my boss, a man whom I very much admire and he pointed out how my earning potential would decline and how it was the worst time in my career to leave the law firm if I wanted to make partner. He asked me if I was willing to make that kind of sacrifice. He was right, we would have to make changes as a family and I probably would never be partner at a law firm, but I explained to him that it was not a sacrifice so much as it was a calling. I passionately believe in the vision and work of Mother’s Choice. It’s been over nine years now since that moment in the coffee shop and though it has been a roller coaster ride, I still believe that it is one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.
Has any of the skills and training you received in your former field played a role in your current position?
My training and skills as a lawyer have been immensely helpful to me in my role in operating Mother’s Choice. Having a clear an understanding of how our legal systems work has been key in having a voice for our vulnerable and marginalised clients. My experience in corporate law has also given me an insight into how the business side of non-profits can be run more effectively and efficiently. Ultimately, the networks that were available to me in the legal field have helped us make connections with amazing pro bono lawyers and legal experts who are invested in our work. There are a countless numbers of lawyers in Hong Kong and around the world who have helped us with everything from advocating for individual clients to developing our child protection manuals, to training our social workers on legal issues, and to also reviewing our contracts. I am grateful every day for all that I learnt as a lawyer and for the many lawyers who continue to support the work of Mother’s Choice.
What do you find challenging in your role at Mother’s Choice?
When I first crossed over from the world of corporate law into non-profit management, I was surprised to learn that the business of running a non-profit has some unique challenges. Not only do non-profits struggle with a lack of resources, staffing, and infrastructure, they also have to deal with a much greater need for consensus-building with many more stakeholders, effective communication at a leadership level, and developing a totally different set of impact measurements and KPIs.
It is also not easy to face the enormity of the intergenerational problem of teen pregnancy and children who grow up without safe, loving, or permanent families on a daily basis. When families do not have a strong support network, their children are more likely to be vulnerable to abuse, abandonment, and neglect. These children may end up in the “residential care system”, and often will stay in the orphanages, group homes, and foster homes without every experiencing the love and security of a permanent family. The longer a child stays in the system, the more likely they are to be incarcerated, have addiction issues, become homeless, and if they are a girl, face a crisis pregnancy during their teenage years. These young girls become parents who are not able to care for their own children, and while our community remains unaware or ill-informed about how to respond, they place their children into the system and the cycle begins again. Every service at Mother’s Choice exists to break this vicious cycle.
How have you found being a woman in the field of philanthropy?
As we face growing hopelessness and social isolation in the world, authentic and visionary leadership is more important now than ever. We need leaders of all genders and backgrounds who can bring people together, give hope, and inspire deeper connections in our communities, especially in the non-profit space. As a female leader in the philanthropic field, I am frequently asked how I could possibly be an effective and full-time CEO at Mother’s Choice whilst also being a good mother to my six children.
At Mother’s Choice we always say that it takes a village to raise a child, and I have found that to be so true for the babies without families and teen girls that we serve, as well as in my own life. What I try to share with people is that I don’t do it all alone. Parenting and leadership are not meant to be done in isolation. We all need other people in our lives, and I have intentionally reached out to mentors and advisors to create a support network of people who have helped me to raise my children, navigate leadership issues, and walk the journey of my life.
Most of the pregnant teens that come to us do not have anyone in their lives to support them during their pregnancy, the birth of their child, or when they go home with their baby, if they choose parenting. A big part of what we do for them is helping to rebuild relationship with their families or build a safe, loving, community of mentors and friends around them so that they do not have to face the journey of motherhood or life alone either.
What are your big, long-term goals to achieve for Mother’s Choice?
Our vision of every child to be in a loving family is radical – it is a goal that will require our culture and our city to be completely transformed. The vision is to see every child thriving in their family, every family embraced and connected in the community, and every person in our city knowing they have a role to play in giving hope and changing life stories. We truly believe that this kind of change is actually possible. In serving tens of thousands of families over the past three decades and providing both crisis-intervention services AND actively engaging in preventing problems before they start, by addressing the underlying issues, we have learned a lot about how change can come.
The three-pillars of the strategic approach that we have developed is what we believe makes this long-term goal possible. First, we model small. With a pioneering spirit, we follow international best practices, contextualise them for Hong Kong, and then integrate them into our seven front-line services. To meet ever-changing social needs, we develop innovative “proof-of-concept” programmes in the areas of residential care, adoption, teenage crisis pregnancy, comprehensive sexuality education, and child protection. Second, we intentionally build capacity. We invest in our organisational capacity because we believe that investing in our people, our systems, and our infrastructure is essential to creating real, sustainable impact. Finally, we influence big. We don’t believe that we can achieve this goal on our own. We seek to model collaborations and open dialogues, and we share generously of our experiences, expertise and resources to inspire others in our community to play their part too.
How can individuals get more involved with Mother’s Choice?
It is our heartfelt belief that everyone has a role to play and everyone can make a difference. There are three ways to get involved:
As a non-profit, our biggest need at Mother’s Choice is financial. Even a small amount given consistently can make a huge difference for us and give us the financial security that we need to continue to care for the infants and young mothers of our city. This is why we urge people to consider becoming a monthly donor.
There are many ways that people can also volunteer their time, energy, and skills. We encourage everyone to join one of our monthly “Get to Know Mother’s choice Sessions”, where they can learn more about volunteering opportunities and how they can get involved in making a difference. We encourage our community to learn more about the issues as well as the scope of the problem facing children in Hong Kong. We also offer regular Info Sessions on Foster Care as well as Adoption.
Your role not only supports, but also empowers women. What are some of the key Mother’s Choice initiatives you are championing that reinforces this message? (e.g. Project Bridge, Baby Hero).
Our Pregnant Girls Service – which is our core service for teenage girls facing a crisis pregnancy – is still the initiative that is at the very heart of Mother’s Choice. We aim to create a safe, loving, non-judgmental space for pregnant girls where they can be embraced in trusting relationships with caring adults, be equipped with accurate and timely information so that they can make safe, healthy, and informed decisions, and ultimately, be empowered with a sense of their value and worth, so that they can live purpose-filled lives. We do this through our crisis hotline, counselling centres and programmes, and residential hostels. I love that we get to walk with young women not only in their moment of crisis, but really deal with the root issues so that they can be empowered and have hope for their futures. I am constantly encouraged by the young women who come back as adults to work with us so that they can empower the next generation of vulnerable young girls.
Describe a day in your shoes. What are some of the areas you have to tackle on a regular basis?
No two days are the same at Mother’s Choice, and so I am never bored! From dealing with complex children’s cases to staffing issues, strategic planning and crumbling heritage buildings, there is always something to deal with. Throw in a global pandemic and social-distancing into the mix and having to pivot and find new ways to fundraise and keep our 24/7 residential care centres, I have had a lot of opportunity to learn new things and stretch myself to think out of the box!
Every year we care for over 150 children through our foster care programmes and Child Care Home; we have about 1,000 young girls call in for help with their crisis pregnancies; we provide sex education to over 5,000 students; we train and support over 130 adoptive families; and we provide training to hundreds of professionals working on the frontlines with vulnerable children across our community. We would not be able to provide this kind of support in this challenging environment without the dedication and commitment of our hundreds of volunteers, donors, pro-bono advisors, and community partners. It is truly a team effort and that is what gives me energy and hope to keep going.
How do you keep positive in your role? As you are privy and exposed to abandoned babies, abused adolescents and so much more.
It is true that every single day we deal with heartbreak and crisis at Mother’s Choice. There are some days when I cry more times than I can count – we get calls about a new-born baby abandoned in the rubbish bins, or a traumatised and pregnant 14-year-old girl kicked out on the streets. Over the past couple of years with the challenges that our city has faced, we have seen more complex cases, more babies who have been exposed to serious drugs in utero, more trauma and abuse. Despite the increasing needs of the community, struggles with lack of resources and misperceptions around our work, I have in fact become an increasingly more hopeful person since I started working at Mother’s Choice. I have seen how our biggest moments of crisis have become the biggest catalyst for positive change in our lives, both for our clients and for myself in my personal life. I have learned from experience that there is no such thing as a hopeless case and that everyone deserves a second chance. I can say that because we have seen real miracles happen. I’m most encouraged when our former clients come back — pregnant teenagers and babies who have grown up, had their life stories changed, and want to volunteer and serve others in a community in the same way they were served.
