In this episode, Mira Magecha sits down to chat with Yvonne Matzk. Yvonne shares her experiences growing up in a council house to navigating the complexities of privilege and opportunity in her career. Yvonne reflects on her upbringing, where many of her friends had even less than she did, making her keenly aware of the disparities in privilege and opportunity.
Despite her upbringing, Yvonne was always mindful that not everyone had the same chances in life. She reflects on her early work experiences, including a Youth Training Scheme (YTS) earning just £35 a week, and how these shaped her understanding of privilege.
Yvonne talks about her sister, who became a role model in an unexpected way, showing Yvonne what paths she didn’t want to follow. She discusses the gradual process of teaching herself to navigate the world, especially in environments where people from less privileged backgrounds often struggle to fit in. Yvonne shares how she masked her upbringing, balancing between different social worlds, and how this impacted her self-perception, value and ability to fit in.
She recalls the challenges of being different, the pressures, and the jealousy she faced because she was good at sport and peers would bully her which led to rebellion stage. Yvonne was put on a pedestal and received privleges that didn't match her economic status. Yvonne opens up about the criticism she received over things like spelling and grammar, and how she had to coach herself through these struggles even today. She emphasises the importance of self-awareness, vulnerability, and the power of positive thinking.
Yvonne also highlights the importance of valuing others, recounting how she often gave up her own pay rise to benefit her team. She lives by the motto and belief that "everybody is a somebody." Tune in to hear Yvonne's story of how self awareness has resulted to self-discovery, and the lessons she's learned along the way.
Yvonne #YouAreAClassOfYourOwn
Guest Yvonne Matzk
https://www.thechannelcommunity.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-matzk-rcc™-7abb931
https://www.instagram.com/yvonne_matzk_rcc
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-class-of-their-own/id1732288997
Watch on:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aclassoftheirownpodcast/podcasts
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Apq2pSbmvytPjABrlidpN?si=4d62eba56abb45ad
Social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aclassoftheirownpodcast/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aclassoftheirownpodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aclassoftheirownpodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aclassoftheirownpodcast
Website:
https://www.playforchange.co.uk/aclassoftheirownpodcast
Host: Mira Magecha
https://www.linkedin.com/in/miramagecha
https://www.instagram.com/mira_magecha
Creative Director: Alex Payne
https://www.instagram.com/alexjamespayne
Editor: Josh Partridge
https://www.instagram.com/joshfilmmaker
Music: Jay Witsey
https://www.instagram.com/jay.witsey
Studio: Podcast House
https://www.podcasthouse.uk
Episode bought to you by: play for change
https://www.playforchange.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/play_forchange
https://www.linkedin.com/company/playforchangeltd
