About
Skilled in working collaboratively to achieve individual goals in all areas of life whether studying, working or personal. This is achieved via taking a philosophical approach and blending it with the knowledge to produce excellence.
Having left school early and then returning to study as a mature adult, there is a deep understanding and appreciation for the challenges that can be faced. This return to study came from a passion for working in the Community/Voluntary Sector for several years. There was a thirst for knowledge and theory application of the topics related to working within the community, therefore completed a HNDip (level 3) in Social Studies at College.
When no longer able to work in the community sector due to injury, pivoted and went on to retrain in 2002 as a Swim Instructor, Lifeguard, and Life and Business Coach. In doing this, brought all the knowledge, skills and experience from previous roles and applied to the new roles. At the same time, the mind and body connection was of interest and a lot of research around this was emerging, so studied several alternative therapies to integrate and use within the role.
Having gone on to successfully run a swim business, called Little Flipper, there was a further drive to learn more about the industry so, completed a Degree in Management and Leisure. Although enjoyable, University was a learning curve, especially as a mature student and working part-time. Out of University and a dissertation with RNIB, came the idea to support those that struggled in University for whatever reason, and for this, sought to complete a Post Graduate Diploma in Education with the ambition to teach in the further education sector. Again, there was the draw back into community teaching due to the placements involving teaching the Access to Education and Life Skills to unemployed so that they could gain access into work.
When graduation happened, there was the opportunity to got involved in the development, delivery, and review of ILM management courses from L2-5. When this assignment was completed, there was an opportunity to get involved with WEA; a community-based organisation that assists adults to gain life skills. Whilst doing this, there were ample opportunities to develop skills and knowledge, again over a broad range of subjects.
The WEA in Manchester struggled to obtain funding, therefore could not offer full employment, so began the skilful blending of previous work in the community sector and solo career in the leisure industry to create a new role working with disabled clients in employment and education.
In the current assignments within the Education and Employment Sector, there is a passion and goal to work each assignment to professional best practice where each learner is empowered to be actively engaged in their own learning journey, and each employee is enabled to have equal participation in their workplace.
Going forward; Not sure where the next wave of learning will lead, but more recently, have been learning to adapt to the spread of artificial intelligence within the workplace. Therefore, actively learning and collaborating with disabled and non-disabled employees in business settings and universities to embrace the implementation of this. So, as part of the skill of note-taking, there has been the start within the role of notetaking to provide an AI Human Auditing Element of Specialist Note-taking via human collaboration and organisation of AI information to make it meaningful for the client.
When not working in the Education and Community Sector, research is a passion, as is completing CPD, reading novels, researching goods and services that are ethical and non-harmful to the environment, or the competitive side emerges; whether open water swimming, running, travelling or cycling so that a goal and personal best can be achieved! Looking after oneself is also important, so to support mental health and relax there is a keen love for yoga and qigong. Yoga as it supports and helps participation in other physical activities and qigong as it combines breath, movement and meditation which is great for those that have a mind that is constantly thinking and does not know how to switch off.
Accreditations
