Chief Officer of charity-support organisation serving Stafford Borough and working in partnership across Staffordshire and, increasingly, the West Midlands, Derbyshire & Shropshire. My time at SDVS was spent increasing the size and scope of the organisation and its influence with all Sectors. SDVS is a membership organisation that supports & grows voluntary and community groups; it represents the Voluntary and Community Sector with the Public and Private Sectors and campaigns for better resources. SDVS celebrated 50 years of service in 2004.
Management of private housing refurbishment service for older people: 'brokering' caseworkers, designers, funders, local housing managers, and a range of building contractors into finding solutions for often vulnerable older people. Managing complaints when we, or the builders, got it wrong... My role also included strategic ICT management and internal procurement of customer relations management software/database and seemingly driving from Birmingham to Bradford too many times a month :~) Greatest achievement: Bringing the CRM version 1 (the dreaded "Atlas") online and creating enough user feedback to get v2 funded and eventually used by all staff in Staying Put. Oh, and that renovation in Chester Road...
Chief Executive Officer for an Age Concern organisation in Sandwell, West Midlands, UK (part of the fabled "Black Country"). Age Concern is a federation of independent, Trustee-governed, organisations and groups working with and for people aged 50 and more. During my time as CEO of Age Concern Sandwell, it took the lead in active consultation with older people about the strategic agendas that affected their lives (the "Agewell" Project) using a community development model, as well as provided direct services (similar to other Age Concern organisations) to the older people of the Borough. One of our Trustees and ex-Chair was elected to be national Chair of the Age Concern Federation. Greatest achievement: raising the money for, and relocating the organisation from a three-story walk-up building in Smethwick to accessible refurbished premises in West Bromwich town centre.
Community Development Officer (effectively Chief Executive, as most-senior employee) at TDCA, which was a locality-based community association, with all Trustees from the local neighbourhood. TDCA ran under-fives playgroups; children's holiday playschemes; youth clubs; adult training; older people's social clubs; children's, young persons' and adults' sports and leisure clubs; tool loan and home refurbishment advice schemes; the annual Tyseley Gala; and of course the Hall/Room Booking service for weddings, Eid celebrations, parties, gatherings, conferences, etc. Greatest achievement: after the success of getting the community centre built, the successful running of trading activities to generate enough funds to subside the community activities. After starting in 1989 (previous post, same employer) with 1.5 employees, I left a team of up to 17 paid staff and a turnover 5 times larger.
Seconded part-time (whilst continuing work as Community Development Officer for Tyseley & District Community Association) as contact between the Al-Bokhari Education Centre, a Pakistani Muslim madrassa and community school, and local Further Education Colleges in Birmingham. My work was part administration, part liaison, part funding advisor, part governance advisor, occasional trainer. Greatest non-achievement: never learning Urdu when I had the chance.
As the sole full-time employee (Youth & Community Worker) when I commenced in 1989, alongside a very able part-time Administrator, I had to set up services mostly based in the local Secondary ("High") School, Yardleys. Our office started out next to the local dentist but rapidly moved into a hut in the school playground. Much fun. Working with the local community, I built a Board of Trustees to support the work of the Association; I was also directly responsible for after-school-hours youth and play provision on the premises. Greatest achievement: Working with the Trustees (and the Dept of the Environment, thank you Mr Heseltine) to obtain one of the last grants to build a multi-use community centre on Tyseley Recreation Ground, managing the build, seeing it opened and being promoted to a Community Development role.
Setting up and running an urban youth activities centre in inner-city Birmingham. Providing a range of 'wheeled' activities such as BMX, off-road motorcycles, off-road vehicles, all-terrain bicycles, motorised Go-Karts, driver tution vehicles, roller skates, skateboards, probably some I've forgotten; working alongside other activities centres to provide residential opportunities, urban skiing, canal boating, and associated activities. Part of management team, so being responsible for the commercial activities including Banger and Stock Car racing, etc., alongside Manager. Greatest achievement: The girls' & young women's first residential event where they got to use most of our vehicles (as above) including some severe off-road, listening to them tell the achievements to each other and anyone else who would listen, all weekend, all the time, all over again... Never managing myself to turn over a go-kart at high speed.
As I concluded my Youth Work and Community Development qualification, I moved work responsibilities and bases between Landport Adventure Playground, a local Community Centre (where I managed Youth Workers), and the same Senior Playworker coordination duties. Greatest Achievement: Successfully completing the Y&C course after 3 years! Moving out of Portsmouth to a scary Midlands city where they all spoke funny and had weak beer. Oh, and seeing one of the young people I had worked with for years become the Chair of the Play Association.
Promoted to a coordination role across all three Adventure Playgrounds and Playcentre in Portsmouth whilst continuing to manage Landport Adventure Playground. Greatest Achievement: Studying for the day-release Youth Work and Community Development qualification in London whilst still doing the above. Getting up early to catch the train from Pompey to Mile End; phew!
Managing the team of three full-time staff at the Adventure Playground. Similar duties as before the promotion, only this time also managing people (and I was rubbish; sorry Myles!). Greatest achievement: Removing an aluminium ring from a growing baby rabbit's hind leg with a hacksaw without injuring the bunny. See these scars on my right hand: they're teeth marks; don't let anyone tell you bunnies are vegetarian... Seriously: learning to manage people properly and getting promoted.
Part of a full-time team of three, working mostly outside all year round on an Adventure Playground in inner-city Portsmouth. General duties ranged from building playground equipment with scrap materials and telegraph poles; playing 'Tag' with 300 kids; feeding hungry rabbits and chickens; getting into waterfights with the staff, parents and those 300 kids; working with the nascent Play Association. Greatest Achievement: Building that great 6m tall bridge slide with varnished boards that launched kids and adults who came down it. Lighting bonfires in the winter rain. Actually, getting promoted to the Manager after only 2 years.
Voluntary position with Stamshaw CRG and other Play Associations and similar community groups. Working mainly school holidays, sometimes more. Greatest Achievement: Amongst many, getting a full-time paid job doing this!
Whilst studying for Architecture undergraduate degree, I volunteered with Student Community Action, intially as a minibus driver. One day, with a bunch of kids in the back and few volunteer playworkers, they asked me to get out of the driving seat and get involved with the children... See what that did (above: career).
The leading charity for older people across Berkshire, providing services and support in the community. Age UK Berkshire is an independent, locally-managed charity, associated with Age UK nationally (which as you all know, was formed following a merger between Age Concern and Help the Aged).
MBA
Certificate
Concentration: Management Studies
Diploma
Concentration: Youth Work & Community Development
Concentration: Architecture
Cycling, gardening, following Cricket, cooking and brewing beer are all good for a start, but my obsession with most types of music defines me better.
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