Projects Manager

• Jan 2022 - Present

School Community Archivist/ Creative Agent

• Sep 2008 - Present

I am currently working with Peoples Heritage Cooperative as the School Community Archivist continuing work with Paganel Primary School as a Creative Agent. I run a weekly Archive After-school Club and additional project work with Paganel Primary School.Following the end of funding from Creative Partnerships in 2008, Paganel Primary School continued to employ me as a Creative Agent. A particular priority was the development and establishment of a Repository Community Archive at Paganel School, the first and only ARCHON registered archive in a state primary school. I worked with a local partnership to develop a successful Heritage Lottery Fund application leading to the development of the Archive. I led the project and continued to supported a range of projects, many of which were connected with the Archive and the work of our young archivists with parents, staff and other visitors to the school. Creative Agents are creative thinkers and ideas generators, negotiating partnerships between schools, the wider creative and cultural sector and other learning partners,supporting schools in planning, brokering, managing and delivery of creative learning.

District Coordinator

• 2015 - Present

I coordinate Woodcraft Folk groups in South Birmingham. I coordinate Woodcraft Folk groups in South Birmingham.

Work Package Support

• Feb 2021 - Jan 2022

Work Package Support provides project management support for all Active Communities Work Packages, including working practically to ensure delivery of outcomes and capture the required learning.I support community groups to implement their vision, drawing on resources and expertise from the wider Active Communities team and a pool other partners including local government, charities and community groups. I worked with the community to maintain and manage their wild common to maximise the impact of the programme whilst capturing evidence that can be used to secure further investment.I work across all programmes offered by TAWS to ensure that ‘wildness’, including connecting to nature for play and community engagement are well understood and embedded across our organisation and the communities we serve.

Wild Lead

• Jan 2020 - Feb 2021

To provide project management and delivery of a new programme to support citizens to take on responsibility for their local green space as part of a wider project in the city aimed at getting people more socially and physically active. Key to the role was the ability to work in partnership with multiple stakeholders to create opportunities for communities to improve their environment and through it their wellbeing. The postholder linked with the wider (Sport England funded) Active Communities work packages in the city who are all working towards the systemic changes required to support communities to become more active. I worked with communities and stakeholders to co-create a vision for a local patch of green space which might involve food growing, play or connection ensuring that each member of the community is given space and opportunity to input their ideas. I supported the community to implement their vision, drawing on resources and expertise from the wider Active Communities team and a pool other partners including local government, charities and community groups. I worked with the community to maintain and manage their wild common to maximise the impact of the programme whilst capturing evidence that can be used to secure further investment.I worked across all programmes offered by TAWS to ensure that ‘wildness’, including connecting to nature for play and community engagement are well understood and embedded across our organisation and the communities we serve.

Community Practice Lead

• Sep 2018 - Jan 2020

I ensure implementation of practice methods, working closely with the LDP Operational Managers. I draw my experience and skills of community development practice, work with wider networks, and engage with the LDP community of practice. I am responsible to understand and capture learning of successful community development practice methods so that the methodology and ingredients of success can be shared.

Self Employed

• Jun 1996 - Jan 2020

Project Manager

• Jun 2017 - Sep 2018

I manage Wholesale Memory, Creative Reach and Beyond the Market Projects for Friction Arts.Wholesale Memory collects and preserves stories from Birmingham’s historic Smithfield market, before it closes in 2018. At present we have an Exhibition at the Library of Birmingham. Look out for more events at the Wholesale Market as it closes! I manage Wholesale Memory, Creative Reach and Beyond the Market Projects for Friction Arts.Wholesale Memory collects and preserves stories from Birmingham’s historic Smithfield market, before it closes in 2018. At present we have an Exhibition at the Library of Birmingham. Look out for more events at the Wholesale Market as it closes!

Marketing and Events, Active Streets

• Apr 2017 - Sep 2018

I am responsible for Marketing and Events for Active Streets programme, Wellbeing Service. I have particular responsibility for South Birmingham area, supporting street organisers with planning, and working with activators to deliver events.I also provide training for the Wellbeing team for activators to use social media and to blog on behalf of the service. I am responsible for Marketing and Events for Active Streets programme, Wellbeing Service. I have particular responsibility for South Birmingham area, supporting street organisers with planning, and working with activators to deliver events.I also provide training for the Wellbeing team for activators to use social media and to blog on behalf of the service.

Elearning and multimedia manager

• Jul 2014 - Mar 2017

My role was to support staff and provide a platform for Careers Network broader objectives - for online and multimedia developments in relation to careers information, careers communications and elearning provision for Careers Network.I work across all teams within Careers Network including the Employer and Internship team, Enterprise and Innovation, Personal Skills Award, Operations and the five College Careers team:To provide support, guidance and encouragement to staff to use information and media technologie, analyse Career Network needs and develop systems and technologies to meet them, provide and share an overview of use with all staff to promote our open and collaborative approach to Careers Networking.

elearning developer

• Jul 2012 - Jul 2014

I support staff and students developing resources to support learning.

Trustee

• Mar 2012 - Sep 2015

Parks for Play provides and supports inclusive creative outdoor play in Birmingham.We support open access play as a way of improving opportunities for all local children and to make parks a safe, welcoming inclusive place for local children.We are raising funds for an inclusive community vision to create a beautiful, accessible, adaptable, enclosable natural play, sports and leisure space in Kings Heath Park. It will welcome everyone; toddlers, children with autistic spectrum disorder, vulnerable young people and adults, school children and elderly folk.

Trustee

• Oct 2003 - Mar 2015

Was Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Playleader at different times over the years. Kings Heath CC Stay & Play is a registered charity - I was a trustee of our charity, and parent attending the stay and play with my kids.I am also responsible for development of KHCC garden and the garden club - see khccgardenclub.blogspot.com. We were recently part of the Kings Heath Floral Trail which won Gold Award in the '2011 Britain in Bloom' Urban Community Category. Was Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Playleader at different times over the years. Kings Heath CC Stay & Play is a registered charity - I was a trustee of our charity, and parent attending the stay and play with my kids.I am also responsible for development of KHCC garden and the garden club - see khccgardenclub.blogspot.com. We were recently part of the Kings Heath Floral Trail which won Gold Award in the '2011 Britain in Bloom' Urban Community Category.

Community art worker

• Aug 1996 - Jan 2015

I bring people together to make things and explore personal, local and global issues.I have worked in a range of settings including stay & play groups, schools, adult education, special needs groups, youth justice, mental health, youth centres, hospitals, care homes and sheltered housing for older people. I am interested in working with people to develop understanding and confidence. Much of my work has been to bring young and old together to work creatively.Please see my website for more details.

Coordinator

• Mar 2012 - Mar 2013

The local arts fora build a network within each Constituency to enable local arts development. Artists, arts organisations (funded and non-funded) and local community groups can establish dialogue in each constituency raising the profile of local arts and offering opportunities for participation and professional development. Hall Green Arts Forum is a meeting place to network and develop ideas to develop arts in our constituency. The forum is funded by Birmingham City Council and works in collaboration with Arts Champions - The Drum is arts champion for Hall Green. KHCCP lead the forum.See http://www.facebook.com/HGAForum

Creative Agent

• May 2008 - Jul 2011

Creative agents supported delivery of Creative Partnership's programmes in schools, administered by Bright Space in Birmingham. They work closely with all the partners involved in the planning, delivery and evaluation of each project.Creative Agents are creative thinkers and ideas generators, negotiating partnerships between schools, the wider creative and cultural sector and other learning partners,supporting schools in planning, brokering, managing and delivery of creative learning.Creative agents work in schools to embed creative learning. I worked in over 30 primary and secondary schools as a creative agent and also as a creative practitioner.

Community Engagement Officer

• Jan 2007 - Jun 2008

Work on 'A Shared History' Project. This project explored the ways in which slavery in all its forms throughout history has operated, and how it relates to our lives in Birmingham. We worked with over 1000 people in Birmingham, in over 150 workshops, reaching many more people through our audiences, examining issues related to slavery, working with artists and heritage experts, using material within the libraries and Archives and Heritage. Participants worked to create stories, artwork, banners, protests, games, films, dances, drama, video performance and many other art forms, to express our emotions, our understanding, our empathy and disgust of slavery.We created a resource pack, the liberty box, cataloguing collection of resources presenting a range of campaigns, projects, displays, exhibitions, events and performances in Birmingham in 2007.I coordinated activities, workshops and events throughout the year, including a march through the city centre, activities and performances in various city venues on 1st August to commemorate the 1838 march led by Joseph Sturge.Please see http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Central-Archives-and-Heritage/PageLayout&cid=1223092751498&pagename=BCC/Common/Wrapper/Wrapper

Creative Learning Officer (maternity cover)

• Mar 2006 - Jan 2007

Birmingham City Archives and Heritage employs a Creative Learning Officer (CLO) to support, plan and coordinate creative heritage projects using archives with schools in Birmingham.This post was supported by additional funding from creative partnerships working with clusters of primary, secondary and special schools across Birmingham.

Youth Worker

• Jul 1998 - Mar 2006

I led a drama group, an open youth group, football group and other general youth worker responsibilities at the Trittiford Annexe Youth Centre, Billesley

Arts Tutor

• Apr 1998 - Jan 2002

I worked in a number of South Birmingham adult education centres leading regular workshops for arts and crafts, christmas crafts and therapeutic arts for adult and special needs groups.

Arts Worker, Sessional Worker

• Oct 1998 - Jan 2001

I worked at Halescroft Youth Justice Centre, leading arts workshops and supporting general activities for young people.