Experience

OPAL OUTDOOR PLAY AND LEARNING CIC

• United Kingdom
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Mentor

  • 2019 - Present

  Supporting schools to provide amazing play, every day, for all children, through the strategic OPAL Primary Programme. Supporting schools to provide amazing play, every day, for all children, through the strategic OPAL Primary Programme.



International Play Association - England

• Treasurer Board Of Directors

  • Jan 2017 - Present

  Sitting on the Board of Directors for the International Play Association (England branch), as a treasurer, carrying out the charity's financial responsibilities, as well as supporting the delivery of our aims and objectives. Sitting on the Board of Directors for the International Play Association (England branch), as a treasurer, carrying out the charity's financial responsibilities, as well as supporting the delivery of our aims and objectives.



Leeds Beckett University

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Childhood Development and Playwork Lecturer

  • May 2019 - Jun 2022

  Teaching on the BA(Hons) Childhood Development and Playwork. Teaching on the BA(Hons) Childhood Development and Playwork.



LEEDS PLAY NETWORK

• United Kingdom
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Play Project Manager

  • 2017 - 2019

  Successfully managed a local authority-funded targeted play service for children with disabilities. Responsible for managing and training a team of 12, planning activities and initiatives, deploying teams to run support sessions, liaising with families, working with various play providers across the city, monitoring and evaluating the project.  Delivered against targets, decreased staff turnover and improved quality of delivery and monitoring systems Developed trusting relationships with leading play providers and improved their disability inclusion standards

• Fundraising Officer

  • Jun 2015 - Nov 2017

   Wrote and submitted quality funding bids, obtained private and public funding for the charity Effectively networked with stakeholders at local and regional level, developing excellent donor relationships

• Senior Playworker & Play Support Worker

  • 2013 - 2017

   Worked as part of a team on multiple projects which made free quality play available for children in Leeds Oversaw the playwork team delivering wonderful mobile play sessions across the city Provided bespoke 1:1 support, enabling children with additional needs to access various universal play/leisure environments, worked with families to improve quality of life, wrote reports, evaluated children’s progress



Lollipop Photography

• United States
• Individual and Family Services

• Photographer

  • 2013 - 2019

  Initially worked as part of a team and as a freelancer. Specialising in portrait photography, covering individual/family photoshoots, parties, weddings and other events. Initially worked as part of a team and as a freelancer. Specialising in portrait photography, covering individual/family photoshoots, parties, weddings and other events.



Yorkshire Play

• United Kingdom

• Director

  • 2015 - 2018

  Sat on the board of directors for a regional play charity, driving the play agenda in Yorkshire. Sat on the board of directors for a regional play charity, driving the play agenda in Yorkshire.

• Playwork Trainer

  • Jan 2016 - May 2016

   Created and delivered a quality playwork training programme for the University’s international volunteers, who were deployed to different countries for the summer, to work with children in various capacities; worked as part of the International Office team.  Created and delivered a quality playwork training programme for the University’s international volunteers, who were deployed to different countries for the summer, to work with children in various capacities; worked as part of the International Office team.



Bizzy Kids

• Australia
• Internet Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Holiday Club Deputy Manager

  • 2014 - 2015

   Successfully managed a busy holiday club (as part of an out-of-school club) in the absence of the manager Increased awareness amongst staff about the benefits of providing different types of play Planned and evaluated a variety of playful activities for children aged 5-12 Kept up to date records of attendance and incidents and adhered to EYFS and the National Standards for Playwork  Successfully managed a busy holiday club (as part of an out-of-school club) in the absence of the manager Increased awareness amongst staff about the benefits of providing different types of play Planned and evaluated a variety of playful activities for children aged 5-12 Kept up to date records of attendance and incidents and adhered to EYFS and the National Standards for Playwork



The Leeds Weekend Care Association

• Careworker

  • 2014 - 2015

   Worked as part of a team, enabling children with moderate to complex physical and learning difficulties to access a variety of play opportunities, including outings.  Worked as part of a team, enabling children with moderate to complex physical and learning difficulties to access a variety of play opportunities, including outings.



Amazing Grace Afterschool Club

• Play Leader

  • Apr 2014 - Aug 2014

   Worked independently to plan and deliver a wide range of indoor and outdoor playful activities and outings for children aged 4-13.  Worked independently to plan and deliver a wide range of indoor and outdoor playful activities and outings for children aged 4-13.



Calderdale MBC

• Play Development Worker

  • 2013 - 2014

   Worked as part of a team, planning and providing a range of inclusive, safe, stimulating and age-appropriate play opportunities, both indoors and outdoors for children aged 5 – 13, all over Calderdale County.  Worked as part of a team, planning and providing a range of inclusive, safe, stimulating and age-appropriate play opportunities, both indoors and outdoors for children aged 5 – 13, all over Calderdale County.



Christ Church Playgroup

• Play Support Worker

  • May 2013 - Jul 2013

  Worked on a temporary basis, providing holistic 1:1 support for a young child over the course of his autism assessment. Worked on a temporary basis, providing holistic 1:1 support for a young child over the course of his autism assessment.



Elena Cuza National College of Pedagogy

• Playful Teaching Assistant

  • 2009 - 2011

  Assisted primary school teachers in implementing playful strategies into their teaching.Planned sessions and researched how to best support playful learning as part of the curriculum.Evaluated sessions, collected feedback from children and worked in partnership with teachers to devise yearly plans and monitor progress. Assisted primary school teachers in implementing playful strategies into their teaching.Planned sessions and researched how to best support playful learning as part of the curriculum.Evaluated sessions, collected feedback from children and worked in partnership with teachers to devise yearly plans and monitor progress.



Various after-school clubs and nurseries

• Trainee Playworker

  • 2007 - 2011

  Planned, organised, delivered and evaluated play sessions in four after-school clubs and nurseries; supported children's participation and their engagement in the active planning of the sessions. As a result, in 2011, I gained my NVQ Level 3 in Playwork. Planned, organised, delivered and evaluated play sessions in four after-school clubs and nurseries; supported children's participation and their engagement in the active planning of the sessions. As a result, in 2011, I gained my NVQ Level 3 in Playwork.