Experience

Kingfisher Commons

• United Kingdom
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founder | Principal Research Consultant and Community Engagement Expert

  • Jun 2019 - Present

  Tessa is the founder of Kingfisher Commons Ltd., a consultancy that commits to engaging those who have been labelled 'hard to reach' and are often seldom heard in matters that affect them. Other services offered by KC are: - Research (including academic research) on planning, community engagement, community development and assets of community value - Training on community research, visioning and coaching Currently, the team at Kingfisher Commons are working on Community Reach Academy, training community leaders, local government members and officers in community research and coaching. The Community Reach Consultancy offering is a specially designed package to ensure ongoing dialogue with key stakeholders in a locality, who are trained and inspired to do so. Show less



The Consultation Institute (tCI)

• United Kingdom
• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Associate

  • Oct 2021 - Present

  Dr Tessa Lynn is a researcher who specialises in utilising and teaching research skills to more effectively engage people and communities who are seldom heard (often described as hard to reach). Tessa’s work is centred on using evidence to inform practice. She has worked on multiple research projects that have a broad focus on public participation and community engagement in planning and development, including projects on neighbourhood planning, pre-application community involvement, frontloading and deliberative democracy and a review of statements of community involvement in England. This insight contributes to her advice and guidance on engagement and consultations. She applies her research skills and experience in volunteering and advising the third sector to assist the public sector and regulatory bodies in engaging and commissioning community organisations to carry out community engagement in a way that reaches more marginalised communities and the seldom heard. https://www.consultationinstitute.org/associate/tessa-lynn/ Show less



University of Reading

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Jun 2021 - Sep 2021

  Prof Gavin Parker, Dr Mark Dobson and I are working on a research project exploring the design and use of Statements of Community Involvement (SCIs). The initial stages of the work have been in collaboration with Civic Voice. The data will be used to share with officers at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government who are working with ministers in the government working on the upcoming planning reform. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the design and use of SCIs by local authorities and community groups in England. This is important to try and understand how LPAs and communities use SCIs as a basis for involvement and what might be done to improve the understanding and quality of involvement in planning and in light of the renewed planning reform aims. This report has been submitted for discussion at MHCLG. Show less



Olive Branch Community Gardens

• United Kingdom
• Farming
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director, Chair

  • Mar 2017 - Jul 2021

  Planning and oversight responsibility in consultation with local community to identify needs and aims. Manage and motivate volunteers and wider community to pursue the community led vision. Networking with local strategic actors and organisations. Development as an anchor organisation in the local community. Planning and oversight responsibility in consultation with local community to identify needs and aims. Manage and motivate volunteers and wider community to pursue the community led vision. Networking with local strategic actors and organisations. Development as an anchor organisation in the local community.

• Postdoctoral researcher: community engagement in planning

  • Jan 2021 - Apr 2021

  Professor Gavin Parker, Dr Mark Dobson and I are preparing reports for policy makers with the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on current best practice of community engagement within the English planning system. Professor Gavin Parker, Dr Mark Dobson and I are preparing reports for policy makers with the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on current best practice of community engagement within the English planning system.



The Brilliant Club

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Tutor

  • Mar 2019 - May 2020

  Designed course handbooks for Key Stage 4 and 5 students and delivering tutorials based on my doctoral research titled ‘The Social Relations of Property: Public or Private?’ Delivered a pre-designed philosophy course to Key Stage 2 students on ‘What is Fairness.’ Designed course handbooks for Key Stage 4 and 5 students and delivering tutorials based on my doctoral research titled ‘The Social Relations of Property: Public or Private?’ Delivered a pre-designed philosophy course to Key Stage 2 students on ‘What is Fairness.’

• Postdoctoral Researcher: Pre-application planning advice

  • Sep 2019 - Mar 2020

  The theme of the research is on pre-application advice offered by planning departments. Research duties include research design, interview and questionnaire design, contact database formation, data analysis, report writing, academic journal writing, and other research tasks as required.

• Postdoctoral Researcher: Impacts of Neighbourhood Planning in England

  • Nov 2019 - Feb 2020

  Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government / University of ReadingAs an assistant on this national evaluation, I was involved in desktop research, research design, interview and questionnaire design, report writing, and other research tasks as required.



Henley Business School

• United Kingdom
• Education Administration Programs
• 400 - 500 Employee

• MSc Dissertation Supervisor

  • Jun 2017 - Oct 2017

  Supervising Urban Planning and Development students on their dissertation focus and choice of data collection techniques. Role also involved marking and moderating dissertations. Supervising Urban Planning and Development students on their dissertation focus and choice of data collection techniques. Role also involved marking and moderating dissertations.

• Research Assistant: Monthly economic reporting

  • Mar 2012 - Jul 2014

  Research commissioned by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Alongside fellow regional experts I was involved in compiling a network of contacts across the South East, including monitoring regional media and other news sources, day-to-day contact with regional network (by phone, email and face-to-face) and writing the first draft of a monthly publication on the South East economy to BIS.

• Research Assistant: The user experience of Neighbourhood Planning

  • Mar 2014 - Jun 2014

  Research commissioned by the Department of Communities and Local Government and Locality.Contributor throughout the life-cycle of the research, including communicating with the client, research design, telephone interviews, data analysis using SPSS software and report writing within a tight deadline.



Community Council for Berkshire

• Research and Development

  • Nov 2010 - Sep 2011

  Tessa has been with CCB since November 2010 and carries out the role of research and development for the CCB Enterprise Team, with a particular focus on the development of Action for All and the fortnightly newsletter. Over the past few months she has contributed towards the reshape of Action for All and the new website offers. She has also created a series of online training sessions on creating successful websites and the use of Action for All.Fortnightly Newsletter - Promote- Add new subscribersMaintenance of Action for All- Sales- Activate new websites- Training- Keep up-to-date with funding alerts, training opportunities and advice for charities and community groupsWebinarsSocial Media Presence - Twitter and Facebook Show less

• Place 'n Space Online Trainer

  • Jun 2011 - Aug 2011

  Creation, promotion, administration, facilitation and trainer for a series of 4 webinars covering website content, step by step 'how to' walkthroughs, embedding documents/videos, marketing websites and social media.



Wokingham Borough Council

• United Kingdom
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Assistant: Evaluation of Norreys Neighbourhood Project

  • Sep 2010 - Nov 2010

  Involved in the life-cycle of the evaluation, attended meetings to discuss aims, carried out face to face interviews, data analysis and report writing. Involved in the life-cycle of the evaluation, attended meetings to discuss aims, carried out face to face interviews, data analysis and report writing.



HCA / Community Council

• Research Assistant

  • Feb 2010 - May 2010

  I was the main researcher on the team, carrying out over 20 telephone interviews, data collection and presenting the data in Microsoft Excel for interpretation and with Microsoft PowerPoint to a small audience at a Community Development Worker Network meeting and presented the findings to an audience of around 40 in mid July at the HCA Conference in Birmingham. I found that I was highly motivated, particularly due to the input I was providing was highly beneficial for the fields of community involvement in planning and housing delivery. It was particularly challenging as this work was being carried out at the same time as my studies. Show less

• Planning Implementation Tutor

  • Oct 2009 - Apr 2010

  I tutored groups of between 10-15 for 4 hours a week, the skills involved were preparing and organising the structure of the sessions and working on confidence to discuss and answer questions on various topics. It also involved starting debate with people whom were reluctant to do so, making the class feel comfortable and to ensure that they fully understood what the topic of the session was in a fun yet educational way. I tutored groups of between 10-15 for 4 hours a week, the skills involved were preparing and organising the structure of the sessions and working on confidence to discuss and answer questions on various topics. It also involved starting debate with people whom were reluctant to do so, making the class feel comfortable and to ensure that they fully understood what the topic of the session was in a fun yet educational way.