ABOUT ME

I served in the Essex Police Force from 1975 to 1978 as a Constable. Realising that I was suited to a more caring career I decided to train as a full time youth & community worker. Prior to going to college I gained experience in part time & voluntary youth clubs as well as in residential work with teenage girls working for the London Borough of Havering. I undertook the Certificate of Youth & Community Work at Leicester Polytechnic (now DeMontfort University) from 1981-1983. Following succesful completion of the course I obtained a post as a full time Youth Worker/ Warden at the Key Centre (Methodist  Youth Centre) Keynsham Bristol, I worked there until April 1987. Following that I worked for Grampian Community Education as a part time Area Youth Worker from 1992-93, Cornerstone Community Care as an Assistant Project Leader with young women with learning disabilities in residential care from 1994 to 1995, Barnardos 16 plus with young people leaving care from 1995-1996 & and Aberdeen Alcohol Counselling Service with children & partners of drinkers from 1997 to 1998.  In 1997 I started my education with the the Open University & in 2001 obtained a BA Open (OU) adding a module in social psychology to top it up to Honours in 2011. From 2000 to 2005 I worked for local authority youth services in Oxford & Reading as a full time youth worker. I decided having enjoyed the Leeds Careers & Counselling/Lifeskills Course in Bristol in 1982 after qualifying as a Youth & Community worker, having found that I particularly enjoyed one to one work, went onto do the Counselling Skills Course with Aberdeen University in 1996 to undertake Diploma in Counselling Training.