CURRENT OCCUPATIONS / PROJECTS
Catherine Howley Associates Ltd., (2006-2011) Coaching, Mentoring, Training, Community Development, Event Management, Project delivery to contracts and Authority programme delivery. Delivering the Governments “Safer Neighbourhoods Project” forBurnleyBorough Council. (1yr)
The Juno Project (2009-11) Equine Assisted Coaching. Delivering coaching to the EAGALA model, with horses as team members. Princes Trust Pilot Project (2011).
Embrace Co-operation (2009-11). Senior Trainer, Coaching, Mentoring and Training. Placement Manager, Life Dreams Programme.
Lecturer at Lancaster University (Blackburn Faculty 2011) Coaching and Mentoring Foundation Degree.
EDUCATION
St. Hilda’s R.C. Girls School (1980-85)
QUALIFICATIONS
- Management in the Community Level 4.
- Information, Advice & Guidance Level 4.
- Life Coaching. (Newcastle College).
- NLP Master Practitioner.
- Incredible Years (Webster Straten) Parenting Coach.
- Basic Counselling Skills.
- Conflict Resolution Training.
- Health & Safety Training. (First Aid)
- Confidentiality & Child Protection.
- EAGALA Qualified.
- Solution Focused Briefed Therapy.
- ECDL Qualification (Information Technology & Computing).
WORK EXPERIENCE
ITEC (YTS Youth Training Scheme). This was a 12 month scheme consisting of training packages in computing, word processing and electronics.
Endsleigh Insurance. I was employed here for four years as a senior insurance advisor and trainer. This employment entailed the collection and registering of the relevant insurance details and advising clients on the best policy and prices for their needs. I also worked on Endsleigh’s customer service & policy amendments team where I would have to problem solve by interacting with our clients and changing the customers policy details. In this role I was commended for consistently reaching and exceeding sales targets and setting the standard for the in-house sales team. As a trainer I would work with any new employees drafted into the company and train and assist them to the highest standard of product knowledge and sales techniques. In this line of work I was regulated and monitored by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to make sure all policy details where put down correctly and that cash/credit card details were taken correctly and safely. As I was younger this line of work made me more confident with my interpersonal skills and helped me working under pressure.
Credit Union (PCCU Pendle Community Credit Union). I was employed with the Credit Union for 2 years as a Development Worker. In this role I would increase the number of memberships within the local community. I was also given the task of promoting the PCCU to Residents, Voluntary Groups, Community Groups, Faith Groups and local Businesses. I had the responsibility ofSupportingSchools, Groups and Organizations to set up and run their own collection points. A separate responsibility was to recruit volunteers to work at collection points. I was responsible for my own collection point and volunteering my own hours out of work hours. From this experience I gained skills in business finance and management and how to identify the hard to reach individuals in the community to give them the option to better control and monitor their finances. And also within this role I learnt how to independently self manage to work independently and as part of a team. Also learnt to speak basic Urdu.
NHS Surestart (Brierfield & Walverden). I was under employment in this position for 3 years as a Community Involvement Officer. In this position I was primarily focused on family support, creating and delivering development groups, supporting parents within the local community on a parent’s forum, Reports, identifying training packages, networking and deputising for manager. From this experience I gained a deeper knowledge on how to communicate with ethnic minority families within the local community and created tailored training packages to deliver to support families. I learnt how to capacity build and create a management board and parent forum which meant that the parents in the community had a say in how Surestart was run.
Pendle Council (Nelson Town Hall). Pendle council employed me for 3 years as a Neighbourhood Management Officer. In this role I was given the tasks of managing a budget, creating and delivering development neighbourhood management projects. I had to ensure that there was synergy between Neighbourhood management and the housing market renewal schemes. I was given the task of creating and managing annual town festivals for community cohesion and was responsible for consultations with the community on varied topics including anti-social behaviour, regeneration projects and environmental issues. I was the founder of an inter-generational pilot project which created opportunities for the elderly to integrate with the youth including anti-social adolescents to better bridge the gap between them and gain a better outcome for both parties to maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits for the local community. I was responsible for the neighbourhood action group (NAG) which was a mixture of community and council officers to share information and implement it into action plans for the betterment of the local community. I also worked on highlighting the problem areas in the local area and organized ‘Community Inspections’ so that individuals in the community could help to work towards a cleaner and safer environment. From this employment I learnt how to successfully consult and feed back to management boards. I was the liaison officer between community’s councillors and government officers which meant that I could find out the best interests of the local community so that I could guide the local council on any relevant changes, and so that the local council could inform the community on what their policies entailed.
