Helen Robinson Email and Phone Number

Founding director and global educator with fairandfunky - a Community Interest Comany based in Yorkshire, empowering people to take their own little steps to change the world; through engaging educative workshops in schools and community organisations.fairandfunky workshops teach knowledge and understanding within social, moral, spiritual and cultural frameworks, empowering students to take their own little steps to change the world. The workshops add value to enhance curriculum subjects, or within enrichment during a specialised week. For example: Waste Awareness Week, Fairtrade Fortnight, World Environment Day and Arts Week. fairandfunky workshops are differentiated to suit KS1, KS2 or KS3.fairandfunky workshops currently include:Chocolate and Fairtrade Go Bananas!Change the World with an Eggbox Street PaperRecycling WorkshopsFairtrade Fortnight focussed workshopsfairandfunky also sells a range of Fairtrade, recycled and ethical products at pop up shop and online at www.fairandfunky.com

Manage social media accounts for Holmfirth Arts Festival:Engage with the target customer and potential audienceDevelop relationships with other organisations involved in the festivalMarket the festival as a whole, and individual eventsConnect with arts agencies in the area to encourage conversation & generate interestDrive traffic to the websiteShare videos, events, photographs before; during and after the festivalDevelop festival audience and engagement

ASSISTANT GUIDE GUIDER (voluntary role)Responsible for working as a team to implement an exciting programme of activities for the 1st Holmfirth Guide Group encompassing the 5 areas of global understanding, healthy lifestyles, celebrating diversity, discovery, skills and relationships. Led many outdoor activities including walks, quizzes, trekking and trailing, cook outs, camping, litter picking, environmental arts and more.

As a founding director I worked cooperatively along side the other board members to launch an exciting and innovative new cooperative in Holmfirth. I worked part time as buying manager and shop manager as well as volunteering to head up the marketing team. Responsible for liaising with suppliers, developed product ranges, managed the unique sustainability assessment, set prices, and worked with the team to produce an exciting product offer. Organised creative displays, lead workshops, managed a team of volunteers and had responsibility for opening the shop. As a volunteer on the marketing team I coordinated events in the shop and in the community by liaising with other organisations. This included children’s workshops, speaker evenings, a very successful food & drink festival, street pianos and a mini family Fairtrade festival. I also organised social evenings for the staff and volunteers.

SUPPLY TEACHER AT BROCKHOLES JUNIOR AND INFANT SCHOOLI worked in a job share for 2 terms in the Year One classroom. Through effective communication with the other teacher we were able to provide a happy learning environment for the class of 30 children teaching all areas of the national curriculum. I had responsibility for the planning of science, the national literacy strategy, maths, RE, and PSCE. I attended, and contributed to regular staff meetings, met with parents on varying issues and led whole school assemblies.

Working alongside the staff at a local secondary school in rural Kenya I taught biology and chemistry up to KSCE level to children of a wide age range. I worked with lots of challenges, principally lack of resources. I made a lot of teaching resources and sourced laboratory equipment, books, and sports equipment through fundraising. I was form teacher for one class and during this time supported the students in difficult circumstances. I demonstrated positive behaviour and empowered the young people to form their own opinions and access an education. I was also coach for the school netball team and assisted with the school choir. I attended regular staff meetings, wrote and marked exam papers. I was paid a very basic wage and lived without electricity or access to running water – as did all of my colleagues and students. I had to work hard to resolve lots of conflict issues particularly corporal punishment. During this time I also supported other VSO volunteers and was chair of the volunteer group for our area of Kenya.

ASSISANT RANGER WITH OLDHAM COUNTRYSIDE SERVICEDuring my University placement I worked alongside the head ranger at Tandle Hill Country Park in all areas of land management, interpretation, access, nature conservation, and education in line with policy from Oldham Council. I led schools groups in orienteering, river sampling, pond dipping, mini beast hunts and environmental arts projects. I worked with a myriad of community groups including young offenders, scouting groups and prison reform groups. I enjoyed dry stone walling, fence building, hedge laying, wildflower planting, way marking and endured lots of litter picking. I was responsible for designing and creating a variety of promotional material, including an “In the News” display at the community visitor centre. I completed market research and a Historical report at Alexandra Park to help secure a successful lottery bid. I mapped an area of beech woodland to monitor growth and encourage conservation practices. I completed a dissertation on “The implications of two main development options for the Strinesdale decommissioned Reservoir”.