Communications Lead for Locorum, a West Yorkshire-based Social Enterprise which exists to shape health and care services to better reflect the needs of local communities, particularly Black and Minority Ethnic Communities

The Civic Story Factory is a social enterprise which unlocks the powerful stories of change that exist in our public and nonprofit organisations, and uses them to create further positive social change. It does this by telling the stories of great work individuals and organisations do, and training professionals and beneficiaries to tell their own stories.We have a major democratic and civic deficit in the UK, and, indeed in the world. That is that few people truly understand what their tax monies are spent on, how their democratic structures are organised, and who does what in their interests. The Civic Story Factory will change this by ensuring that public and voluntary sector workers are enabled to tell the stories about the work they do, the difference they make, and the people’s lives they change.At the heart of the Civic Story Factory is the belief that people who do good work but shy away from telling the world about it do themselves, their clients, their service and society a disservice because they leave the way open for the world’s view of what they do to be shaped by others with negative agendas, including TV companies which produce programmes such as “Benefits Street”, “Skint” and “How To Get A Council House”, and newspapers which whip up public feeling about immigration. Telling stories to the world about good work, how it is done, and what its benefits and impacts are, can have a powerful effect in changing attitudes and generating support for funding of the service. And stories are much more powerful than statistics, case studies, and reports.Digital Storytelling - telling stories of great civic service in video and through social media.Video and Social Media Training - with the specific objective of allowing people who work in, and who benefit from, public and 3rd sector services to tell their own stories of:The benefits of the work they do;Why they do what they do;How they do what the do; andThe difference they make.

Never Too Old for Tech is a social enterprise with a mission to bust the myth that older citizens don’t use new technologies.Many older people are using new technologies now and it is enhancing their lives. They are:Watching their grandchildren grow up via video and photographs;Having regular video chats with friends and relatives;Pursuing hobbies and interests;Viewing enhanced content from their favourite TV and radio programmes;Rekindling memories of childhood homes, sporting heroes, and musical idols;Shopping online and saving money, accessing greater choice, and overcoming mobility issues;Staying in their own homes rather than having to be in hospital or care homes;Managing their own health and avoiding frequent trips to the doctor and hospital.The people who do these things experience major benefits to their health and wellbeing. But they are a minority amongst older citizens. Ageing Digital aims to change this. Our experience shows there are two direct obstacles to the adoption of new tech by older people. They are:Lack of understanding by older citizens of the benefits new tech can offer them; andLack of digital skills and knowledge among professionals who work with older people.Ageing Digital addresses these issues by:Running inspirational sessions based around “tea party” formats designed to open older people’s minds to the possibilities offered by new tech and provide them with practical demonstrations of how it can be used;Providing strategic advice on technology, connectivity, and support for older citizens;Providing digital skills training for professionals working in elder care;Establishing and managing comprehensive digital inclusion projects aimed at older citizens;Collecting and disseminating stories of how older people are using new tech;Running an Annual Connected Christmas Campaign.

Originator of #twicket, the World's First Live Broadcast of a Village Cricket Match (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twicket);Delivering social media and digital storytelling training to a wide range of organisations including Housing Associations, Local Government, Voluntary Organisations, and SMEs.Digital Inclusion training, delivery and project management, including: Celebration 2.0 (http://celebration20.net), Nominet Trust-funded project, aiming to show people that using technology should be fun; Manager for Our Digital Planet (http://www.ourdigitalplanet.co.uk), Nominet Trust project taking the internet to digitally excluded in city centres. HUGO project, multi-faceted digital inclusion project with Leeds Federated Housing Association, featuring digital bus; Digital Tea PartiesDigital Storyteller - including in Digital Commonwealth Project with University of West of Scotland (http://digitalcommonwealth.co.uk/)Ran #HousingDay RoadTripWorking with England & Wales Cricket Board to train cricket clubs in using social media.Community engagement for rural broadband strategies in Lincolnshire, Cheshire, West Yorkshire, Tees Valley & County Durham.Business engagement in Super Connected Cities in Newport and Coventry.Ran "Can't Get Online Week" with Country Land & Business Association (http://cantgetonline.org.uk) nationwide tour of rural "notspots" designed to highlight the problems caused by lack of internet access;Helping community organisations use social media to tell their stories;Live video streaming high profile conferences & events;Using social media to provide amplified coverage of events & conferences;Wrote social media for business guide for Famers' WeeklyFrequent media appearances, including: BBC TV Look North and North West Tonight; Radio 4 Today Programme; Radio New Zealand; BBC Radios Sheffield, Humberside; Lancashire; & Norfolk. Regular technology and social media "expert" on range of BBC Radio Leeds programmes, particularly the Breakfast Show

Citizens’ Interactive Broadcasting is both an organisation and a movement.As an organisation its services include:Live and archived video and audio broadcasting of sporting events, community celebrations, conferences, concerts, and important family moments;Training of community activists, citizen journalists, students, and others in the techniques of citizen broadcasting;Promotion of citizen broadcasting, digital inclusion, community cohesion, and community and family celebrations.The movement:Citizens’ Interactive Broadcasting is a new movement – it is complementary to, but distinct from, social media, traditional broadcasting, and journalism.Citizens’ Interactive Broadcasting is live and archived video and audio broadcasting via the internet using low cost, everyday equipment, with the facility for instant feedback from the viewer.Citizens’ Interactive Broadcasting is being used to celebrate community events, open up conferences and meetings to wider audiences, transmit sporting achievements, and draw the world’s attentions to events mainstream media cannot or will not broadcast, including fighting in Syria, and mass demonstrations in Greece and Spain.Other servicesNever miss that tear-jerking, heart-stopping, or exciting family moment againHave you ever missed your child or family members’ big moment in the school play, the choir performance, the sporting final, because you were away on business, in hospital or otherwise detained? This need never happen again. Do you have family members dispersed around the world who want to watch that big family occasion? For a reasonable fee, CIB can live video stream your important family moment to the world, or exclusively to your computer, tablet, smartphone, internet-connected TV, or big screen.

Managed work on skills and regeneration for leading consultancy companyManaged Digital 20/20, the Connected Region programme; . Co-ordinated partnership groups promoting best practice in Digital Skills, Public Sector Transformation through ICT, and Digital Inclusion. Developing strategy in all aspects of the programme. Identified funding opportunities to develop strategic objectives, writing proposals and securing funding. Worked with major ICT companies, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and Sun Microsystems, to develop regional and national programmes linking digital literacy, employment opportunities, and business development. Served on a number of national working groups on Digital Inclusion.Established and managed 10 new regular Social Media Surgeries for voluntary & community organisations around Yorkshire & the Humber (http://bit.ly/bPw5KY);Regular appearances on local radio, as BBC Radio Sheffield Breakfast Programme*s *Social Media Expert* on other Radio Sheffield shows and on BBC Radio Leeds.Led work for DC10plus, the national local government digital inclusion network on transferring best practice and rolling out pilot programmes into new areas.Senior member of research team for Becta-commissioned CAPITAL project, a three-year programme advising Becta on the impact of technology in teaching and learning across all sectors. Project lead on work-based learning sector and disadvantaged learners, and on comparisons with non-learning sectorsLed study into support needs of creative and digital sectors in North East LincolnshireDeputy Project Manager on Becta Annual Survey of ICT use in Further Education CollegesWork for international ICT company on securing public funding for their bespoke training qualifications

Managing Consultancy company specialising in post 14 education and training policy developmentCollaborative and partnership initiativesRegeneration, employer engagementDeveloping role of ICT in learning and regenerationWidening participation in learning, transnational links, and fundingExample assignments include: Developing new national network of ground-breaking 14-19 education facilities (Studio Schools); Developing new 14-19 Facility as partnership between an FE College and a major Rugby League club; Major research study into Engaging Disadvantaged Learners through ICT; Research study into potential for ICT to aid education of Looked After Children; Establishment of new Community Development Trust; Shaping future workforce development policy in NHS.

Managing Yorkshire regional digital skills programme

Responsible for Managing Consortium of 8 Further Education CollegesProviding strategic advice to college Principals, liaison with external funding and partnership bodiesLeading the Consortium*s work on modernising the curriculum to meet new criteria for the 14-19 DiplomasAttracting *difficult-to-reach* 16-19 year-oldsRe-shaping college operations to met employer needs and prepare for the National Employer Training Programme, *Train to Gain*Managing a college led Employer Engagement *brokerage* serviceDeveloping and running leadership programmes for the next generation of college leadersDeveloping new mechanisms to enable to college members to work together to improve the quality of their provision and success ratesCoordinating the sub-regional network of managers of CoVEs (Centres of Vocational Excellence)Attracting and managing more than £12 million of external funding from European and other sources

Responsible for securing increased funds from European Union sources for 42 Further Education colleges in the regionFacilitating joint working, strategic partnerships, etc. Liaison with senior officials in all sectors including, in particular, European Commission and U.K. GovernmentRegular visits to Brussels and other European countriesPlaying a leading role in policy development for post-2000 Structural Funds programmes, particularly Objective 1 for South YorkshireNegotiated successfully with Secretary of State for Education & Employment over college funding rules with regard to European Social Fund.

undertaking a wide range of policy, strategy development, and implementation work in urban and rural regeneration throughout the UK and beyondSpecialising in comprehensive regeneration and partnerships, combined housing and local economic development strategies, and community involvement in regenerationWrote successful Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Fund bid which secured over £12m for inner city regeneration programme, spoke at wide range of conferences in U.K. and elsewhere in EuropeDeveloped several innovative local regeneration companies.People for Action Limited, Birmingham; Responsible for leading the development of new national voluntary organization encouraging housing associations to become involved in local economic and community developmentInvolved in a wide range of policy and development initiatives in urban areas throughout England (also extended to Scotland and Holland)

Organising and speaking at major conferences and seminars. Writing articles for magazines and journalsDeveloping training materials and good practice guidesAssisting housing associations to develop partnerships with diverse organisations including Government Departments, Local Authorities, City Challenge, Task Forces, Urban Development Corporations, Training and Enterprise Councils.

Managed the Council*s social enterprise development team.Responsible for co-ordination and development of policy in community economic development matters, particularly in relation to Government initiatives such as Estate Action, City Challenge, etc. Negotiation with Central Government departments and other agencies at senior levelLink officer with Leicester Co-operative Development Agency and Leicester Credit Union ProjectWorking with a number of neighbourhood employment projects and similar agencies. Responsible for policy on community based economic developmentElected Chair of Community Enterprise UK, national network organisation

Developing community based employment and training initiatives in a wide range of localities across the county including inner city and outer estates of Nottingham, mining communities, market towns, and rural development areaResponsible for regeneration strategy for declining Nottinghamshire CoalfieldLead officer on successful case for European Objective 2 designation of Coalfield and inner city NottinghamManaged authority's transition from Community Programme to Employment Training

Managing a community project employing 30 staff.

Inter alia - Researched, secured funding for, and established Netherfield Community Initiatives