I am often bought into a service when carefully designed new processes have not resulted in the required behaviour change. I am great at getting people to change what they do.
The skills I developed in the world of adult social care have equipped me to deliver excellent culture change and L&D support in the business world.
I was 18 when I worked my first shift in a home for over 100 people who had a wide range of learning disabilities and autism as well as deafness. For 10 years I worked closely with people who had not received any formal communication system as children.
In these settings, I developed my skill as an extraordinary listener. I employ creativity and technical skills to help find out what is most important to people. I am relentless in my pursuit of unlocking potential and unwavering in my belief of people to be better.
I was heavily involved in the first ever incarnations of self-directed support and personal budgets, and with the establishment and implementation of Putting People First, working with families, providers and local authorities.
I have supported many local authorities and provider services to get great support for people amongst the maze of resource allocation and care management systems and in the face of staggering budget and service cuts.
My bias is always for uncomplicated, uncompromising, person centred working. I use this approach to support services to create individualised support that is based on supporting people to grow and find joy in their lives.
Much jargon now exists in the world of personalisation* / self-directed support* / transformation* (*replace with the term that makes best sense to you!). If you are interested in hearing my uncomplicated views and experiences, please get in touch.
I live in Frome with my wife, 2 much loved dogs (let's not mention the cat) and occasionally our recently graduated son. It's a beautiful place to live but I enjoy travelling widely for work - there's nothing like being away to make you appreciate being home.
I’m a self-taught geek, fascinated by the role of social media in bringing about social change but pragmatic about its limitations. As a a gateway for informal learning, I find the online world invaluable.
Officially too old for clubbing (apparently), I still enjoy blasting out old school dance classics and embarrassing my family with my experimental dancing in the kitchen and especially sat in the car at traffic lights. If the car isn't rocking, you're not dancing hard enough.
A very dear friend once called me “relentlessly optimistic”, but I hope that I balance my natural predisposition to always see the good in situations with a pragmatic approach to the realities of life.