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My role
As Associate Director (Partnerships) at the Lifelong Learning Centre (LLC), I manage our academic skills and advice and guidance staff teams, as well as the Communities and Partnerships (C&P) team and Preparation for Higher Education (PHE) and LLC Apprenticeship programme teams.
A core aspect of the LLC’s work involves engaging with adults from diverse communities where progressing to Higher Education (HE) is not the norm. We have a particular interest in linking this kind of widening participation (WP) activity with the broader goal of creating a learning environment that is inclusive and engenders dialogue, questioning and debate.
My background in research in students’ experiences of HE and over 30 years spent teaching and providing academic skills support are key drivers in my work.
Professional experience
I studied English and History for my BA (Hons) at Newcastle Polytechnic and I worked in a variety of roles from fish processing (prawn peeling) to teaching computer software users, before studying for a PGCE in Further Education (FE). I worked in the FE sector teaching English and Adult Literacy and my interest in the processes of learning led me to a funded MPhil at the University of Humberside in ‘Learning to Learn’.
A series of contract research posts followed, including:
- Community perceptions of ‘Successful Futures’ – Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Leeds Metropolitan University – 1997–2000
- The neighbourhood study in Leeds and Sheffield – Nuffield Foundation and ESRC - London School of Economics, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion – 2000–2002
- Career Progression and Employability for Full-time Master Students – HECSU University of Leeds, School of Continuing Education – 2002–2005
In 2005, I moved into Student Support at Manchester School of Art and provided one-to-one and workshop study skills and pastoral support for students in art, design and architecture.
I became the Academic Skills Development Manager at the LLC in 2014. As well as managing the academic skills team, running our pre-entry ‘Kickstart’ programme and overseeing matriculation tests, I worked with students one-to-one, taught on skills modules and ran workshops for LLC students and mature and part-time undergraduates from across the University.
I have been an external examiner for Birkbeck and am currently an external examiner for the Access programmes at The Open University.
Qualifications
- BA (Hons) English and History
- PGCE Further Education
- MPhil Learning to Learn
- University of Leeds Teaching and Research Award
Professional memberships
I am a Higher Education Academy (HEA) Teaching Fellow and a trustee of the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning.