Career History
Sept 2009 – Present Rape Crisis Development Worker
South Essex Rape & Incest Crisis Centre, Eastern Region Rape Crisis Centre
Working with SERICC colleagues to support the development and capacity building of Rape Crisis provision in the Eastern Region where none existed before, and to ensure the sustainability of existing Rape Crisis centres in order to provide varied support for women going through the criminal justice system.
Achieved by:
• Managing the delivery of the Eastern Region Sexual Crime Action Plan 2009-2011 to targets and objectives, adhering to organisational policies and procedures and complying with all legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements.
• Recognising gaps and risks to services while developing Advocacy provision in existing and emerging
centres.
• Identifying funding opportunities and working with existing groups to assist with capacity building to ensure their sustainability while assisting them to also engage with funders and commissioners using statutory frameworks.
• Supporting groups to access relevant training on tendering and commissioning processes and developing funding strategies.
• Assisting and supporting groups with the development and review of policies, governance and structures and to manage partnerships with other local and regional organisations.
• Raising awareness of National and European Legislations while highlighting and campaigning so statutory agencies took the legislation and their obligations seriously.
• Co-ordinating Regional meetings for member groups in the Eastern Region; gather and collate data from member groups and liaise with the regional representative, ensuring that key issues that have been identified are carried forward to the Rape Crisis Board.
• Positively representing and promoting Rape Crisis groups and developing partnerships with Local Criminal Justice Boards.
• Overseeing the implementation of the Data Performance Management System to interpret qualitative and quantitative data, and the Rape Crisis National Standards.
• Supporting groups, including members of staff, to implement the above systems.
Sept 2007 – 2009 Enhanced Service Manager, Victim Support, Suffolk.
Promoted to manage and lead the Victim Care Unit in a new office in Stowmarket. This involved setting up a new business process. Responsibilities included:
• Running the office, supervising VCO’s and administration officer and uniquely, the Volunteer Managers.
• Setting up a new VCU including the technology, new systems and training.
• Reorganising the staffing of community based services in Suffolk and the basic training of community based volunteers, centralising the latter very successfully at Stowmarket.
• Inducting new members of staff, staff training and support.
• Engaging with and develop positive relationships with Suffolk Police, other agencies/organisations and the community.
In 2008 I was responsible for running all service in Suffolk. I was accredited with its success as we became the best performing enhanced services in the U.K. I was also instrumental in the negotiation of a police crime computer terminal installed in the VCU – the first VCU in the country to have one.
2001 – 2007 Co-ordinator, Victim Support Service/ Witness Support Service,
Ipswich Magistrates Court.
The role involved managing, recruiting, training volunteer members, liaising with various agencies, organising work schedules, attending meetings on behalf of Victim Support Suffolk (Criminal Justice Board sub committees) and overseeing other areas within Victim Support Suffolk.
2006 Awarded Certificate of Appreciation for my valuable contribution to the Suffolk Criminal Justice System and involvement in the implementation of No Witness, No Justice and the Witness Care Units.
1995 – 2001 Witness Support Service Volunteer, Ipswich Magistrates Court.
Provided support to witnesses attending the court and developed the service with few guidelines to become the successful service provided today.
1987 – 1995 Assistant Manager, Administration. Littlewoods Plc, Ipswich/Croydon/London.
Joined this major department store as a management trainee. Progressed to become Office Manager before appointed to above post. Varied responsibilities including management of budgets, internal accounts and cash flows, HR Management – recruitment, payroll, training and diversity issues, ensuring compliance with H & S legislation, trading standards requirements and company best practice procedures. Secondment of 1 year to control the implementation of an epos system nationwide.
Qualifications & Training
Completed secondary education to a national standard at Chantry High School, Ipswich.
2003 Post Graduate Certificate in People Management & Development, Suffolk College.
2003 Graduate Member, Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development.
2008/09 Common Purpose Leadership (InsideOUT Programme).
2009 PACT training – Addressing Violence to Parents.
2013 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Foundations Certificate H&S in the workplace level 2.
