PD North HQ – meet your 2019 – 2020 team!

At PD North HQ, we are extremely excited to be moving into year three of the programme. PD North is going from strength to strength, and our ever growing membership list is bursting with passionate practitioners from across the North (and beyond), each of whom are as excited as we are about improving teaching, learning and assessment practices for learners through practitioner-led research and knowledge exchange. With this in mind, we felt now would be an excellent time to introduce our 2019-2020 PD North team, so you know who we are and why we are so passionate about the our work for PD North and across #FE (in all its manifestations).

About Chloë – PD North’s Creative Director

Hi I’m Chloë, PD North’s Creative Director. After working on the PD North project for the past two years I’m incredibly excited to take the team into year three. Every year the project has grown following feedback from members as we aimed to make an exchange network that had practitioners from all parts of the sector at its heart.

The first year of PD North I was working ‘on the ground’ as project officer for the North West. Last year I was working behind the scenes, building our social media presence via YouTube, Twitter, our blog and the twice monthly newsletter. This year I’m looking forward to pushing the project forward by supporting our team in encouraging practitioners to make PD North their own.

About Kathryn – PD North’s Network Meeting Coordinator

Hello I’m Kathryn, and I coordinate the professional exchange network meetings for PD North. For the past 25 years, I have worked in Education and Training, either in Work Based Learning, Welfare to Work or Adult Skills and I have over 20 years Management experience in this Sector.  I currently work as an Operations Manager at a Training Provider that focuses on upskilling adults in Functional Skills English and Maths.

Initially, I was involved in setting up the Professional Exchanges in the North East and Cumbria and supported Petrina Lynn in the management of the exchange groups.  I have worked with PD North for the past 2 years supporting the Regional Leads in organising meetings, arranging CPD days and day to day correspondence with group members.

I am excited about going into Year three as I can see how much the sector has developed, shared and moved forward as a result of the exchange groups and happy that I am part of this.

About Petrina – PD North lead for the North East and Cumbria

Hello l’m Petrina and l’ve worked with the sector for more years than l care to admit to!

Staff Learning and development has been a passion of mine for most of my working life. Consequently, when the opportunity to become involved in Professional Exchange Networks (PENs) became available, l jumped at it.

PENs have been a big part of my life for the past few years, particularly focussing on the North East and Cumbria provider base.

The existing network has established seven groups across the patch based on agendas identified by practitioners. I am never ceased to be amazed at the outcomes from the groups and the productive networking that is established.

Going forward l feel a sense of enthusiasm and optimism at the prospect of working with you all again.

We will be in touch soon about year three. Anyone wishing to participate please don’t hesitate to contact us.

About Gail – PD North lead for Yorkshire and Humber

Hi I’m Gail, Regional Lead for Yorkshire and Humber. I’m looking forward to a new year for the Professional Exchanges in our region – it is going to be an exciting one.  This year my focus will be on the word network.  Although we will have fewer networks the ones we have will be bigger and be informed by what the members want and need.  The expertise in the PENs last year was amazing as was the members’ willingness to share and work together – in challenging times we need this – we need our network community.  So please get involved, I will be in touch shortly with the dates of the first meetings.  Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me with your ideas.  See you there!

About Punam – PD North lead for the North West

Hi I’m Punam, Regional Lead in the North West for the PD North Professional Exchange Network. A core part of my role at PD North involves developing networks and organising regional events. I am passionate about delivering excellence and I combine an engaging enthusiasm with an attention to detail which enables the organisations I support to feel safe enough to innovate for excellence in a risk-positive way.

Having held many roles working within FE,  ranging from practitioner to senior manager working locally, regionally and nationally, I appreciate the challenges in terms of strategic planning for an ever-changing policy landscape, which compels senior managers to respond in a responsive manner, realigning organisational priorities and strategies accordingly. This professional history, together with a grounding in culture-changing Thinking Environment processes, allows me to support providers with understanding and empathy at appropriate levels of challenge.

I am looking forward to year three of this exciting opportunity working with PD North members across the North West and beyond. I will be working with my PEN’s to grow the membership of the networks and add to the increasingly diverse range of organisations already involved. We will be focussing on hot topics and the key development areas for organisations. The networks will provide an opportunity to continue to share effective practice and provide support to organisations.   

About Lou – PD North’s events lead

Hello I’m Lou and I’ve been involved with PD North over the last couple of years, initially as Digital Nurse then moving into the PD North Events. That’s what’s exciting me most about Year three! The events we held in the summer at Liverpool, Durham Cricket Club and in Leeds were real highlights – educators from across the North of England getting together to share ideas and learn new stuff. Each of the days had the affirmative spirit that always happens when practitioners get together who are critical – yes, and who challenge themselves too – but who are never cynical. They were feelgood days, so I’m delighted to be doing the same again next year with the PD North team. Look out for dates from us in early September – PD North on Tour! 

PD North sits with the other work I do nationally to raise the profile of FE, particularly FE research and voices from the sector. Although my focus is pretty much the events for Year 3, I’d still be delighted to support you to get writing, podcasting and publishing the stories of your practice. You can always contact me on Twitter @loumycroft or by phone 07779135201.

About Vicky – PD North’s virtual action research group lead (and occasional creative content developer)

Hello I’m Vicky and I’ve been working in education in various guises since 2005. I’m an Access to HE specialist, as well as spending a lot of my working life in the wonderful worlds of community education and community youth justice. I hope that I’ll be meeting (and re-meeting) many PD North friends as we begin our latest online action research professional exchange series (starting September 2019). During these interactive sessions we will be blending talks and training from experienced FE action researcher-practitioners with the opportunity to explore, discuss and reflect upon your own research projects. You can often find me on Twitter – @VickyMeaby, where I get very excited about collaborative working and the power of participatory action research as an enabler of socially just teaching, learning and assessment practices.