Detailed CV

Summary of Key Competences:

Research and Evaluation Methods
Experience of using a range of methods including: qualitative and participatory approaches; innovative ways for gathering stakeholder feedback, such as using a community researcher model; knowledge of different evaluation models including: Social Accounting and Audit; Volunteer Impact Toolkit; Logic Modelling, Participatory Appraisal; and quality assurance models such as Investing in Volunteers.

Training
Experience of design and delivery of innovative training to support youth work and volunteer programmes including: Action Learning; Online Learning; resources and toolkits.

Third Sector knowledge 
A 25 year career in the third sector providing support to: volunteers and voluntary organisations at local and national levels. Main fields of knowledge and experience include: youth work; volunteering; training and development; and research and evaluation.

Education and Professional Qualifications:

• 2016 Professional Doctorate Community Learning and Development: Evaluation that Empowers, University of Dundee.
• 2006 MSc Practitioner Research Studies: Becoming a Thriving Leader, University of Dundee
• 1998 SQA – D32 /33 Assessor Verifier Awards.
• 1994 Managing in Voluntary and Non-profit Organisations, Open University.
• 1988 BA Social Sciences, Open University.
• 1980 Advanced Cert. in Outdoor Education, University of Lancaster.
• 1976 Certificate in Education, Dartford College of Education, Kent.

Career History:
 Evaluation and Professional Development Services – Director 2005 – to date

• Work collaboratively with organisations to design and deliver relevant and useful research, evaluation and training projects. See sample list of completed research projects below.
• Prepare reports for dissemination and publication.

Volunteer Development Scotland – Depute Chief Executive 2002 – 2005

• Co-leadership and strategic development of national charity supporting volunteering in Scotland.
• Managing organisation’s satisfactory completion of projects and contracts.

Volunteer Development Scotland – Head of Training 1992 – 2002

• Management, design and delivery of national training programme and training and consultancy contracts, with main focus on Volunteer Management
• Establishing suite of 4 accredited modules at SCQF level 8: Programme in Volunteers Management as part of BAPD Programme, Dundee University.

International Experience:

• Australasian Evaluation Society, International Evaluation Conference 2014 (Workshop and poster presentation) 
• Experiential Evaluation, ICEL Conference, Sydney 2008. (Workshop presentation)

• Member of the EEEurope network of experiential educators, and host team for EEEurope Scotland 2007. 
• Paper presention and workshops: Thriving Leaders, Meissen, Germany, 2007.
• Representative member of the European Centre for Volunteering (CEV) 2002-2005.