MY PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO

I design professional toolkits enabling people and organisations to engage in learning and development. The various aspects of my work are centred around several core values and commitments including social equality, lifelong learning, access to information, portfolio building and integrity of professional practice. My current portfolio of work includes organisational consultancy, developing new approaches to training and learning, web authoring, and both print and Internet publishing
My consultancy and training work is part of the Framework network formed in 1985 and working throughout Europe with non-profit organisations. Our overt values concern empowerment, social justice and equality. My work offers skills to design solutions to problems, assess performance, create effective learning and action plans, and develop staff groups.
My web publishing involves the creation and editing of TrainingZone, the European-wide online learning community for people engaged in training, coaching, staff and organisational development. I also edit LearningWire as a weekly electronic digest of all that’s new in this field.
My writing has created more than a twenty books and manuals (in several languages) published by a range of commercial publishers together with several other resource packs commissioned by clients for internal use. I am also a director of a publishing company.

KEY SERVICES

o Building Internet communities around development and learning
o Designing toolkits to support the development of practice and policies
o Organisational reviews and consultancy to achieve strategic change
o Reviewing and planning for effective professional practice
o Learning and training activities for staff and organisational development
o Writing and publishing to share outcomes and describe results

WHERE TO CONTACT

Gart Cottage, 16 Garngaber Avenue, Lenzie, Glasgow G66 4LJ
Tel: 0141 775 0310
The Archway, 17 St John Street, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5AE
Tel: 017687 74135
Fax: 0870 056 2237
Email: tpickles@trainingzone.org.uk
Framework members in o Glasgow o Rochdale o Leeds o Leicester o Bristol o Cumbria o

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Institute of Continuing Professional Development: founding Fellow (1998)
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations: Associate (1992)
Institute of Personnel and Development: Member (1988), Fellow (1996)
Glasgow Business School: Firmstart programme (1988)
University of Bristol: Part-time study for M.Sc. in Social Administration (1979)
University of Bristol: Post Graduate Certificate in Education (1975)
University of Bristol: B.Sc. in Social Sciences (IIi Hons) (1974)

CURRENT LEARNING AND CPD
My commitment to continuous professional development means that I am regularly reviewing my learning needs and planning a range of ways in which they can be met. At the present time my learning programme includes:
Practical use of Internet technologies and experimentation with a range of electronic publishing formats on the Web.
Project-based work in the field of mental health and community care for people affected by mental illness.
Reading, supervision and practical experimentation with new approaches to staff and organisational management.
Reading and studying on changes in employment legislation and employee management.
Short course learning including workshops in (a) picture framing techniques and (b) the music of Benjamin Britten.
Regular supervision about professional practice from a Framework colleague.
CAREER HISTORY

Current work::—

Sift plc (1997 - present)
Creator and editor of TrainingZone, the Internet community for people engaged in learning, coaching, managing, staff and organisational development.

Framework in Print Ltd: Finance director (1995 - present)
Director of print and publishing co-operative.

Framework: Member of independent consultancy network (1989 - present)
Consultant, trainer, researcher and author working with over 300 local authorities, health boards, enterprise companies, sports and arts bodies, and voluntary organisations on a range of assignments including strategic reviews, performance evaluations, management and staff development, policy implementation and publication writing.

Author (1987 – present)
Books and manuals on subjects including training, management, social care, disaffection, learning and the Lake District - see Writing and Publishing page for details.

Previous work::—

Save the Children Fund: Senior consultant (1985 - 1989)
Senior member of staff team advising central government, local authorities and voluntary organisations on policy and practice towards young people. Involvement in national reviews, inter-agency collaboration, staff training and the production of new resource materials.

North East Work Trust: Director (1979 - 1985)
Providing direction, budgetary control and team management for four projects in north-east England concerned with community-based care for young people in trouble. Responsibilities included negotiating project budgets, all staffing matters, transferring good practice into local authority settings, maintaining standards of practice.

Venture 12 Project: Co-ordinator (1975 - 1979)
Original design and founding co-ordinator of innovative project providing a range of educational, recreational and residential services for young people in trouble.

University of Bristol School of Education: Associate Lecturer (1975 - 1979)
Part-time lecturer on post-graduate course to train teachers. Responsible for placement and supervision of students in settings other than schools.

County of Avon: Youth Leader (1972 - 1975)
Planning and delivery of a range of residential and community-based social education programmes for young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Bristol.

Ghyll Royd School: Teacher (1970 - 1971)
Teacher of science subjects and extra-curricula activities.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES DEMONSTRATED BY RECENT ASSIGNMENTS

Organisational consultancy:—
Groundwork Trust: redevelopment of Bold Miners Welfare Institute
Scottish Sports Association for People with a Disability: review and strategic plan
British Red Cross: strategic review and design of new youth programmes
Scottish Sports Association: performance review
Aberdeen Cyrenians: organisational review and strategic plan
Forth Valley Health Board: three reviews of youth drama and health promotion project, community addiction project and HIV-awareness project
Royal Yachting Association Scotland: management and organisational review
Edinburgh and Lothian Drug Action Group: strategic review
Ethnic Minorities Enterprise Centre: management and operational review
Workers Education Association: organisational review and strategic plan

Management development:—
Mental Health Foundation Scotland: acting Director
Drumchapel Opportunities: supervision; target setting and measurement
Scottish Sports Council: study of the operation and management of staff working for sports governing bodies
Strathclyde Partnership: development work in various voluntary management groups
Clackmannan Housing Department: management skills training
SCVO: design for management development action learning programme
Voluntary Management Development Unit: training programmes related to performance appraisal, negotiation skills, managing change, etc
SACRO: team building and management support in various projects
Durham County Council: staff development on negotiation skills
Scottish Drugs Forum: non-managerial supervision

Policy development, planning and implementation:—
Forth Valley Enterprise: review of Skillseekers programme performance
Various organisations: planning for the implementation of local government reorganisation
Edinburgh and Lothian Drugs Action Group: new structure and service plan
Scottish Office: drafting of national objectives and standards for home supervision
Tayside Regional Council: design and implementation of child care strategy
Leicester City Council: 3 year action plan for HIV services and health promotion
Community businesses: business planning programmes

Training, learning and staff development:—
Board member development programme for several sports’ national governing bodies
SACRO: learning needs strategy for staff
Children’s Hospice Association Scotland: induction programme for new staff team
SCVO: training courses on groupwork, training skills, managing poor performance, use of roleplay, performance appraisal, management development.
Glasgow Society for the Blind: board member training
Durham County Council: action learning programmes for social work managers
Crime Concern: client training programmes on responding to conflict and aggression
Unemployed Voluntary Action Fund: supervision skills training for staff
Greater Glasgow Heath Board: developing training skills with health promotion staff
Scottish Training Officers Association: training in use of role play and simulations
Castlemilk Economic Development Association: training on performance appraisal and presentational skills
Scottish Drugs Training Project: groupwork programmes for prison staff and drug workers
Sense Scotland: staff supervision and appraisal skills training

Research, evaluation and data analysis:—
Dumfries and Galloway Health Council: review of users views of Community Care
CSV: evaluation of training and employment programme
Scottish Qualifications Authority: evaluation of Progress File schools pilot
Crime Concern: action research for crime reduction initiatives in various areas
Save the Children Fund: evaluation of impact on local criminal justice systems
Gulbenkian Foundation: impact surveys for parenthood education initiative
Glasgow Works: impact studies for various projects

Writing and publishing:—
Volunteer Development Scotland: planning manual for volunteering agencies
British Red Cross: design and production of resource packs for groups and leaders
Scottish Enterprise: guide to vocational action planning and Skillseekers
Pavilion Publishing: writing of materials and packs for the in-service training of teachers, health and social care workers
Pitman: writing books and manuals on disaffection, training, HIV awareness and other themes
Design and publication of materials on learning portfolios and learning logs
Russell House Publishing: manual on performance appraisal in non-profit organisations
Gower and Pavilion Publishing: writing of several Toolkit series publications

Other competencies:—
National Lottery Charities Board: grant assessment

WRITING AND PUBLISHING

Web authoring:—
TrainingZone, the Internet community for people engaged in training, learning, coaching, managing, staff and organisational development
LearningWire, a weekly electronic digest of news, resources and websites linked to TrainingZone

Books:—
Toolkit for Managers, Gower/Pavilion, 1999
The Lakeland Fells, FRCC/Ernest Press, 1996 (edited with June Parker)
Toolkit for Managing Change, 1996, Pavilion Publishing (with Penny Sharland) [Second edition, 1999]
Performance Appraisal, 1995, Russell House Publishing (with Philip Hope)
Toolkit for Trainers, 1995, Pavilion Publishing/Gower [American edition, 1996; Norwegian edition, 1996; Swedish edition, 1997; Dutch edition, 1998, Belgium edition, 1998, second UK edition 1999]
Staying Safe: HIV and AIDS, 1994, Longman [Second edition, 1998, Pavilion]
Social Care Professional Development Systems, 1993, Longman (with Phil Watts and Andy Miller)
Dealing with Disaffection, 1992, Pitman
Developing Training Skills, 1991, Longman (with Bruce Britton and Howie Armstrong) (Polish version, 1995; republished Pavilion Publishing 1996)
Active Collaboration: Joint Practice and Youth Strategies, 1989, ITRC (edited with Kevin Gill)
Working with Young People in Trouble, 1987, ITRC
A Lesson in Social Discovery, 1979, University of Bristol

Contributed chapters:—
Steve Brown and Lesley Greenaway, 1996, Changing Futures – Developing People, Scottish Community Development Centre
Peter Gray et al, 1994, New Directions in Behavioural Support Work, Routledge
Gwynedd Lloyd, 1992, Chosen with Care? Responses to Disturbing Behaviour, Moray House
Neville Jones, 1990, Agency Collaboration, Falmer Press
Peter Maher, 1990, Juvenile Crime: The Educational Perspective, NACRO/ NAPCE
Ken Reid, 1989, Helping Troubled Pupils in Secondary Schools, Basil Blackwell
Ken Reid, 1987, Combating School Absenteeism, Hodder and Stoughton
Frank Booton and Alan Dearling, 1980, The 1980’s and Beyond: The Changing Scene of Youth and Community Work, National Youth Bureau

Training manuals and resource materials:—
Sexual Health Resource Pack, 1999, British Red Cross (with Penny Sharland)
Supervision Tools, 1999, Darlington Social Services Department
Team Development Tools, 1998, Darlington Social Service Department
Planning and Evaluation Manual, 1997, Volunteer Development Scotland
Professional Development Plan and Learning Log sheets, 1995, Framework in Print
Vocational Action Planning and Skillseekers, 1995, Scottish Enterprise/SFEU
Action Packed!: A young person’s guide to adventure, survival and rescue, 1994, British Red Cross
Planning for Action!: A d-i-y guide to inter-agency collaboration, 1993, Strathclyde Regional Council
Prejudice! A training game about equal opportunities at work, 1993, Pavilion
Training Manuals for Directors, 1990, Strathclyde Community Business
Experiential Groupwork Manual, 1986, Interface Print