personal profiles

The Learning Team Consultancy Ltd

After 3 years of working as a group of sole traders, The Learning Team has now moved into Phase 2 of its development. In October 2008, the team registered as a limited company and any contracts agreed after this date will be commissioned by The Learning Team Consultancy Ltd. This change in legal status does not affect any commissions agreed prior to October 2008.

Personal Profiles

Across the team, the variety of skills and expertise enables the delivery of training, support and/or advice in the following key skills:
• Budgeting and financial management
• Business and strategic planning
• Developing and implementing an outcomes focus
• Developing PQASSO as a quality assurance system
• Developing staff handbooks, policies and procedures
• Funding and fundraising strategies
• Governance and legal structures
• Leadership development
• Managing volunteers
• Negotiating with the public and private sector and public/private sector engagement
• Partnership working
• Performance management
• Training needs analysis
• Trustees roles and responsibilities
• Workplace mentoring and change management support

Pauline Dodgson OBE

Professional experience

Began working at the Kent Association of Youth Cubs, supporting and developing youth organisations, then New Job Horizons, assisting the long-term unemployed to find work.
The first Director of Wansbeck Council for Voluntary Service, setting up the organisation and developing it into an established infrastructure body
The CEO of GVOC [Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council] for 17 years. During that time leading the organisation through a period of considerable development and expansion, including the development of new delivery mechanisms with public and private sector bodies
As the Director of the voluntary sector’s representative body, responsible for the formation of partnership arrangements with many other agencies.
Vice Chair of the Local Strategic Partnership; a member of several Partnership planning groups; a Governor of Gateshead College; and the planning group that established the Primary Care Trust.
Over the years the Chair of several voluntary organisations, discovering the challenges of operating smaller to medium sized groups at first hand, including Northumberland Women’s Aid, Tyneside Rape Crisis Centre & Northumberland and Tyneside Relate (as well as a trained volunteer counsellor)
Member of the Big Lottery’s original Regional committee, several SRB and ERDF management boards and currently trustee and secretary for a regional grant giving trust

Programme and project management

Project Management experience includes; CEO of Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council; CEO of Wansbeck Council for Voluntary Service
Founder board member of the Northumberland ,Tyne and Wear Community Foundation
Member of several key boards, including Vice Chair of the Gateshead LSP
One of the founder members of The Learning Team Consultancy Limited
Management support to several Learning Team Commissions and Programmes including; the Northern Rock Foundation (Workplace Mentoring and Change Management Support for the Third Sector in the North east and Cumbria), BtoB (Built to Achieve Project, YSDF Project and New Markets New Opportunities Project) and Sure Start Newcastle (Evaluating Performance)

Formal qualifications/education

BA Hons

Lynn Howard

Professional experience

Career in the VCS began in 1983 managing a project offering educational and recreational opportunities for unemployed people living in a mining community. Project Manager for a Victim Support scheme, for 14 years
Experience of working with various organisations within the VCS, the public sector, regional agencies, Department of Work & Pensions, the Police, National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Youth Justice Board and charities
Training provider and consultant with the County Durham Foundation delivering the core skills required to run the Coalfields Community Spirit Millennium Awards Scheme
With the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Crime Concern set up a new initiative supporting new single first time tenants of local authority housing in Derwentside
A Director of The Learning Team Consultancy Ltd delivering training and consultancy for Trustees in the areas of the legal status of Third Sector organisations, Trustee responsibilities, effective committee skills, staff supervision and appraisal systems, and staff recruitment and induction procedures, communication skills including; Assertiveness, Confidence Building and Active Listening
Specialises in support and advice in recruiting and managing volunteers and developing volunteer policies and procedures. Also mentors senior staff supporting them through change management
An ex board member of a local and national charity and a founder member of two local charities in Northumberland

Programme and project management

Manager at Ashington Community Initiatives Centre for unemployed people
Manager with the Wansbeck Victim Support Scheme
Consultant responsible for managing Derwentside ‘your life your home’ project funded by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister
One of the founder members of The learning Team Consultancy Limited

Formal qualifications/education

City & Guilds Training & Development Further Education Certificate: (7306)
BTEC Professional Development Award in Supervisory Management

Angie Martin

Professional experience

Started career in the sector as CEO with Humberside Victim Support before moving to the North East in 1987 to take up the post of County Administrator with Northumberland County Victim Support.
Within 4 years, had established five very successful Victim Support offices in Northumberland.
15 years at Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council (GVOC), initially as a Finance Officer providing financial training and support to VCS organisations and social enterprises, and later as GVOC’s Learning & Quality Manager organising and delivering training programmes to the Third Sector.
An ‘Outcomes Champion’ using the Charities Evaluation Services model. Has delivered training to local, regional and national third sector organisations, as well as to public sector organisations.
A recognised social auditor for the Social Audit Network (SAN)
Ex Treasurer of; Northumberland Women’s Aid and Women’s Health Advice Centre, Ashington

Programme and project management

CEO at Humberside Victim Support Scheme
The first County Administrator at Northumberland County Victim Support
Learning and Quality Manager at Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council
Founder of The Learning Team Consultancy Limited
Management of several Learning Team Commissions and Programmes including; the Northern Rock Foundation (Workplace Mentoring and Change Management Support for the Third Sector in the North East and Cumbria), Business to Business (Built to Achieve Project, YSDF Project and New Markets New Opportunities Project), and Sure Start Newcastle (Evaluating Performance)

Formal qualifications/education

BA Hons
City and Guilds Adult Teaching Certificate 7307

Mark Thompson

Professional experience

Worked in the Voluntary and Community Sector for over 16years. Initially trained in accounts in a variety of businesses, joining Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council (GVOC) in 1995, as the Finance Officer with their Community Accountancy Project - working with a variety of Third Sector organisations in the following areas: setting up a basic book-keeping system; preparing a budget; management accounts; Inland Revenue and VAT queries; setting up a computerised accountancy system; conducting Independent Examinations (Charity Accountancy verifications); keeping organisations up to date with changes in financial legislation; preparation for financial reports to funders (including European funding)
From 2003 to 2005 worked for Comecon Ltd, an organisation which working with Social Enterprises, using the same skills as above, also with an emphasis on organisations becoming self-sustaining e.g. working on financial break even points. Also, support and advice to groups with returns to Companies House, VAT returns and Corporation Tax
Since 2006, has worked freelance, providing accountancy and financial management for Third Sector groups, and is a Director of The Learning Team Consultancy Limited

Programme and project management

Project Management experience includes; Community Accountancy Project Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council; ERDF Accountancy project with Social Enterprises at Comicon; Social Enterprise development with New Deal for Communities
One of the founder members of The learning Team Consultancy Limited and Company Secretary

Formal qualifications/education

Association of Accounting Technicians [AAT]