Accreditation Status
- Instructor Member ()
Course Accreditation Status
Instructor Profile
Personal Details
I have social and personal experience of mental health issues and I am passionate about inclusion into society for disabled people and reducing the stigma of mental illness.
Work Experience
I am an experienced adult teacher and trainer since 1998 in Further Education, Higher Education, Business and Community settings with a background in English literature, creative writing and performing arts. Since 2004 I have worked in partnership with HearFirst to train thousands of adults across the country in Equality and Diversity, Disability and Deaf equality and awareness.
I now run my own company SunSurfer Arts & Education Consultancy Ltd (www.sunsurfer.co.uk). We work in England and Scotland to provide quality Mental Health First Aid training using two tutors because we believe the delegates get a better, and safer, learning experience with two tutors. I am also an accredited Scotland Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) trainer and an associate tutor for the British Safety Council/Mates in Mind where I deliver 2 day Adult MHFA and their own mental health awareness courses - Start the Conversation, Manage the Conversation - for the construction industry.
I have also run a plenary session, training MHFA Instructors on principles of disability inclusion, including the social model of disability and the law - The Equality Act 2010. I also sit on Creative Scotland's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion advisory group.
Qualifications
BA English and History
MA British Romantic Literature
City and Guilds 6302 Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector
NVQ3 British Sign Language
Contact Me