Who's who
Vanessa Fitzgerald - Aimhigher Peninsula Programme Manager
Vanessa Fitzgerald has been around for a long time! Her experience of the Peninsula collaborative work to widen participation dates back to the Grandmother or Great Grandmother of Aimhigher (if only she could remember it!!). She started off many moons ago as a secondary school teacher in inner city Birmingham, where she discovered she actually liked the kids that no-one else seemed to want to teach. Since then, her varied career has included work with disadvantaged groups and long term unemployed, disenfranchised community based groups, black and minority ethnic students and women returners to name but a few. An eight year stint travelling then living in France developed a love of wine and the sun, both of which stay with her today. Before coming to the University, Vanessa worked in FE, heading up an Anti-Racism Training Unit, and then managing one of the largest college community based provisions in the country. She joined the University of Plymouth in 1992, on a project to look after the validation agency for Access to HE courses, and to develop an Open College Network. Her current role is an eclectic mix of heading up the University of Plymouth's WP team and holding the flag for the Aimhigher Peninsula Programme.
Vanessa likes that the work can really impact on people's lives.
She doesn't like continued business planning and reprofiling.
She is surprised Aimhigher staff continue to be enthusiastic, motivated and committed in spite of everything!
Contact Vanessa:
01752 587957
Assistant Manager, Aimhigher Peninsula Programme
Carolyn has been involved with Aimhigher and its precursor Partnerships for Progression from the start. After leaving university she worked in the Sheffield steel industry for three years before training to teach in further education. Her motivation for moving into FE was the fact that it typically offered individuals a second chance to fulfil their potential and make informed choices about their future direction. Over the years she has had the privilege of working with many groups and individuals helping them to achieve this goal.
Carolyn remains passionate about widening participation in further and higher education and is delighted to be working with like-minded colleagues on the Aimhigher Peninsula Programme.
Having spent most of her working life in North Yorkshire Carolyn moved to the south west in 1999. The move gave her the opportunity to develop a new skill - tap dancing. Carolyn is still trying to perfect all the steps and dreams of emulating Ginger Rogers. Her other interests include film, theatre, dance and travel.
Contact Carolyn
01752 587959
carolyn.stoakes@plymouth.ac.uk
Lyn Strongman - Programme Administrator
Lyn Strongman has been involved with the Peninsula Programme since its beginning in April 03 and with the Peninsula Project prior to that. She returned to ‘proper’ work in 1999 after 12 years at home with her children. After a year at college to update her skills, she was offered a part time job in the University of Plymouth’s Registry and 18 months later moved on to become an Administrative Assistant with Academic Partnerships. Lyn has been full time Administrator for the Peninsula Programme since 2006.
Lyn is a self-confessed chocoholic but, after intensive therapy, can no longer be bribed by promises of chocolate rewards.
She has a passionate interest in history and loves wandering around old houses!
Contact Lyn:
01752 587957
lynda.strongman@plymouth.ac.uk
Karen Turvey - Admin Assistant (Currently covering Briony Goldsmiths maternity cover)
Karen has been with Strand 8 since November 2006, she has just finished studying for her Youth and Community qualification at UCP Marjon as well as working for Aimhigher. Karen also enjoys volunteering and most of her spare time is taken up with activities and events, which has given her the opportunity to meet loads to met loads of new people. It was through her voluntary work Karen found out about all the opportunities that are available through Aimhigher. Prior to her role within strand 8 she was a tutor in a couple of local schools and really enjoyed being a student ambassador. It was this experience that encouraged her to take the position as Administrative Assistant.
Contact Karen:
01752 587954
Laura is a Devonshire girl, from Torquay, she graduated from the University of Plymouth (UoP) in 2008 with a degree in BSc (Hons) International Relations with Criminal Justice Studies. Laura is now finishing her MA in International Relations Global Security and International Development again at UoP. Laura has been a student ambassador with widening participation since 2006 where she developed a passion for raising aspirations of the young people she mentored. Laura has always been actively involved in UoP summer schools, which she thoroughly enjoys. When she is not studying or working for Aimhigher she volunteers for Refugee Action assisting caseworkers at drop in sessions and with the Redcross refugee service. Laura has a passion for travel and last summer she lived in Ghana with a Ghanaian family working for a local HIV/AIDS non-governmental organisation. In her spare time she plays for a Plymouth netball team, she enjoys any activity that involves being outdoors, such as rock climbing, trekking and surfing etc... she is also a massive fan of festivals because she loves live music.
Contact Laura:
01752 587954
Dawn Sambells - Developing, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Dawn was first employed by the University of Plymouth (UoP) in September 2006 as a Student Ambassador for the Faculty of Art. During the three years she spent studying for her BA (Honours) Degree in History with Media Arts, she regularly worked for Alison Valerio on many Widening Participation (WP) projects, thus discovering her passion for enthusing young people to increase their aspirations. In May 2009 she produced several short films working in collaboration with UoP, John Kitto Community College in Plymouth and Groundwork South West, which were screened as part of the UoP Arts Degree Show and are currently being used to promote WP activities. Her volunteer work involvement with community projects earned her a nomination for the Vice Chancellor Enterprise Award for Community Engagement and she attended the Final VC Awards Dinner the week before her graduation in September 2009.
For a short period after graduating Dawn ran the children's department in Waterstone's book shop, then in November 2009 rejoined the UoP to work part-time for the Faculty of Health in the Admissions Office. She has since continued to work on many WP projects for the Faculty of Arts, such as regularly running Media Taster Days and is currently producing a film documenting a WP project looking at the social history of Plymouth during WW2.
Dawn was recently appointed the new position of Developing, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer (July 2010) for Aimhigher and is eager to get started. She hopes to still continue her involvement with school workshops and WP activities, as well as study for an MA in Social History, for she is passionate about History (and the Tudors in particular!.)
In her spare time you can find her travelling across Europe to visit castles and stately homes, shopping for shoes, spending time with her family or snuggled up watching a DVD with her boyfriend.
Contact Dawn:
01752 587966
Briony Goldsmith - Engaging Ability Co-ordinator (currently on maternity leave)
Briony Goldsmith has been working as a Peninsula Programme Officer for Strand 8 since January 2005. Briony's job is focused on raising awareness and aspirations of disability in Higher Education. Prior to joining the Aimhigher Peninsula Programme, Briony was on maternity leave from her previous job as a Personnel Officer. Before this she worked in a variety of fields, some of which also focused on disability, hence the move to her current role.
Briony studied a degree in Business Administration at Glamorgan University and a post-graduate diploma in Personnel and Development at the University of Plymouth. Briony loves water sports and riding, she also owns a horse called Ginger!
Contact Briony:
01752 238637
