Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Affiliations
Timeline
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Lorraine Smallwood

Fordingbridge,Hants

Summary

As a stammerer myself, I have extensive first-hand experience of the struggles and challenges many people face on a daily basis, including the discrimination and prejudice that can occur by those who don't understand. Due to my desire for supporting others in similar situations, I joined the Maguire programme several years ago and undertook training to become a Certified Primary Coach, providing emotional support and advice to other stammerers, both by phone and in person. I would love to be able to bring my experience and enthusiasm to STAMMA as a caseworker, working hard to break down barriers and eradicate the discrimination and prejudice faced by stammerers in our society. I am driven, passionate and organised, having previously run my own business as well.

Overview

18
18
years of professional experience

Work history

Level 3 Childcare Practitioner

Stepping Stones Preschool
Fordingbridge, Hampshire
04.2016 - Current
  • Working closely with colleagues as part of a cohesive team, to ensure the smooth running of the preschool.
  • Making detailed observations of children and keeping accurate records which are shared with parents when concerns are flagged.
  • Liaising closely with parents/carers to ensure best outcomes for their children. This does sometimes include saying "no", however practical and constructive support is always offered.
  • Attending training courses regularly to keep updated on such issues as Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding and various changes in legislation as and when necessary.
  • On occasion, offering advice and support to parents whose child has started to develop early signs of stammering (having received similar invaluable advice when my children began to manifest early signs of stammering).

Voluntary Certified Primary Coach

McGuire Programme
Fordingbridge, Hampshire
11.2010 - Current
  • Providing emotional and practical support to people who stammer and regularly following up those who seem to be particularly struggling.
  • Encouraging and supporting them to challenge other peoples' judgements and negative beliefs about stammering, drawing on my own personal experience and achievements.
  • Providing people with encouragement and opportunities to practise their technique when faced with an important and daunting role, which could be anything from a job interview to a bridegroom's speech!
  • Encouraging them to push out their comfort zones in order to build their confidence. This may be by supporting them in facing a feared situation such as making a phone call.
  • Arranging monthly local support groups where experiences and advice are shared and peer support and encouragement is given.

Volunteer Support Worker (Child Contact Centre)

Child Contact Centre
Salisbury, Wiltshire
08.2018 - 08.2022
  • Working as part of a team to ensure safeguarding, time management and the smooth running of the Contact Centre.
  • Observing and recording accurate information regarding the interaction between the 'visiting parent' and his/her child.
  • Facilitating the interaction when necessary using good interpersonal skills. Supporting and encouraging the parent to actively engage with their children but being able to say no when necessary e.g. saying no when the parent was expecting me to take responsibility for his child for the session.
  • Using conflict management training to diffuse any difficult situations.

Volunteer Youth Worker

Hampshire County Council
Fordingbridge, Hampshire
11.2015 - 11.2017
  • Building trusting relationships with young persons who had absconded from foster care.
  • Using excellent listening and interpersonal skills to gather information from the young person.
  • Recording the information in detail and accurately in order to pass to the relevant social worker in order to achieve the best possible outcome for the young person involved.

Business Owner of small Boutique Hotel

Self-employed
Fordingbridge, Hampshire
08.2009 - 04.2016
  • Managing the smooth day to day running of a small boutique hotel, restaurant and bar with an excellent 'Can do' attitude ensuring a very high level of customer satisfaction.
  • Employing, training and managing staff to ensure the best customer experience.
  • Ensuring staff well-being and job satisfaction by actively listening and dealing, in a timely manner, with any problems and acting as mediator when necessary.
  • Preparing documentation e.g. staff records, business plans, marketing strategies.
  • Keeping up to date with legislation relating to the running of a small business and ensuring that all staff undertook the necessary training e.g. manual handling, health and safety, fire marshall training to name but a few.

Clinical Audit Facilitator

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
Salisbury, Wiltshire
09.2007 - 08.2009
  • Auditing such areas as medication safety, infection control, patient satisfaction and adherence to clinical guidelines.
  • Teaching consultants and other hospital staff how to undertake their own audits using the recently developed online system for clinical audit (OSCA).
  • Preparing any documentation necessary, accurately, and simplifying complex information for the benefit of those without clinical audit training.
  • Mainly working on own initiative, but as part of a team when required.
  • Prioritising workload and meeting deadlines in a timely manner.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Social Sciences

The Open University
Milton Keynes
02.2002

Diploma in Statistics - Statistics

The Open University
02.2000

A-Levels - Economics, Pure Maths and Statistics, Religious Studies

South Wilts Grammar School

Skills

  • Knowledge and experience of the Equality Act (2010) and the Disability and Discrimination Act (1995) - both on a work and a personal level
  • Giving emotional support to fellow stammerers on a daily basis and follow up as and when required
  • Excellent understanding of stammering and the barriers we, as a stammering community, face and would welcome the opportunity to help eradicate those barriers
  • Tenacious by nature, have a very positive 'Can do' attitude and like to see things through to, ideally, the desired conclusion
  • Experience of conflict resolution both in the workplace and general life
  • Excellent empathy and compassion skills
  • Attainment of BA (Social Sciences), required excellent English comprehension skills as well as the ability to simplify complex material These skills needed later in role as Clinical Audit Facilitator to accurately gather information and prepare detailed documentation
  • Voluntary role with a charity which helped young people in foster care who had absconded from their foster homes - role was to gain their trust and accurately record the information given and present a report for the professionals involved
  • Happy to use all forms of communication and use the McGuire techniques that I have learned when I need to
  • Excellent team player - always keen to support my colleagues - but am equally happy to work alone

Affiliations

  • I enjoy spending leisure time with family and friends. I also love to travel and experience new cultures but I can be equally happy with my own company and a good book!

Timeline

Volunteer Support Worker (Child Contact Centre)

Child Contact Centre
08.2018 - 08.2022

Level 3 Childcare Practitioner

Stepping Stones Preschool
04.2016 - Current

Volunteer Youth Worker

Hampshire County Council
11.2015 - 11.2017

Voluntary Certified Primary Coach

McGuire Programme
11.2010 - Current

Business Owner of small Boutique Hotel

Self-employed
08.2009 - 04.2016

Clinical Audit Facilitator

Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
09.2007 - 08.2009

Bachelor of Arts - Social Sciences

The Open University

Diploma in Statistics - Statistics

The Open University

A-Levels - Economics, Pure Maths and Statistics, Religious Studies

South Wilts Grammar School

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Lorraine Smallwood