Suzanne Illingworth

Responsible for developing NCFE curricula for NCFE Level 2 Certificate, Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills, and NCFE Level 5 Diploma, Level 3 Award in Education and Training as well as the NCFE L3 Award in Assessing, and L4 Certificate in IQA. I also run TQUK L2 Certificate in Counselling Skills Distance Learning Courses.

For the counselling qualifications at L3, this includes providing extra curriculum content that prepares the students for L4 Diploma Courses or Degree and MA Counselling courses. The curriculum includes work on academic writing, Harvard referencing and basic reading and research skills. Responsible for interviewing all students who apply for L2 and L3 counselling courses to ensure they are clear about the work needed and the content of the course.

Classes are designed to be inclusive, adaptive with the focus on a humanist teaching environment where all students feel valued and accepted. A range of methods are used, encounter groups, triad skills work, discussion and student presentation as well as more traditional delivery. Responsible for designing assessment that includes student presentation, case study work, essay, academic posters and extended reflections. Providing ongoing formative feedback to students on their skills work, their written work and then summative assessment in line with NCFE requirements.

Overseeing the work of other counselling teachers who are teaching L2 and L3 counselling skills courses and act as their IQA for both subjects.

As part of my extended part time role, contributing to departmental meetings and strategic decision-making.

Reviewing and revising the curriculum annually and update the whole course for new starts in September, to ensure that material is up to date and relevant. Provide advice for students and support them with their academic progress from this course to HE, courses tend to have an 80 - 90% conversion to counselling training. Provision of one to one support for those students who may need adaptive learning or who may struggle with some aspects of the course.

Planned and set up both NCFE Level 2 Certificate and NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Counselling Skills and taught on both courses at Wigan and Leigh. Supported students with a variety of needs and selected them for the best course to meet their needs.

Planned and wrote the content for a successful application to Pearson to offer their HNC and HND qualifications in Counselling and Psychology and ABC SEG Award L4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling.

Had to leave due to both elderly parents becoming ill and then needing end of life care.

In this role I worked alongside the Quality Manager and Staff Development Manager in order to provide training, development and support for colleagues and new teaching staff.

I was a senior lesson observer and have worked with Ofsted when they have inspected the college to undertake lesson observations and walkthroughs with various HMI as well as being responsible for gathering work and work scrutiny again with HMI.

I was the lead IQA for the organisation, working with Awarding Organisations such as NCFE, Cache, City and Guilds, RHS, Pearson, Ascentis, ABC (SEG), CAVA, ATT, IMI, TQUK et cetera in this role I was responsible for the application process for new curriculum provision and also for running all the EQA sample visits that occurred in the organisation, where necessary dealing with any issues or concerns that either colleagues or EQA/SV staff had.

I also designed and presented to staff new documentation to streamline the lesson planning, assessment and IQA processes to ensure that standardised documentation was use through the organisation. I was also responsible for writing several policies including maladministration, appeals for FE and teaching, learning and assessment. I also implemented several strategies to disseminate Awarding Organisation information to all staff who needed it across the organisation as well as monitoring, risk rating and reporting outcomes to the Board.

I taught on Ascentis, Level 3 and Level 5 Education and Training courses and also on the PGCE Cert Ed Teaching (Lifelong Learning Sector) and BA Ed courses for Huddersfield University.

This involved creating innovative lessons to teach staff who were employed in a wide variety of teaching situations, and who were mainly undertaking their two year teacher training courses. I taught both at the college and also for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) on behalf of the college as key staff who were based at Fire and Rescue stations across the county were encouraged to undertake their L3 Award in Education and Training and their PGCE Cert Ed qualifications.

I was also responsible for undertaking lesson observations for my students throughout the duration of the course, planning and delivering the course content and marking and providing grades for their work. I also attended standardisation events with other university colleagues as well as attending meetings at Huddersfield as and when required. I was part of a team of six staff delivering these courses.

I continued to be a Private IQA for LFRS for several years after this.

After training as an instructor, I provided training for the College, for staff and external candidates, this included the main campus and also at Scarborough where we had another training site. I also provided bespoke courses around Mental Health for a number of businesses across Yorkshire.

I prepared lessons in line with MHFA (UK) and had to adapt my teaching to suite a variety of students from diverse backgrounds, in order to provide a personalised learning experience. Key to this was creating safe and inclusive classroom environments that promoted mutual respect amongst participants who were often sharing quite personal lived experiences. I also implemented various teaching strategies to cater to diverse learning styles of students.

Again I undertook regular updates in line with the MHFA requirements for its instructors.

I was employed in this post to promote and run Complementary Therapy and Sports Therapy courses. Although trained in both areas, my particular passion was the Complementary side, so a colleague ran the Sports side, and I was responsible for managing her and other part time staff who delivered provision at various sites across North Yorkshire.

I planned curriculum delivery to achieve department attainment targets with the other staff and we adapted teaching methods to cater for varied learning styles and abilities. We also incorporated IT working alongside the Head of IT to develop a Virtual Learning Environment. I also worked as a therapist and so was able to use this to demonstrate my subject expertise to ensure comprehensive knowledge coverage and tried to develop innovative lessons to enhance student engagement. I also set up and developed a very popular weekend college course to target students who worked full time.

I worked as a part time teacher delivering VTCT, City and Guilds courses such as Level 3 Diplomas in Reflexology, Swedish Massage, Advanced Massage Techniques, Sports Injury Prevention, Indian Head Massage, Aromatherapy, Advanced Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Counselling Skills along with Non Medical Nutritional Advice. I also taught Emergency First Aid courses.

In this role I was working as a private therapist and also providing a counselling service at the College.

This role involved working with a variety of ages of client from sixteen years plus. The college did not have a service so I had to provide research to justify the service and the role. I left the post when I had to decide between teaching and counselling, the college had realised it needed a minimum of a 0.5 post. I opted to continue to teach and work with my private clients.

The service followed the BACP Ethics and Professional Practice and as an organisation we were BACP members. My role was to conduct initial assessment interviews to establish treatment goals. Provide crisis intervention, offering support and referrals to distressed individuals. This included working with clients and signposting and referring to additional services when necessary, broadening support network. I also worked with other mental health professionals for coordinated care and optimal client outcomes.

For referred clients who could be students or staff members then I had to build a therapeutic alliance in order to work effectively, using an Integrative Humanist approach I worked with clients who were expressing suicidal ideology, who were depressed, suffering from anxiety, OCD, self-harm, forced marriage, dealing with historical abuse, domestic abuse, addiction and recovery, loss, post adoption and a variety of other issues. I was responsible for making sure records were maintained by all placement students, that I reported to the Student Services Manager on a weekly basis. Attended group supervision and also undertook my personal supervision in line with BACP requirements for my client hours at College and my Private Clients.

I supported clients to develop, practice and implement effective coping strategies and help the to work through their issues to the point of discharge or refer to a more specific health professional. I managed confidential client records, ensuring privacy and security for the organisation and for my own clients always working within the current Data Protection laws. In the college I promoted the service among staff and students and during normal hours was on call to provide crisis intervention during critical moments, mitigating risk.

I also completed case notes after each session and collated feedback forms filled by clients at beginning, middle and end of counselling. Sharing the key outcomes with the Student Services Manager and putting together the argument for a dedicated service which is still active today (2025).

I continued to work as a therapist until I retired in 2024.

This was my first teaching role and I created inclusive classroom setting to ensure all students felt accepted and valued. I developed engaging lessons by applying knowledge of educational theories and methods. I adjusted teaching methods according to individual student's needs, ensured inclusive learning environment while assessing student progress, provided constructive feedback for improvement. I planned and organised classrooms that consistently facilitated positive learning experience. At the end of three years I was offered a part time salaried post by the organisation.

I worked nights while I undertook study during the day, qualifying a a variety of complementary therapies. I worked as part of a team of nurses and care staff providing individual care for clients with a variety of physical and mental health issues. My role was to provide seamless care during the night time, to make sure the clients were safe, that all their needs were met and that we promoted a positive and welcoming atmosphere for any visitors that were present overnight.

I also provided dressing and wound care, catheter care, phlebotomy and end of life care in co-ordination with my day shift colleagues and the medical staff who were part of the wider team. I liaised effectively with clients' families, facilitating communication between medical staff and family members. I demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills, fostering strong relationships with colleagues and clients alike. Throughout the shifts providing high quality patient care by administering medication, conducting routine checks and updating medical records, including safeguarded clients' wellbeing following any protocols in place and taking immediate action in the event of any changes in condition in line with client and family wishes.

Worked as a Senior sister then Matron in a 60 bed unit that specialised in the care of clients with complex nursing care needs and who had complex psychiatric diagnoses. We specialised in the care of clients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease but we also had clients who had been in long term care with diagnoses of bipolar disorder, chronic schizophrenia, severe personality disorder, alcohol induced psychosis and brain changes linked to historical head trauma as well as some cases of CJD.

I was responsible for managing the care of the clients with a multi-disciplinary approach; ensuring holistic care for patients with the focus on high level nursing care and social and family support. Along with the nursing and care teams we advocated for patients' rights and needs; enhancing patient satisfaction. Maintained accurate medical records for seamless healthcare delivery. I also supported all the staff, their training and support to provide our clients with excellent care and a focus on client safety, dignity and communication.

Some clients required more physical care so we did have a mix of RGN and RMN staff to provide a cohesive service. At all times I was tasked with maintaining infection control protocols; minimising cross-contamination risks in the unit, including reducing visiting and staff if relatives or friends had any flu like symptoms to reduce the risk to our vulnerable population. For clients who had no family then as a team we advocated for our clients care with doctors, psychiatrists and other health care professionals. I always worked very closely with fellow nursing professionals to identify strategies for practice development and improvement, maintained comprehensive client care plans and monitored implementation of any clients who were there under the Mental Health Act or Treatment Orders. Along with colleagues we documented and evaluated effectiveness of care plans and interventions.

I was also part of the recruitment process when we needed staff and made recommendations to the owner about individuals experience and aptitude to be able to to add depth, expertise and talent to our team.

I always stayed up-to-date with the latest nursing developments to provide best client care.

I dealt with emergencies with calm and composure, and followed modern nursing standards for optimum treatments and patient protection.