Vernon Samuels OLY

Experience

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  The Ceed Charity Limited

  Jan 1994 - Jan 1997

  Training & Development Officer

  Worked hard to open up employment and enterprise opportunities for Black and minoritised people and communities in Bristol. Raised £275,000 from the private sector to establish an inner city small business development fund; raised government funding on behalf of organisation to implement business and IT technical skills training provision; Project managed set up of various initiatives including an enterprise support agency, an information technology centre and a Modern Apprenticeship employment training initiative; developed and designed various training & development strategies and solutions Show less

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  RAC WA

  Jan 1998 - Dec 1998

  Senior Job Skills Development Consultant & Trainer

  Developed and implemented national Leadership & Performance Management Programme for Team Managers; Developed and implemented departmental training solutions for bespoke IT system; Facilitated a number of one-to-one and classroom based training and development solutions.

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  Filton College

  Jan 1999 - Mar 2001

  Performance managed cross functional teams; developed and managed NVQ accreditation centre; developed, marketed and managed training packages and services to SME client group; negotiated contract proposals and service level agreements; assisted in the development of quality systems; maintained and developed network of private, statutory and voluntary sector stakeholders Developed portfolio of services and packages on offer to SME's, Performance managed activities of the specialist service delivery team. Developed NVQ accreditation centre for the awarding of NVQ qualifications for the OCR award body.

  • Econet Team Leader

    Jan 2000 - Mar 2001

  • Econet Project Development Officer

    Jan 1999 - Dec 1999
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  Easton Community Association

  Apr 2002 - Sept 2004

  Chief Officer

  •Chief Officer for Bristol inner city community association responsible for 18 staff and 6 volunteers•Secured £350,000 grant funding to deliver government funded Community Cohesion Programme•Annually secured and managed inner city youth partnership government funding•Leading several local strategic networks/partnerships •Writing and negotiating funding proposals and contracts •Developing and managing a range of community projects and staff teams•Facilitating organisational review processes•Engaging with private, statutory and voluntary sector organisations Show less

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  BBC

  Apr 2004 - Mar 2007

  Radio Broadcast Presenter

  Presenter for the BBC's African Carribean Radio programme "Black Echo" which was broadcast weekly to the Bristol, Bath, Gloucestershire, Somerset areas. This role involved a number of roles including:* Interviewing guests ( in studio and on location)* Writing cues introducing shows, guests and other programme content* Driving the live desk* Researching information for programme content* Representing BBC at PR events* Co-producing some "Black Echo" programmes

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  Governement Office South West

  Sept 2004 - Apr 2006

  Senior Executive Officer - Change-Up Regional Programme Coordinator

  •Contributed to development,roll out and management of national strategic grant programme in the South West – ChangeUp worth circa £5.8 Million.•Raised awareness of programme with voluntary sector and public sector.•Liaison with public service organisations and other public bodies to develop relationships with and build the reputation of the programme beneficiaries.•Assisted with the monitoring, evaluation and preparation of programme updates and reports for the programme’s government sponsor departments (Home Office and DEFRA) Show less

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  Renewal Choir

  Jan 2005 - now

  Chair

  Responsible for overseeing the Strategic Management of Renewal Choir as a Community Interest Company. This scope of this role includes, but is not limited to, governance development, fund raising, business planning , finances, public relations, publicity, media relations, online resources and the development of special choir projects.

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  Capacitybuilders

  May 2006 - Mar 2011

  South West Regional Manager

  •Identifying and using key sources of local knowledge for strategic targeting of programme funds in the South West circa £5.8 Million between 2006 to 2011 •Implementing and promoting Capacitybuilders’ strategy and programmes with a range of stakeholders through events, meetings, presentations, visits, correspondence and networking •Assisting the development of national funding strategy by way of new grant programme development and programme evaluation and assessment•Project management of national and regional pieces of work linked to programme evaluation and identifying good practice among funded projects Show less

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  Self Employed - Business Development and Coaching

  Apr 2011 - now

  Business Development Practitioner

  Strategic development professional and gifted Innovator working with the education and small business sectors. I am involved with the development, delivery, and support of various national, regional projects and initiatives which develop the life chances for people to positively impact society.

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  YoungMinds

  Sept 2023 - now

  Parent Engagement Officer

  With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, I'm no stranger to community engagement, especially in the realms of diversity and inclusion. My foundational expertise stems from my tenure at the Centre for Employment & Enterprise Development (CEED) Charity Limited and Easton Community Association, where I not only collaborated with diverse employers, business enterprise partners and community organizations but also championed the voice of various marginalized individuals and communities. My leadership acumen is evident from my important roles as the South West Regional Manager for Capacitybuilders and a variety of team leader or senior officer posts within various organisations.As a confident orator, I have provided national and regional programmes with insightful interviews and public briefings and was a well-respected presenter for BBC Radio Bristol for four years. My passion for advocacy and inclusion resonates through my keynote speeches at various public events and functions since 1988 upon my return from representing GB at the Olympics. Furthermore, my appearance on the esteemed BBC 1 Panorama Programme “Let's Talk About Race” in March 2021 underscores my dedication to racial justice and equity.My commitment to anti-racist, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (AJEDI) principles is deeply rooted. This dedication is illuminated by my involvement in projects like Capacitybuilders' Improving Reach programme and, notably, my personal connection to the iconic Bristol Bus Boycott as the son of Bristol's first Black bus driver. I am equally proud to be the son of one of Bristol's first pioneering Black female social workers and care home managers.My activism, influenced by my family's rich legacy, seeks to break barriers and create a more inclusive society. As a Parent Engagement Officer, I am part of a dynamic jobshare duo, poised to revolutionize the way Young Minds connects with parents, ensuring a brighter, more inclusive future for all. Show less