Lauren Gee

Experience

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  East Living

  Sept 2004 - Mar 2006

  Business Support Officer

  Providing support to a team of Floating Support Officers, including design and maintenance of admin systems, and website development.

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  East Homes

  Mar 2006 - Jan 2008

  Neighbourhood Manager

  Primarily managing a multi-tenure portfolio of 1500 homes across the London Borough of Redbridge, including private ownership, shared ownership, intermediate market rental, affordable rental and social rental properties, and a DIYSO scheme. This included new tenancies and lettings, escalated ASB issues, rent arrears and debt recovery proceedings, evictions, successions, tenancy verifications, estate inspections and minor repairs, and partnership working with social services and local anchor institutions for complex cases. I also worked as part of a team managing properties across East London and Essex, including Newham, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham, Waltham Forest, Harlow and Southend, taking the lead on a number of individual projects across the region. Staff management of Neighbourhood Assistants. Input into strategic policy development, including local lettings and allocations schemes, asset management and development, community engagement, and housing strategy. Projects included:• Development of a Tenant Management Organisation for an estate in Harlow, including all documentation and legal administration, and facilitation of tenant engagement.• Facilitation of development and management of a number of Tenants Organisations aimed at boosting local capacity and tackling anti-social behaviour issues. This included the successful piloting of a Good Neighbour Agreement for an estate in Chadwell Heath, and administration of a £10,000 budget for local collaborative neighbourhood projects aimed at tackling social exclusion and climate change. • Promotion and delivery of a Community Champions programme offering local residents the opportunity to build skills and capacity and obtain formal qualifications, and participate in work experience programmes. Show less

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  East Thames Group

  Jan 2008 - Jun 2012

  Sustainable Neighbourhoods Project Manager

  Project lead for sustainability for large scale regeneration projects.Key projects included:• Community sustainability planning for the Olympic Athletes Village as East Thames lead for the Triathlon partnership, including analysis and development of the Olympic Park and it’s social, physical, environmental and economic infrastructure following the announcement of a successful bid in 2005, and creation of a robust local lettings policy. Also led study tours around the site, designed and completed extensive stakeholder engagement and participated in delivery of the Olympics as a volunteer in the Command, Control and Communications Team in the hub of the Olympic Park. • Sustainability appraisal using the 7-part sustainable neighbourhoods model (including physical, social, environmental and economic) for all proposed new East Thames developments of over 100 units, and for some smaller schemes with particular identified issues. • Community matrix – led on programming and development (in Visual Basic and SQL) of an extensive interactive database for assessment and prioritisation of interventions and spending across all housing stock and local communities, drawing in data from a number of different sources across the organisation and externally; and providing an evidence base for partnership working and integration of services. • Better Neighbourhoods – delivery of a £1m social, physical and environmental regeneration budget to complement delivery of Decent Homes standard across all East Thames properties in 5 East London Boroughs – focusing on co-creation of projects with local communities aimed at building skills and capacity, promoting energy efficiency, providing natural flood management and enhanced drainage, improving air quality, accessibility and the physical landscape. • Childrens’ Centres and Community Champions – integrating wider social value initiatives with delivery of Childrens’ Centre activities. Show less

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  National Childbirth Trust

  Nov 2010 - Apr 2019

  Breastfeeding Counsellor and Antenatal Teacher

  Breastfeeding Counsellor in the Epping Forest district of Essex. One-to-one counselling support and leading breastfeeding antenatal sessions. Peer support volunteer at local breastfeeding cafe.

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  Geeky Rascals

  Apr 2011 - now

  Copywriter and Content Manager

  Since 2011 I have worked with a huge number of organisations and businesses, nationally and internationally, to deliver well written, detailed and excellently researched content in accordance with brief and to deadline – particularly focusing on property (development, economics and construction), modern technology, climate change, social impact, neurodiversity, public health and promotion, and sustainability, regeneration and environment. I have extensive experience of SEO optimisation, marketing, graphic design, content management and analysis, effectively utilising tone of voice, and strategy writing. Some of the organisations I have worked with include Netflix, Panasonic, Three, Amazon, Hasbro, Epson, Sony, Halfords, Argos, Tesco, Morrisons, ASDA, Nintendo, the NCT and Mumsnet. I have also written for a number of print publications, including The Guardian, The Mail on Sunday, Practical Parenting Magazine and Gurgle; and I have taken part in television productions for Sky News, the BBC News, and Countryfile based upon the content of my written work. I was also recruited to take part in a number of ambassador programmes, including acting as a Britax Mumbassador, an Official Partner with the Digital Kids Show, a parliamentary representative for Mumsnet, creating content as a member of the Netflix Stream Team, and playtesting and producing content as a Board Game Club Blogger with Asmodee. Show less

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  National Housing Federation

  May 2012 - May 2015

  Project Lead - Sustainable Environments

  I was the U.K. project lead for a three-year European Research and Policy project known as Powerhouse. The project aimed to collate, analyse and disseminate research and best practice in nearly-zero energy housing from across the European Union.Key elements of my work included:• Acting as European Lead for the Financing Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) workstream, in partnership with CECODHAS (the European Housing Federation), including authorising a major report on methods of housing finance - subsequent to collation and analysis of a large volume of data drawn from various sources nationally and internationally - and creation and delivery of seminars centred around the topic at a number of European events including the Solar Decathlon in Madrid. • Leading study tours for UK delegates in a number of European countries, including Spain, Belgium, Austria and Germany – demonstrating Passivhaus and Nearly-Zero Energy construction, development and regeneration projects and the options for and impact of emerging green and low carbon technologies and construction methods. • Participation in the Housing in Cold/Continental Climates workstream as UK project lead, offering information and input from the UK perspective in relation to development of nZEB best practice. • Dissemination of nZEB information across the UK, via National Housing Federation publications and events, and stakeholder engagement activities. Show less

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  London Borough of Havering

  Jul 2015 - Jul 2022

  Strategic Lead for Social Value across LB Havering, between March 2021 and July 2022, part of the Inclusive Growth Team.Projects included:• COVID-19 Discretionary Grants funding programme – I was responsible for creation and development of three separate successful proposals for distribution of allocated additional restrictions grant throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, totalling around £15m. Each proposal was carefully constructed following robust business and skills analysis, and linked to local and regional strategic priorities to ensure appropriate targeting of funding. The first two funding programmes primarily targeted individual businesses in specific sectors; the third focused on wider economic recovery and resilience – including expanded delivery of a Business Innovation Grant for businesses wishing to adapt and incorporate low carbon, energy efficiency, climate change or circular economy methods and equipment (first delivered extremely successfully as part of the initial funding programme); and Circular Economy Grants for businesses with specific projects focused on local growth and employment, development of local networks, and incorporating climate change principles.• 12 Estates Regeneration Programme – particularly focusing on the social value and meanwhile use elements of the regeneration of 12 different estates across Havering, beginning with Waterloo Road in Romford• Community Hubs – working in collaboration with the Transformation team to deliver digital and physical community hubs across Havering, aimed at tackling poverty and social exclusion and promoting physical and mental wellbeing and community capacity building. My particular focus was impact assessment and strategic development, including linkage with meanwhile use strategy and social value initiatives and programmes. • Mayoral Academies – preparation of projects and bid submissions for Green, Digital and Creative Mayoral Academies• Levelling Up Fund bid preparation/submission Show less Matrix working across the Development, Infrastructure and Inclusive Growth teams, between July 2015 and March 2021.Projects included:• Project lead for development and submission of a successful c£40m bid to the Greater London Authority (GLA) for the Romford Housing Zone, including site appraisal, viability assessment, sustainability appraisal, stakeholder engagement and consultation, s.106 agreements, and associated meanwhile use proposals. • Compulsory Purchase Order preparation for the Rainham Housing Zone, including viability assessment, land value uplift calculations, preparation of the Statement of Reasons, ongoing business engagement, organisation and facilitation of consultation events and materials, and procurement and management of property and legal consultants. • Romford Market Transformation programme – analysis and review of two prior consultations dating from 2004 onwards, leading to preparation of a multi-faceted £2.5m GLA funded social and physical market regeneration programme, following extensive stakeholder engagement and delivery of a RIBA Stage 2 report. In 2017, funding was withdrawn following unanticipated costs associated with groundworks in the Market Place. In 2021, strategic lead for updated Market Transformation programme, resulting in production of a 5 year, 3 phase proposal incorporating social, environmental and physical regeneration - culminating in successful bid for £180k of COVID-19 ARG funding in collaboration with the Romford BID to begin delivery of this vision.• Land of the Fanns – project officer for Havering as accountable body, as part of this multi-borough collaborative NLHF funded programme across East London and Essex comprising 26 individual projects across various themes – including landscaping, forestry, river reclamation, environmental skills development, community mapping, archaeology and heritage - seeking to restore, discover and celebrate one of the last remaining landscapes of London as it once was. Show less

  • Social Value Officer

    Mar 2021 - Jul 2022

  • Regeneration Officer

    Jul 2015 - Feb 2021
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  Dicing With Life CIC

  Aug 2017 - now

  Managing Director

  Dicing With Life CIC is a community interest company (social enterprise) which uses tabletop gaming and creative activity to promote social inclusion, engagement and capacity building, working particularly with neurodivergent people. We now have over 1500 members, three directors, and a committee of 12. We run a Games Café in partnership using a co-location model that provides business support and diversification for another local business, and in addition to having our games library available throughout all opening hours in our community venues we offer a minimum of three organised gaming sessions a week, social outreach programmes to support new members and build capacity with volunteers, and a number of partnership programmes for SEND, LGBTQ+, and young people, for example. In 2021 and 2022, Dicing With Life CIC was a finalist for Best CIC in the Havering Small Business Awards, following nomination by the local public as one of the top three CIC’s in Havering. Our co-location model won an award in the Mercury Retailer Awards in 2023. As Managing Director I am responsible for all aspects of the business, including:• promotion and marketing• bid writing, submission and management - including successful bids to the KFC Foundation (£1.5k), Oak Foundation (£19k), Innovation Grant funding (£3.5k) and a crowdfunding project in partnership with Spacehive (£5k)• website programming and development and content writing, • facilitation• business administration, budgeting and finance• business analysis, planning and business case creation for new initiatives• project management, session and workshop planning and delivery, and business strategy• retail and inventory• volunteer management and community engagementI also work with Moonstone as a Goblin, and as a Warhost for Warcradle studios, actively promoting games through written, photographic, and face to face experiences for the local, national and international gaming community. Show less

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  Genecon

  Sept 2022 - now

  Senior Consultant

  Working in the Future Places Team, taking a systems-thinking approach to economic, social, environment and governance. HM Green Book and Magenta Book compliant business cases and evaluation, strategy development, stakeholder engagement, data modelling, analysis and assessment.Lead for the Social Impact workstream and particularly focused on creative methods of stakeholder engagement. Projects include: • Long Term Plans for Towns – working with the Burnley, Leigh and Darwen communities to develop a 10 year vision and 3 year investment plan for their towns.• Levelling Up Fund bids (round 2) – successfully secured £350,000,000 of funding across 14 different local authorities in England,• Greater Cambridge Cultural Infrastructure Strategy development and production, including extensive stakeholder engagement, desk-based analysis and ArcGIS mapping of existing cultural infrastructure; gap analysis; benchmarking and integration of best practice, and specification and recommendations including options appraisal for three specific case study examples and development of a cultural infrastructure levy funding model. • Volunteering Futures socio-economic impact assessment – carrying out evaluation of this Arts Council England and Sports England funded programme in Basildon, including full economic and SROI analysis and co-created production of a documentary film.• Liverpool Playhouse & Williamson Square Rejuvenation Feasibility – crafting a headline economic case and Theory of Change model, ensuring integration of cultural, social, and economic growth metrics in project development.• Creation of proposition documents for three individual cultural projects in Carlisle, including leading on the Prism Arts (a charity working with artists with learning disabilities/autism) submission. This has included asset mapping, options appraisal, partnership development, fundraising strategy development, and creating and delivering a Theory of Change workshop. Show less

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  Queen's Theatre Hornchurch

  Mar 2024 - now

  Member - Board of Trustees