Profile: Working with communities is about social change, social justice and improving the well-being of those excluded and marginalised from society. Community development has long been a passion of mine, long before my MSSc in Social and Community development at Queen's University, Belfast UK.
Often people imagine community development as either developing a group of women in a small village or in more technical and business terms developing a network. The reality is in between and in some cases overlaps. Often overlooked is also the fact that organisational strategic thinking, planning and reviews are important aspects of the work. It can mean pitching new initiatives and entirely new programmes, researching and exploring new concepts as well as consolidating and implementing plans in a more participatory manner. Integrating participatory action research is also important to create a sense of shared ownership as well as add valuable knowledge to the field. I've worked with a range of actors with varying abilities to mobilise communities for change. In every case, the work has been a rewarding and rich invaluable experience where I have learnt to work further in an inclusive and participatory way.
Community Development
Refugee Community Organisations
2017 - 2018
Participatory Action Researcher
During my PhD research project in Malaysia, I conducted qualitative research with 8 refugee-led organisations. In addition to research skills training, I advised on strategic management, project design and networking. The project looked at the concepts of community development and engagement in-depth. I facilitated focus groups and trainings around the topics of organisational change and partnerships.
Skills:
Legal Participatory Action Research
Liaising with communities and practitioners
Semi-Structured Interviews
Needs/Asset Analysis
Stakeholder/Partnership analysis
Facilitation
Strategic Analysis and Review
Training & Capacity Development
Community Profiling
Created toolkits and best practice
Project Management
Monitoring and Evaluation
Valorising Voices PhotoVoices
2017
Project leader
I led a team of volunteers to conduct a Photovoice Project. The team was made up of refugees and undocumented volunteers in the Netherlands, UK and Malaysia. I provided training support, funding and resources required for project. The photos was exhibited in the final COST Action IS1306 conference COST Action IS1306 conference New Speakers in A Multilingual Europe: Policies and Practices.
Skills:
Project Management
Team Management
Photovoice Process
Setting up a Gallery Show
Research
Networking
Managing Implementation
Providing Training
Connecting to academic stakeholders
Liaising with communities and practitioners
Migration and Asylum Network
2013 - 2017
Founder
Started a digital platform for practitioners and researchers interested in Migration and asylum issues. Conducted research to expand the network and connected with interested stakeholders. I collected a team of volunteers who supported the daily running on the Facebook group, Twitter and Jiscmail pages. We also hosted events. This was a crash course in virtual team project management. The Migration and Asylum group is still continuing on Facebook.
Skills:
Founder of Start-up platform
Researched and Practiced Digital Community Engagement
Managed a team of volunteers virtually
Created Strategy and regular strategic reviews
Project Management
Networking
Monitoring and Evaluation
Events Management
Writing and Managing Budget
Liaising with communities and practitioners
Managing Implementation
Creating Visual Materials
HAPANI
2011-2012
Project coordinator
Volunteered at the Horn of Africa People’s Aid Northern Ireland (working with target group: refugees and asylum seekers)
Community Development and English Language Project Consulted on English language teaching and course development. Participated in meetings with funders, the board of directors and staff to create a new project; budget plan, strategic plan and conducted participatory meetings with board managers and forced migrants.
Three Steps to Employment Project Consulted on English language teaching and course development. Conducted secondary research to support overall knowledge. Participated in meetings with funders, the board of directors and staff to collaborate and create a new project.
Skills:
Project Management
Project Review
Strategic Review
Facilitation of participatory meetings
Monitoring and Evaluation
Consulting
Research and Literature Review
Interviews
Community Profiling
Focus groups
Trained in working with forced migrants with trauma
Ballynafeigh Community Development Association
2012
Researcher
I worked with a Belfast community organisation to reevaluate their social media strategy. I conducted a short community research project;
Creating Social Media Platforms as Shared Community Spaces at Ballynafeigh Community Development Association.
I did an organisation-wide review and research project to explore the social media options. The report addition brought up issues in the overall strategic review and organisational transparency in relation to their visibility, service provision and local communities’ needs.
Skills:
Qualitative Research
Strategic Organisational Review
Report Writing
Literature Review of Digital Spaces and Community Engagement
Liaising with communities and practitioners
Created a participatory scale for digital engagement
Culturalia
2010 -2011
Senior Language Tutor
Taught in an English language school, funded by the Mexican Ministry of Education. The school was the enterprise wing of an environmental education NGO. In addition to teaching duties, I worked to improve curriculum development and strategy of the school.
Skills:
Teaching
Bricolage
Lesson and Curriculum Planning
Teacher Training
Organisational SWOT analysis
Strategic Review and Monitoring and Evaluation
Birmingham Asian Resource Centre
2005
Case Worker Admin Assistant
I had a year away from my BA and worked in the Birmingham Asian Resource Centre before a short trip to Japan to study Japanese. In this position, I first learned about the issues of asylum. For the job interview, I was asked to memorise article 2 of Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1953), this was the first time I read the convention. In this position, I worked alongside caseworkers supporting rejected asylum seekers in their appeal process.
Skills:
Administration of Cases
Transcribing Asylum Interviews
Supporting Research for Case workers
The Llama Express
2003
Journalist
I started an English language travel newspaper in La Paz, Bolivia during a volunteer placement. The newspaper was focused on English speaking expats and travellers to la Paz. I worked with a small team of volunteers to write relevant stories. I helped sell advertising space to local businesses to finance the paper. I also connected with the local community organisations in the distribution of the paper. I returned to the UK to start university. The newspaper ran for 10 years before closing down.
Skills:
Founder of a Start-up
Organisational Strategy
Journalism and Editing
Advertising
Monitoring and Evaluation
Connecting with the local community organisations
Working in a Spanish speaking community
Bricolage
Liaising with communities and practitioners
Managing Implementation
Core Skills in Community Development Practice
Participatory Strategy
I first became interested in organisations structures during my MSSc and advised the participant organisations during my PhD on strategic reviews and organisational change.
I have learned to facilitate organisational change meetings, workshops and support a team to conduct a participatory strategic review.
Impact Measurements, Mapping, Assessments & Toolkits
I have developed participatory tools used to evaluate, map or create impact measures for projects. I have also worked with teams to establish project learning and best practice to formulate toolkits. I am also able to create visually engaging websites, reports and other communications to showcase results.
Community Profile
I have experience in profiling a community's services, projects, assets and needs in relation to a project goal/objective. The profile can be used to identify internal or external factors which can act as project obstacles. Community profile's can focus on a PESTLE style/SLOC analysis or on the history, make-up and/or vulnerability factors or a community. Community profiles can be adapted to project needs and objectives.
Collaborative Events
I have organised a number of types of events for academic purposes but also to support building connections. I recently organised a collaboration workshop for a Rohingya community organisation to support building their networks and partnerships with academic institutions and other organisations.
