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Key members of the Social Solutions team include: Zenna Atkins Zenna has worked for years developing best practice in the field of social exclusion and not for profit organisations, specialising in social enterprises and work with disaffected youth. Before setting up Social Solutions, she established PCSP, a charitable social business providing opportunities for offending and disadvantaged children, employing 200 staff and volunteers, taking the turnover to just under a million within three years. Her previous experience includes: establishing a social enterprise - unemployment and activities centre with a community cafe, developing and running award winning youth crime prevention projects, managing a Safer Cities programme, developing sustainable strategies as Portsmouth City Council Crime Prevention coordinator, founding a homeless charity and extensive work with young people. She won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the year 2000 south region in recognition of her work. Zenna was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Portsmouth in July 2003 in recognition of her work in the social sector. For more information see www.zennaatkins.com
Christopher Noden Christopher is an experienced writer and researcher, primarily in the fields of young people, education, inclusion, regeneration and community. He is a graduate of Oxford University and was awarded a distinction in his post-graduate magazine journalism course in 2003. Christopher worked for 7 years in a residential home for young people with significant emotional, behavioural, mental health and other needs. He then spent 6 years as project manager for an education business partnership, developing and delivering projects with a value of more than £5 million. He has considerable research and writing experience, working for the National College for School Leadership and SSL. In the last three years he has completed projects for many clients, including; SEEDA, Regeneration and Renewal Magazine, the Centre for the Use of Research in Education, Lifelong Learning UK, Speaking Up, and many others. Christopher has excellent communication skills and is adept in interpreting and meeting clients’ needs to a high level of satisfaction.
Liz James Liz has worked in both the public and voluntary sector and has undertaken an extensive spectrum of work in her time at Social Solutions. After graduating from Aston University with a BSc Joint Honours Degree in Modern Languages she spent time working in the USA. On returning to England, Liz took up a position in a Therapeutic Community for young people. She then went on to qualify as a teacher, teaching in London, Spain and Bristol. Liz left secondary school teaching to become a Freelance Language specialist offering teaching, translation, business support and activity clubs. More recently, Liz has moved into project management and evaluation. She has conducted qualitative research in education projects following cohorts of young people through Education initiatives. She has undertaken work for the ODPM exploring issues of need and investment for services for families experiencing homelessness. Liz’s ‘people skills’ coupled with her disciplined and academic approach will be a valuable asset to the team.
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