CLOVERLEAF ADVOCACY - Key Persons
I'm currently employed by Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust, as a Crisis Resolution Practitioner, working in a Crisis Team based within a Psychiatric Hospital in Leeds. My role involves supporting people who have severe mental health problems, and/or are in a mental health crisis situation. The role also involves assessing new clients, working therapeutically and ‘gate-keeping' in-patient hospital admittances.
My involvement with Cloverleaf's management board came through my previous work with the organisation. I worked for several years as an advocate worker and as a coordinator, across different projects and different client groups including mental health, forensic, learning disabilities and older people. I worked for Cloverleaf on 3 separate occasions over an almost 10-year time span from 1999. I welcomed the opportunity to become involved with Cloverleaf's management board as I was still keen to be a part of the organisation in some way after I left.
My interests and hobbies outside of work (other than sleeping), include reading and occasionally writing. I also like music and I'm trying to learn to play the guitar. As well as this I'm interested in martial arts and have been training in different styles for a number of years.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Joint Vice - Chair
Having joined the board of Cloverleaf in 2018. He was previously Chair. He has held senior management positions in the Third Sector for over 25 years and currently provides consultancy services to charities assisting with governance and management challenges. Away from work David is a keen traveller and has explored Europe and beyond on both two wheels and four.
I started my career initially in Research & Development before moving into Human Resources. Most of my roles were within the scientific industry, before taking a role in the charity sector. Since retiring from full time work, I am a volunteer at Citizens Advice and have subsequently qualified as a generalist adviser working with clients on a full range of issues. I am also governor for a federation of schools and a trustee of another charity specialising in counselling.
I joined the trustee board of Cloverleaf in September 2020 as there is a great synergy with their work and my role at Citizens Advice.
My outside interests are mainly centred around walking and I am a regular visitor to the Lake District and North Norfolk - quite contrasting landscapes! I also enjoy the theatre and regularly play badminton.
I have been a trustee of Cloverleaf for about 6 years. In my other life I am a qualified solicitor specialising in child protection which includes dealing with cases involving cafe proceedings and adoption. I have worked in both the private and public sector and am currently employed by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Joint Vice - Chair
- Writer
Jason is a keen writer and wishes to share this poem about fighting for love and freedom. Jason has called his poem 'Duel Diamond', as the word 'duel' can mean conflict but (if spelled 'dual') it can also mean 'two'. Diamond is to signify something special.
After working as a Consumer (Service User) Advocacy Advisor with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) in Sri Lanka I wanted to continue my involvement in advocacy, fortunately soon afterwards I was invited onto the Management Board of Cloverleaf Advocacy in 2013.
I am the Practice Manager of Kirklees Law Centre. The Law Centre is based in Dewsbury and we provide free legal advice and representation to help people if they are having problems with their care services, their welfare benefits, or their jobs or if they are having difficulties because of a disability.
My name is Sarah Mitchell. I live in Halifax with my husband Michael. We both go to lots of groups about making things different for people with a learning disability.
I've been a trustee for Cloverleaf for a long time. It's important that people who need an advocate sometimes are part of deciding how advocacy is organised.