Consultancy & Educator Work:

Accessibility, Welfare & Safety

Workshop with Humber Street Gallery as part of the INTER_CHANGE artist development programme, 2024

As an Artist & Facilitator, I specialise in Accessibility & Inclusion, Trauma-informed approaches and creating ‘braver’ safer spaces. 

I offer a range of bespoke and ready-made training packages to support individuals or organsitions to develop their skills & confidence in these areas.

About me

I am a disabled, neurodivergent & Queer freelance Artist & Facilitator based in Leeds. I have over 7 years of experience supporting & delivering public programming & engagement, in various roles at East Street Arts, The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Aire Place Studios, Andro & Eve, and more as a freelance practitioner. As a visual artist and photographer I use my creative practise as a vehicle for exploring and documenting space-making and safety-building practises.

Using the Social Model of Disability I am interested in embedding access and finding creative innovative solutions - that not only provide equity, but enhance experiences for both Disabled (and non-disabled!) people. This is what motivates me and what success looks like for me.

I am author of ‘Trauma-informed Practise for Cultural Workers’ digital resource, training & toolkit. In 2021 I also co-created the open access ‘Disability Resources for Artists’ - see ‘Disability Resources’ tab on my website’s navigation menu.

I have worked with hundreds of individuals from arts, heritage & cultural organisations all across The North. Previous clients include: Unlimited, ARTiculate Glasgow, The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, The University of Leeds, The National Culture Health & Wellbeing Alliance, and various independent freelancers & artists.

What do I offer?

Please do get in touch via my contact page to discuss quotes/enquiries around any of the offers below, to discuss your needs more generally or to build a bespoke package.

  • Using the Social Model of Disability, and a trauma-informed holistic approach, I aim to support individuals to feel confident identifying & addressing barriers, and understanding both their rights, and legal responsibilities, under The 2010 Equality Act.

    I offer both training packages (bespoke and read-made) and consultancy services for specific projects or needs e.g. supporting with policy writing, culture & access audits, recomending & delivering organisational change etc.

    Some commonly requested training areas I provide:

    • Disability Theory & Awareness: Understanding The Equality Act, different models of disability, and a brief history of disability activism & justice

    • Accessible marketing & digital accessibility

    • Planning & delivering accessible events

    • Embedding access - Finding creative & innovative solutions that not only provide equity, but enhance experiences for both disabled (and non-disabled!) people.

  • Trauma-informed practice provides a an approach to working, and planning & delivering projects, that recognises that trauma affects how people think, behave and feel. Trauma informed approaches can facilitate healing and recovery, and seek not to retraumatise people.

    My training also seeks to situate trauma-informed approaches within social justice frameworks, and provides essential contexts of structural systems of oppression.

    I deliver bespoke in-person or online training packages to organisations, as well as occasionally doing bookable online workshops for individuals & freelancers.

    Some commonly requested training packages include:

    1. Trauma Informed Practice for Cultural Workers: An Introduction

    This introductory & theory-based session looks at:

    • What is trauma & trauma-informed practice?

    • A holistic approach - embedding Trauma-informed approaches in your work, team or organisation

    • Project planning & delivery

    • Recognising where you might already be practicing trauma-informed approaches

    This session pairs nicely with…

    2.TIP: An Embodied understanding and approach

    Particularly with Trauma-informed practice, it can be really powerful and helpful to see these tools in action. TIP is very much an embodied approach, so often I do training in two parts, with a practical learning element. This looks like a theory & discussion session, followed by a second creative session - to experience approaches in practice & facilitation for yourself. 

    Over the course of a creative workshop, you will see practical skills in action, as I talk you through session planning, deliver a creative session and end with space to discuss and reflect.

    3. A Trauma-informed facilitator’s toolkit

    Learn practical skills for project planning, facilitation & hosting. Ideal for people working in delivery or face-to-face roles, with participants, audiences and general public.

    4. Training specifically for management & senior leadership

    Explore embedding TIP within your organisation, management, strategy & planning. Identify where you might already be practice trauma-informed approached and how you might build on that work.

    Consultancy

    These sessions can be booked as is, or I can create a bespoke session or package specifically to your organisations needs.

    I also offer bespoke-only ‘going further’ training with more detail on how trauma affects the body, ‘braver’ safer spaces, introducing somatic practices, and sharing important research and writing around trauma. Alongside this I also offer consultancy services. This might include things like: Support embedding TIP within organisations, Support project planning & evaluation, safety & wellbeing co-ordination or advice.

    About me

    In 2023, with the support of The Baltic and Shape Arts, I developed a ‘Trauma-informed Practise for Cultural Workers’ toolkit & resource. To my knowledge this remains the only industry-specific offer like it across the UK, and was one of the primary reasons I was motivated to develop it. I have since worked as a consultant with The Baltic, and The National Alliance for Health and Wellbeing, to deliver bespoke packages using these resources. 

    Previous participants said:

    “The training definitely went beyond the basics, but without being overwhelming or ‘conclusive’. I left with newly connected dots and new questions to explore, as well as some clearer ideas of why some spaces have and haven’t worked well (as a participant and a facilitator)”

    “Brave spaces are so important! Take ownership of your thoughts and feelings! To be creative is to be brave! To be open honest and vulnerable is brave! To create change is brave! Let’s be brave together! Thank you”

    “Thank you for allowing me to see and hear myself a lot more. You’ve opened a door into a world of practices that I hope to carry forwards with me. I hope these new lessons not only benefit me, but others that I may meet. I intend to take today with me and be more creative daily.”

    “Beautiful to see and hear such bravery and safety”

  • Andro & Eve are a not-for-profit social enterprise, based in Sheffield. They programme inclusive and accessible projects and events for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to enjoy queer culture.

    Through Andro & Eve, and as one of their Gender Awareness Training Facilitators, I offer training for businesses and organisations in gender awareness. Enabling your team to better serve and meet the needs of clients, customers and service users of all genders. Drawing upon Andro & Eve's extensive experience in meeting the needs of the LGBTQIA community in creating safe and inclusive events, this session covers terminology, best practice, and practical exercises to develop understanding. Get in touch with Andro & Eve to find out more.

I didn’t expect to find myself in such a ‘brave space’ - and what a revelation to see how important bravery is within creativity (how did I forget!?) A valuable lesson to take back to my work - it should be the core of it.
— Traume-informed Practice: An Embodied Understanding workshop participant
Thank you for allowing me to see and hear myself a lot more. You’ve opened a door into a world of practices that I hope to carry forwards with me. I hope these new lessons not only benefit me, but others that I may meet. I intend to take today with me and be more creative daily.
— Trauma-informed practise training attendee