About Becky Hirst Page 1 of 12
About Becky Hirst Resume & Biography
Updated November 2010
Tell me I forget, Show me I remember, Involve me I understand - Confucius, 450BC
+61 (0) 4490 190125 www.beckyhirstconsulting.com.au
[email protected] PO Box 214, McLaren Vale SA 5171
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Contents
1. Executive Summary Page 3
2. Industry and sector experience Page 4
3. Biography Page 7
4. Testimonials Page 9
5. Clients Page 11
6. Associates Page 11
7. Education & Training Page 12
8. Other information Page 12
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1. Executive Summary
Becky Hirst is the Principal Consultant of Becky Hirst Consulting, founded in January 2009, offering
expertise in community engagement and group facilitation. She is also an Associate of Bang the Table,
Australia’s leading online community engagement company.
Often described as a ‘breath of fresh air’, Becky is an enthusiastic, hardworking and dynamic
professional with a strong background in stakeholder engagement, community development and public
sector project management and team management in both Australia and the UK. Becky has vast
experience in working with local and state Government, non-Government organisations, culturally &
linguistically diverse communities, low socio-economic status groups and the Aboriginal community.
Becky enjoys applying her practical community based experience to inform processes that involve the
community in decision-making. She is passionate about those processes being straightforward,
transparent and accessible.
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2. Industry & Sector Experience
It’s not about where you’ve worked or how much you got paid. It’s about what you achieved. Career highlights and key achievements have included -
Delivering community and stakeholder engagement activity
• Planning and facilitating community engagement activity for the 2010 update of the South Australia Strategic Plan, including facilitation of community think tanks and shopping centre chat stations
• Planning and facilitating stakeholder engagement forums for four South Australia Councils as part of the OPAL (Obesity Prevention and Lifestyle) program
• Planning and facilitating a stakeholder forum for Adelaide City Council that provided opportunity for young people to contribute to a Youth Policy and Action Plan
• Planning and facilitating a National Seniors stakeholder forum that involved older South Australian’s in identifying their priorities for lobbying ahead of the state election
• On behalf of SA Health, leading the community engagement activity for the review of the South Australian Personal Health Record (the Blue Book) including the delivery of state-wide focus groups and an online survey with over 500 respondents
• Facilitating community engagement process including public meetings, workshops, focus groups and survey as part of a new Community Plan at the City of Charles Sturt (SA)
• Facilitating a consultation process with key target groups as part of a Neighbourhood Safety project at Parramatta City Council (NSW) using creative writing, song writing and photography.
• As part of a community involvement team, conducted and reported on a 10,000 household survey in an area of high deprivation and unemployment
Management and team leadership
• Being part of the senior management team at GL1 Gloucester Leisure Centre, run by Gloucester City Council (UK), with a primary responsibility for health promotion and education opportunities within the centre
• Leading business planning and consumer participation initiatives as part of the Community Engagement management team at the Children, Youth & Women’s Health Service (SA)
• As part of the Team Manager (Workforce Learning) role, leading a change management process regarding organisational structure at the Centre for Health Promotion within SA Health. The position also included line management of eight staff, including senior health promotion officers and administrative support
• Being part of the senior management team at Women’s Health Statewide (SA), with a responsibility for 12 staff and all project and quality initiatives undertaken within the organisation
Working with vulnerable groups
• Delivering an event titled “Reconciliation: Let’s See It Through – Women’s Perspectives” in collaboration with Aboriginal staff at Women’s Health Statewide
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• Developing case studies following community development projects with 4 South Australian health services to explore the promotion of health eating to Aboriginal communities and other marginalised communities
• Working in partnership with Aboriginal colleagues to plan and prepare an action plan for Reconciliation, through state wide community involvement
• As a member of the Black & Minority Ethnic Health Forum project steering group (West London), researching, writing and launching ‘Minding the gaps: are BME groups partners or substitutes in health provision?’ report
Community development and health promotion projects
• Managing, developing and launching the innovative Living and Learning Centre project that aimed to promote health, education and leisure to local communities. The Centre was located within GL1 Gloucester Leisure Centre.
• Developing community based stop smoking services in North London including a ‘Quit & Get Fit’ badminton program for Bangladeshi men; ‘Quit & Win’ program at Kilburn Bingo Hall targeting Irish women; a stop smoking group at Sacred Heart Church; and a drop-in service at Conway House Irish Men’s Hostel
• Developing and leading community food projects, such as food co-operatives, breakfast clubs and Get Cooking training, primarily in areas of both urban and rural deprivation in Gloucestershire
Providing specialist advice about working with consumers and communities
• Developing and writing a Community Engagement Framework for the City of Charles Sturt, South Australia in consultation with the community that was adopted by Council members as a key policy document
• Planning and facilitating a staff think-tank to consider consumer participation within an aged care organisation
• Contributing to the development of Consumer and Community Participation policy directive and procedures
• Facilitating and guiding a Community Board to develop a strategic plan in remote South Australia
• Providing specialist advice and guidance on community engagement as part of the new Children’s Blood and Cancer Centre Major Works project at the Women & Children’s Hospital in North Adelaide
• Providing advice and support to the Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Kensington & Chelsea Primary Care Trust with regard to community involvement
Representing and advocating on behalf of consumers and communities
• Working with the Office of Chief Executive Officer at CYWHS to ensure the smooth transition of the Consumer & Community Advisory Committee into a new Governance structure as a result of the dissolution of the CYWHS board following the introduction of the Health Care Act 2008
• Representing non-Government community organisations in decision making, policy writing and Government consultations, particularly in relation to the Government commissioning of services agenda and the National Health Service financial deficit crisis
• Building capacity of non-Government organisations in Kensington and Chelsea, West London through providing specialist support and advice, particularly around partnership working
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• Working in partnership with local media to ensure positive coverage of an urban neighbourhood that typically receives vast reports of crime, unemployment and other negative issues.
Online community engagement
• Becoming the South Australia Associate for Australia’s leading online community engagement company and co-facilitating their national ‘Planning to Engage Your Community Online’ training
• Researching and making recommendations for use of social media tools to inform consumers of health information and emergency alerts to a national health client
• Being an active user of blogs, e-newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and LinkedIn to promote Becky Hirst Consulting
Sharing good practice
• Developing and delivering ‘The ABC of Community Engagement’ to over 45 local and state Government employees during 2010
• Developing and delivering ‘Ready, Steady, Engage’ training to health sector staff during 2007/8
• Delivering paper titled “Are Culturally & Linguistically Diverse communities easier to embrace or ignore? You decide” as a 90-minute breakout session at the International Association of Public Participation conference, Fremantle October 2009
• Paper titled “It is difficult to engage children & young people in decision making - myth or fact?” being accepted to the Children’s Hospital Australasia Annual Conference, Sydney November 2008
• Delivering paper titled “Engaging Consumers on the path to improving the patient journey at the Annual Clinical Governance Conference, Sydney September 2008
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3. Biography
Originally from Gloucester in the south-west of England, Becky migrated to sunny South Australia in
2007 following nomination for permanent residency by the Government of South Australia for her
skills as a Community Worker. She lives in McLaren Flat with her partner Dan and two labradoodles,
Jeff and Madge.
Innovation and creativity are at the core of Becky’s approach to both her work and people are rarely
surprised to learn that she holds a Bachelor of the Arts (Honours) in Contemporary Dance from the
University Of Leeds. After specialising in community dance and 18 years of pirouetting, Becky hung up
the leotard for a career in community work.
Starting at grass roots level, Becky undertook a contract as a Community Involvement Worker for a
Neighbourhood Project, situated in an area of high urban deprivation. This work used a vast number of
methods to engage the community in making decisions that affected their local neighbourhood.
Her next contract was working for a county-wide Health Promotion service. Work involved developing
health improvement initiatives in rural communities and running community-led initiatives with South-
East Asian communities. Whilst undertaking this role, Becky studied to gain a College Diploma in
Health Education Promotion at the Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Higher Education.
Becky went on to spend two years establishing and managing an innovative project called the Living &
Learning Centre. The Centre was formed through a partnership between the University of
Gloucestershire, West Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust and Gloucester City Council and was based at
GL1 Gloucester Leisure Centre, located in inner-city Gloucester. The aim of the project was to
promote health, education and leisure opportunities to typically ‘hard-to-reach’ communities.
A further two years were spent in London where Becky was employed as a Development Officer for a
Council for Voluntary Services. This role involved advocating on behalf of the voluntary and
community sector with the NHS in relation to a new commissioning agenda and a £27million deficit in the
local health service. Becky also coordinated the Voluntary Organisations Forum for Older People
and was an active member of the Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) Health Forum.
Becky’s time in London also included contract and consultancy work for the Camden Primary Care
Trust (NHS) and Green Light Pharmacy in establishing community-based services to provide stop
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smoking support to the Bangladeshi, Irish and Caribbean populations.
Becky has enjoyed working in a variety of community settings within Australia. Settings range from
working with young people, the Iranian population, and older residents on an art-based community
consultation on neighbourhood safety in Sydney’s western suburbs, through to collaborating with
residents groups to develop a community engagement framework for local Government in
metropolitan Adelaide. Her work in Australia has also included running health-related consumer
participation initiatives, including work with country families and the Aboriginal community in relation
to reconciliation. Becky strongly believes that non-Aboriginal people have a large role to play in
reconciliation and her practices regularly reflect that passion.
Ensuring Governance processes are fair and transparent is something that Becky is passionate about
and she has considerable experience in supporting initiatives that promote consumer or community
involvement in decision-making. Her work has including incorporating consumer advisory groups
into organisational Governance structures and developing the work of community forums that deliver
clear outcomes through strategic planning.
In January 2009, Becky launched her own South Australia based consultancy offering expertise in
community engagement and group facilitation. Her skills were quickly snapped up and within her
18 months of operation Becky attracted many local and national clients who were all keen to have a
piece of the action. Becky’s consultancy work takes her all over Australia, spreading her enthusiasm and
passion for working with communities as she goes!
Becky Hirst Consulting is the South Australia Associate of Bang the Table, Australia’s leading online
community engagement company. Becky is passionate about innovation and strongly supports the
work of founders Dr Crispin Butteriss and Matthew Crozier’s vision for enabling the silent majority to
get involved in decision making and providing them with an opportunity to participate at a time and place
of their own choosing and convenience.
Becky’s passion for community involvement doesn’t end with her professional life. In 2006, Becky
attended a meeting at the UK Prime Minister’s residence, 10 Downing Street, to promote a new
tenancy deposit scheme after being unfairly treated by a landlord. The meeting was attended by the
Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities and the Chief Executive Officer of Shelter, a
national housing charity.
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4. Testimonials
“I've known Becky for 2+ years through her work in community engagement in South Australia. I've been
impressed with her knowledge and enthusiasm from day 1. Looking forward to seeing Becky's next 10
years. Watch out world.”
Melissa Cadzow, Deputy Chair, Consumer and Community Advisory Committee, SA Health
"Thank you for your support. [The report] is an excellent piece of work and has been well received.
‘Bloody brilliant’ was one of the phrases I heard mentioned in relation to it."
National Health Call Centre Network Ltd (Healthdirect)
“The Community Board wishes to thank you for travelling to Roxby Downs to facilitate our Strategic
Planning workshop. The Community Board has benefited enormously from this opportunity. The
participants left full of renewed enthusiasm. Thank you for steering the Board through this process.”
Michelle Hales, Roxby Downs Community Board
“It has been fantastic working with you – you obviously have a thorough knowledge of working with
community groups over a period of time, were able to put any explanations into easy to understand
language, concise in how you recorded the conversations and clear about the outcomes"
Director - Nursing, Midwifery & Patient Care Services, Lyell McEwin Hospital
“Thanks for giving your presentation to our Communicate with the Community class yesterday here at
Urrbrae TAFE. I received some very good feedback from the students. They all enjoyed it thoroughly.”
Nick Crouch, Lecturer, TAFESA
"You were exactly right for the job, and got your head around this complex project marvellously!"
Nicola Parkin, Acting Manager, SA Community Foodies, Southern Primary Health
"A flexible and accommodating facilitator"
Participant at Country Health SA evaluation day
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“Becky is always dynamic, enthusiastic and inspiring. Becky skills were fundamental to enabling true
participation by consumers in healthcare.”
Carolyn Donaghey, Chair, Consumer and Community Advisory Committee, SA Health “The organisation and conduct of the meeting was excellent. We achieved what we set out to do, with
very interesting discussions. The proof of the quality of the forum was it ran to time which considering
the subject was an excellent result”
Participant at National Seniors consultation forum
"You were fantastic. The test of a truly good facilitator is not noticing they are there. Loved the last
minute changes and ensuring we got everything done"
Feedback following facilitation of a Youth stakeholder forum for Adelaide City Council
"You were wonderfully flexible when we were discussing all of the last minute changes - thank you for
such a cool head!” Danielle Proud, Central Northern Adelaide Health Service “Thank you for a fabulous session! We had some great discussions afterwards about why people don't
get involved and some strategies for building trust and overcoming apathy...a most hopeful discussion!”
Carolyn McArthur, Course Co-ordinator, Working with Community, UniSA
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5. Clients
Becky Hirst has worked with - State Government
• Department of the Premier & Cabinet, Government of South Australia • Women’s Health Statewide, SA Health • Children Youth & Women’s Health Service, SA Health • SA Community Foodies, Southern Adelaide Health Service • Country Health SA • Central Northern Adelaide Health Service • NHS Camden, UK • West Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust, UK
Local Government
• Adelaide City Council, SA • Gloucester City Council, UK • City of Charles Sturt, South Australia • Parramatta City Council, New South Wales • City of Playford (OPAL) • City of Salisbury (OPAL) • City of Onkaparinga (OPAL) • Port Augusta City Council (OPAL) • Roxby Downs Community Board (via Roxby Council)
Non-Government Organisations
• SA School Canteen Network • Helping Hand Aged Care • National Seniors Australia • TAFE SA • University of South Australia • Kensington & Chelsea Social Council, UK • Matson Neighbourhood Project, UK • University of Gloucestershire, UK
Private sector • National Health Call Centre Network (Healthdirect)
6. Associates
Becky Hirst Consulting is the South Australia Associate for Bang the Table, Australia’s leading online community engagement company.
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7. Education & Training Bachelor of the Arts (Hons) Contemporary Dance Bretton Hall College, University of Leeds, United Kingdom College Diploma in Health Education Promotion University of Gloucestershire (formerly Cheltenham & Gloucester College of Higher Education), United Kingdom Certificate in Public Participation International Association of Public Participation, Australasia
8. Other information
Winner, Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 South Australia Young Entrepreneur Scheme
Winner, Home-based business category McLaren Vale Regional Business Awards 2010
Finalist for Excellence in Consumer & Community Engagement category SA Health Service Excellence Awards 2009 ] Finalist for Excellence in Consumer, Carer & Community Engagement category Children, Youth & Women’s Health Service – Service Excellence Awards, 2008 Participant on the South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme 2009/10 Business SA, Place sponsored by City of Onkaparinga
Member Australian Institute of Professional Facilitators
Charity Trustee Richmond Borough Association of Mental Health (Surrey, UK) 2005/6 Open Age (North Kensington, UK) 2005/06
Case Study for media interviews Shelter England, The Housing & Homelessness Charity (London, UK) 2007
