Consultancy Clients

Judith Williams

Case study and testimonial from CfBT

Judith Williams worked for CfBT Education Trust as Project Manager of a research project entitled 'Developing Inclusive Learning: under 18 year olds in a secure setting'. The research was commissioned by CfBT Education Trust Trustees as part of their Evidence for Education Research Programme and ran from January 2006 until August 2007. The research project aimed to improve teaching and learning for young offenders by focusing on successful interventions in teaching literacy and numeracy. It was envisaged that the project would also inform teaching and learning in the Young Offender estate in a broader sense. The outcomes of the research have been published and were disseminated at the YJB Annual Convention in Bournemouth in 2007.

A primary output of the research was the production of practitioner guidelines, summarising key elements of effective teaching provision, and providing a framework for implementation and monitoring. Central to the model of effective practice was tailoring programmes to contexts and to learners' interests and skills. The project sought to prioritise the engagement and involvement of practitioners and learners, in developing all aspects of teaching and learning, including materials, teaching and learning approaches and assessment.

In many ways the project was a design experiment marrying the skills of researchers from NRDC with practitioners at Huntercombe YOI. Judith played a significant role in managing the relationships and expectations of both parties and bridged the very different cultures to successfully deliver the research project. Project managing this research was challenging given the staff turnover at Huntercombe and the very different priorities and modes of practice between the education practitioners in the secure estate and the researchers. Judith took a very active role in successfully co-ordinating activities with practitioners' consultation events, keeping the client informed of the research progress and outcomes and in drafting the practitioner guidelines to be fit for purpose.

Judith is an experienced and knowledgeable colleague who applied her significant interpersonal skills to ensure that the research team remained focused on the key issues and the research progressed in a timely and appropriate way for the staff involved.
Carol Flach - Head of Knowledge Management
CfBT

Case study and testimonial from Dance United

Dance United is regarded as the leading dance in social inclusion charity in the UK. Our vision is that contemporary dance is widely adopted as a powerful force for realising the potential of individuals and communities.

Judith Williams is a key consultant to the company and one who has guided our development as an organisation over the last three years. She supports Dance United in the critical areas of strategic planning and evaluation.

Highly intelligent, and able to draw on a wealth of experience particularly in the realms of education and social inclusion, Judith has a remarkable ability to be an inspirational team player whilst at the same time retaining distance and objectivity.

People enjoy working with her. Judith is incisive in her analysis of a situation and is unafraid to say what you may not want to hear. At the same time, she creates imaginative, workable solutions and motivates them with her enthusiasm and passion for whatever she is doing. But at all times she remains sensitive and responsive to the company's mission, methodology and clientele.

Judith's contribution to Dance United is focused on two key areas:

1. She has navigated the company's strategic ideas through a cultured and painstaking process of reflection and design, involving trustees, management and artists, to the publication of this organisation's first truly comprehensive strategic plan. Her methodological approach in achieving this has ranged from full workshop sessions (at which she is a peerless facilitator) through to sensitive individual coaching and mentoring.
2. Research and evaluation is at the heart of our work in criminal justice and Judith was one of the original development team who established the innovative framework for the evaluation of our award-winning national action research programme for young offenders - 'The Academy'. She has also designed and delivered an evaluative process for our initiatives at HMP & YOI Holloway, working with young women in prison with distinct mental health difficulties.