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Access to HE Team

Steph

Steph Hulford - Director of Access

Steph became Director of Access in September 2008, having worked for OCNSW from November 2003 as Access to HE Officer. After serving five years in the Royal Navy she needed to brush up on her sixth form skills so returned to education via an Access to HE course. This led to a 1st class degree in Community Studies, a PCGE, PGCRM and an MA (with Distinction) in Sociology.
   
Finding she enjoyed the academic world, Steph began teaching at a local FE College and part-time at University, and became part of an Access to HE teaching team. She has worked as an External Verifier and External Moderator and continues to act as an Examiner for A level Sociology papers.
   

Despite all of this she decided she wasn’t busy enough and has moved on to developing a PhD! Having moved from Yorkshire to the South West in 2003 Steph determined to try to ensure that she found time outside of work to enjoy the new location. Nowadays any spare time outside of working for OCNSWR is spent surfing, walking the dog- Beth - and taking part in a range of triathlons and other sporting events.

Click here to contact Steph Hulford or phone 07917 712011

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Edwina

Edwina Allison - Access to HE Officer, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset

Edwina joined the organisation in 2004 and was tasked with designing and developing the Common Access Framework which is now in use across the region. 

She left school aged 15 with no qualifications, bored and disenchanted with education.
   

Edwina had a natural flair for creative writing and whilst bringing up her three children, she worked as a freelance writer and had four books accepted for publication, three of which she co-authored.

At the age of 36 she decided to give education another chance and enrolled on an Access course at Weston College and from there went on to graduate from UWE, with a BA Humanities (Literary, Cultural and Media Studies). Like many Access students she found herself well and truly bitten by the education bug and went on to complete a PGCE (Further and Adult Education) and an MA in Professional Studies (Post Compulsory Education and Training) at Bath Spa University.

Edwina taught Creative Writing at City of Bath College, led the Independent Studies Course at City of Bristol College and taught English and Communication Studies at Weston College and Sixth Form Centre.
   

For three years she worked as the Voluntary Sector Coordinator for North Somerset, setting up and developing a project which facilitated liaison and collaborative working between voluntary organisations, North Somerset Council and North Somerset Primary Care Trust.

In her spare time she is a keen gardener and member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Click here to contact Edwina Allison or phone 07917 712013

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Karen

Karen Cousins, Access to HE Officer, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and the Channel Islands

Karen first joined OCNSWR as an external moderator in 2003 whilst employed by the University of Plymouth as a tourism lecturer.
   
As a former Access student, who originally left school with no qualifications, Karen graduated with a 1st Class BSc (Hons) in Tourism Management. Following a period of work for a Tourism consultant Karen returned to academia and took up research work for the University of Plymouth as an assistant and latterly as a consultant and lecturer. Her work involved developing and writing a Foundation Degree in Tourism Management which was piloted at FE colleges in the South West region.
   
Whilst working for the university Karen published a number of articles related to tourism and crime and enjoyed lecturing to first and final year students. She also taught on HND programmes at both Bicton and South Devon Colleges.  Additionally, Karen set up, in partnership, a successful retail and mail order business, and acted initially as manager and then as managing director for a property letting company until 2008. Karen sold her last business and returned to work for OCNSWR securing her present position as Access to HE Officer in October 2010. Karen2

Karen enjoys what spare time she has gardening and walking with her dog Ozzi, who has proved to be as challenging as any student she has ever taught!

Click here to contact Karen Cousins or phone 07787 258112
 
   
Sophie AHE

Sophie Butland, Access to HE Support Assistant

Sophie joined OCNSWR in October 2010 as Business Development and Access to HE Support Assistant, covering maternity leave. 

She enjoyed this experience so much that she decided to stay on with the company, and in August 2011 she secured a longer-term position as Research and Development and Access to HE Support Assistant. She is now responsible for co-ordinating and updating the OCNSWR website and providing administrative support to the Access to HE team.
   
Sophie graduated from the University of Plymouth in 2005 with a BA (Hons) Business Studies degree.  Following a year spent backpacking around Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, Sophie returned to sunny Plymouth. 
   

After a few temporary positions, Sophie spent 3 years working for a small, local online retailer as Office Manager, running a busy sales office and ecommerce website.  From this position she gained a wealth of experience in managing website content and co-ordinating administrative support for a busy team – which definitely comes in useful at OCNSWR!

In her spare time, Sophie enjoys surfing (badly!), walking, and travelling – when she gets the chance.

Click here to contact Sophie Butland or phone 01752 831500.

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