Lesley Wood (She/Her/They/Them)

Training and Quality Assurance Officer

Lesley has over 20 years of cross sector experience working nationally to support a range of creative, heritage, education and cultural organisations on a strategic and operational level.

They have extensive delivery and consultancy experience in youth arts, training development, safeguarding, equality and diversity, project management, skills development, professional practice, participation, evaluation and facilitation.

Their wide understanding and cross sector knowledge have allowed them to support a range of organisations and individuals to progress exciting, innovative partnership work and to develop successful funding bids that support new workstreams, product development and professional learning.

Lesley has worked alongside numerous organisations and charities to develop stakeholder driven programmes that empower young people and has contributed to many national programmes, projects and campaigns that promote the learning, wellbeing and development of children and young people.

As an evaluation consultant they have developed frameworks and reports that link medical, educational, heritage and skills-based frameworks. Using evidence based evaluation and research they have contributed to the strategic development of a number of organisations working with children and young people and supported work with Artsmark and the Arts Council England Quality Principles through the development of bespoke evaluation systems and Theory of Change Models.

An experienced educational professional they have developed, written and delivered a range of accredited and non-accredited creative courses including performing arts and technical theatre courses within compulsory education and has written and delivered many peer education, mentoring and professional development programmes which provide training for young people, professionals and emerging professionals working across the heritage, creative and cultural sectors.

Lesley has valuable experience of working with people with additional needs and has worked alongside education, cultural and creative professionals to develop work that improves outcomes and engagement and that considers neurodiversity and mental health and wellbeing.

Lesley is an artist in their own right and has developed work with many of the region’s leading organisations. As well as developing theatre and performance work, they work as a writer and visual artist. Working with the heritage, creative and cultural sectors, they have developed many site-specific resources and education programmes to support community outreach and has extensive experience of creative work within communities and schools.