Colin Heslop
01978 293257
After ten years in the engineering industry, Colin worked in Sudan with Voluntary Service Overseas teaching English and Metalwork followed by a year working on an agricultural development project.
On returning to England he qualified as a Youth and Community Worker at Durham University, then worked as a Detached Youth Worker in a redevelopment area of Newcastle upon Tyne. The latter part was working with young people to develop a new Youth Centre and, in April 1980, he became Leader-in Charge of this centre in Raby Street.
While working in Newcastle he trained as a further education teacher and taught students on courses run by the then Manpower Services Commission. In 1984 he moved to Rotherham as the Youth Tutor at Rawmarsh Comprehensive School, with a brief to develop the youth provision and extend community links.
In Rotherham he also worked as a tutor on training events and working parties for Outdoor Education, Anti-Oppressive work with Men, Equal Opportunities and Child Protection Work.
In 1993 he completed a Master of Education degree at Sheffield University, in “Post-Compulsory Education”. The dissertation discussed the rationale behind a National Curriculum for Youth and Community work.
He then moved to Staffordshire University as the Outreach Worker in the Access Unit offering information, advice, guidance and support to non-traditional students wishing to enter further and higher education.
From November 1995 to May 1998 he worked in the voluntary sector as a Development Officer with Shropshire Youth Association. As part of the Association’s work for the European Year of Anti-Racism he supervised a research project into ‘Rural Racism’ and a ‘Rural Girls Work’ project.
To develop his personal management skills he studied for a Certificate in Management Studies with Birmingham University, then in May 1998 moved into a Staff Development role as Training Tutor with the County Youth Service in Shropshire. After three years in this role he moved to NEWI (as Glyndŵr University was then known) as a Senior Lecturer in Youth and Community Studies.
This varied employment experience has enabled Colin to develop particular areas of expertise and focus much of his practice and research on equality issues and the development of anti-oppressive practice within the education and training of professional Youth and Community workers.
This theme is continued in other work at Glyndŵr University where he leads the postgraduate programme in Youth & Community Education and teaches a range of modules including Reflective Practice and Inclusive Practice.
From 1997 to 2007 he was a National Committee member of the National Association of Youth & Community Education Officers and was the National Chair in 2000/01.
He is currently a member of Wales Education & Training Standards Group, which advises the Assembly Government on Youth, Community & Playwork training and education, as well as continuing his own development and study by working towards a PhD in Education.