Meet the Team

I’m Anne and I manage the UNISON Bridges to Learning partnership. I find it really rewarding to see people take up learning opportunities, using them to improve their life chances in ways they might never previously have thought possible. All of this is through the commitment of their trade union, UNISON. I’m very proud of the Bridges to Learning team for bringing these opportunities day in day out to their members and colleagues throughout the North East and beyond.

My name is John Wears and I worked within the NHS for over 19 years in various different roles both clinical and non-clinical. For 11 years I was a UNISON union learning rep and workplace Project Co-ordinator for Bridges to Learning.

In August 2019 I started my new role with Bridges to Learning as Regional Project Organiser. My work includes, supporting our team of eight workplace Bridges to Learning union learning reps, I develop and manage workplace learning activities and deliver a high quality partnership relationship between, employers, UNISON and key education partners. This enables and improves access to development opportunities, career development and lifelong learning opportunities for staff across the Northern Region.

I am Jane Yugire, Bridges to Learning ULR project worker from UNISON Newcastle city branch, Newcastle City Council. My role involves coordinating all Bridges to Learning activities, engaging and supporting UNISON members and the general workforce to access wide range of learning opportunities available through the project. I organise work place courses, support and encourage UNISON members and other staff to take part in our courses. My other activities include engaging and supporting apprentices and trainees within Newcastle city council and key partners. My other involvement include working with local community and voluntary organisations promoting and organise community learning.

Hello I’m Janice Featherstone, project worker based at Tees, Esk and Wear Valley Mental Health Trust. I arrange workshops on topics as diverse as minute taking, suicide awareness, leadership skills and laughter yoga therapy. I also research and promote online learning from various providers so that staff in all localities can access learning opportunities. Additionally I attend monthly Staff Inductions and annual Bands 1-4 Conferences to raise the profile of Bridges to Learning.

I’m Laura and I am Project Administrator. My role on the project is primarily to support the Bridges to Learning team to ensure that the administrative side of the courses is completed. I also attend the regional workshops to make sure that things run smoothly.

I am Gemma Smith and I work on the Bridges to Learning project as a project worker. I am based at Northumbria Healthcare. I work across all of the Northumbria Healthcare sites to engage with members on delivering learning opportunities. I am responsible for planning and organising workplace learning workshops, CPD workshops and English and Maths along with attending trust induction speaking to members about learning. We have put many members through Functional Skills which has developed them further in their careers and some have joined nursing programmes since.

I have worked on the project now since 2013, prior to joining the project and being seconded to UNISON I worked as a catering assistant at Wansbeck Hospital, since coming on the project I have completed several training courses myself, this included British sign language, counselling skills, minute taking and Women in leadership along with many more.

I have worked as a project worker for UNISON Bridges To Learning for 9 years. Prior to joining the project my role was an NVQ Assessor/Internal Verifier in Health and Social Care for Gateshead Council. My role is to support people to access Learning opportunities from basic English, Maths and ICT to HE qualifications.

I am particularly keen to increase qualifications and opportunities for frontline staff, such as domiciliary care workers and refuse collectors. In partnership with Gateshead Council I have supported lots of staff to achieve their first ever qualifications.

My name is Hazel Kjebekk I work at South Tyneside Hospital as a phlebotomist, I am also the unison health branch bridges to learning project worker and branch education officer. I have been involved as a Unison activist for many years and was delighted to take up the Bridges to Learning project worker role.

I have recently trained as a yoga teacher and teach a class at South Tyneside Hospital and at a community project.

My name is Lee Hudson, I am a staff representative and UNISON learning rep, I am currently seconded to Bridges to learning project.

I have worked for the NHS in Sunderland for 12 years. I am really excited to be working on the project within Sunderland hospital as I believe it is a great opportunity for staff of all levels to get back into learning, I look forward to supporting staff members in their new learning ventures.

My name is Sue Matters I work at the Sunderland Royal Hospital as a Healthcare Assistant, I have worked there for nearly 12yrs. I am also a steward for UNISON which I enjoy.

Myself and Lee Hudson are just starting up the Bridges to Learning in the hospital. We have had some good feedback on courses staff would like to do and we look forward to the courses being up and running.

Hello, my name's Stephen McAvoy. I have been working for Bridges to Learning since March 2019 as a Project Worker.

My aim is to get people involved with Bridges to Learning by advertising courses and helping them get on the right path to education in the workplace.

I have had a couple of courses completed so far and they have been fairly successful but as I am quite new I am hoping there is room for improvement and that more people become involved with this project.