bobbi

 Hi, I’m Bobbi and I am part of  SPARK, which basically means I am essentially the behind-the-scenes organiser and supporter for successful projects. I play a crucial role in keeping things running smoothly and on track.

I have been a part of SPARK since the very start, I listened to a dream that Kim had and the reasons behind it and helped to make it a reality. 

My background is Early Years and I am really passionate about safeguarding and special educational needs. I am greatly satisfied by helping people, meeting them where they are at and making a difference to their lives. 

I have lived on Fitton Hill since I was born and I am really passionate about my community. I am a really sociable person who loves spending time with my family and friends. I am a mum of two, a dance troupe principal and a community worker. 

I always say “I didn’t choose my job, it choose me”. I love that no two days are the same, it brings me new challenges and warms my heart. 

Hey, I'm Georgie and I'm one of the team here at Spark. My job varies from day to day, from planning and delivering baby groups, to planning HAF provisions, to being lead at the HAF sessions and more, I'm more than happy to get stuck in and help out where I can, no day is the same and that's just one of the things I love about this job.

My passion in life is I genuinely just want to help people and the community. I want to help change lives and make them easier, in any way I can, and that's what I love about SPARK, we adapt to the needs of the community to make changes in the best way.

Running our baby groups means so much to me because I was once a nervous parent turning up to a group for the first time and I know how important it is to have a friendly face greet you in a safe environment where you and your child can socialise.

I am loud enthusiastic person who has a love for cleaning, socialising with friends and animals. In my spare time I enjoy going to live music events and gigs.  

 My name is Zoe and I’m a community worker at SPARK.

I have lived on Fitton Hill, all my life and I’m passionate about helping people to find a better version of themselves and adapt their lives to be who they want to be. I have lived experience and want to invest my time in others to help them to improve themselves, just like I have done with myself. 

Since working for SPARK. I have been accepted for who I am , and work has been tailored to my abilities. I would never have  thought I would have been able to plan ,help and deliver successful women's groups .But here I am, doing that. Helping myself and others is what

I'm most passionate about.
 

In my spare time I love to read , and spent quality time with my family.  And binge watch a NETFLIX show or 2.

Hi my names Clare and I am the women’s support worker here at SPARK. 

From my experience as a children’s social worker and working in statutory services, I have observed gaps in support that is available to woman, this along with my own personal life experiences, motivated me to want to make a change for the woman in my community. 

I am passionate about working with people with lived experience to develop and tailor the support that we offer. I want to create a cycle of support which helps woman to rise and flourish and in turn those women then support others to do the same. 

I am a bubbly scouser who is always up for a brew and a chat. I enjoy playing netball and watching my son play football.

Hi I’m Derek McDonald

I am a community worker for Spark Oldham, I play a vital role in strengthening the community by connecting people, addressing local needs, and promoting positive change. My aim is to help people achieve a happy and purposeful life. I want to make a long lasting impression in people’s lives.

I’m a passionate football manager in and around the Fitton hill Area working with children and adults. I aim to provide a safe and fun environment for everyone. I also do community work for the Salvation Army which involves supporting the local youth club.

By doing this type of work, it helps me feel a sense of belonging and gives me a purpose, knowing that I’ve been able to help someone that might not be able to help themselves. 

Hi My names Stephanie,  but everyone calls me Stephie.
 

Here at SPARK I am community worker and no 2 days are the same but that's what I love about it.

I'm passionate about helping others as I have lived experience and I’ve been on the other side. I absolutely understand that working on yourself when your struggling makes that task twice as hard and if I can support and ease that I will. 

In my spare time I like to read and I love films especially a good horror film !✌🏾😬
 

Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m the Community Engagement Lead for SPARK Oldham.

I’ve lived in Oldham for the past 50 years but Fitton Hill has a special place in my life as its where I grew up and lived with my husband.

I have over 20 years of experience working in Communities, mainly in the Fitton Hill area but also throughout Salford and Knowsley. I love being part of a team who work to help support communities to make positive changes to lives and want to be an integral part of the journey.

Working at SPARK no two days are the same and are very varied. An important part of my day is researching and applying for funding to enable us to deliver projects and activities across Oldham. I also network and create relationships and partnerships with local social enterprises and businesses identifying opportunities to work together for the benefit of local communities.
It’s great to be able to say I love my job 😊
 

Hi I’m Amy

I am the Community Development Lead at Spark and I spend my time managing the different programmes we have running across Oldham and working closely with the facilitators to make sure our content is targeted and effective.
 

I have come from an education background and I'm really passionate about supporting Young People and equipping them with the skills and tools they need to look after their own emotional wellbeing to enable them to play a successful part in their community.
 

I love working with different people who have lived experience so that as a team,  we can really tailor the support we provide so that it can be meaningful and make a big impact.
 

I'm a mum of 2 and enjoy spending my free time with my family. I love being outdoors, especially walking the dog.
 

Hi I’m Ellie, I am the admin here at SPARK.

My role is supporting the smooth and efficient operation of an organisation. I support the team and if anyone needs any job doing involving typing, emailing, researching, reporting etc they will find me at my laptop and I am always happy to help. 

I am currently in my final year at University, studying Business & Management.

I am passionate about making a positive impact, through my work, studies and in my personal life. 

When I am not working or studying I spend my free time travelling and exploring new places.
 

Coming soon...
 

Hi I’m Ellie but known better as Ell 

I am a community worker here at SPARK, I am the youngest member of the team and come full circle in community work. I first met the team when I attended a youth club, I then progressed to a young leader and then attended relevant training which lead me to become successful in a job role for SPARK. 

I am passionate about giving young people a voice, make sure they feel included and encourage them to be who they want to be. 

I help to deliver the baby boogies group, showing off my best dancing and singing skills with the children and I also lead a team at the half term activities with SPARK.

I love a good adventure  where I can challenge myself and be out my comfort zone. I also enjoy getting messy with all different kinds of crafts and being creative. My passion is creating a safe environment for everyone to be themselves and enjoy life, which is what we at SPARK provide.
 

Hi my name is Kim and I put the K in SPARK! (special K if you like). I am the founder at Team SPARK. 

I am originally from the Isle of Man, but I have lived in Oldham for around 20 years and I have been working with, and supporting a range of communities and groups ever since. 

My passion for starting SPARK was ignited by my desire for helping people to be the best version of themselves and observing their lives change for the better fills me with happiness. 

Since the launch of SPARK, I have seen the growth of confidence, skills and experience within the staff and volunteers which have then been positively projected to the community members they support. 

We provide a wide range of groups that support different demographics of members. It is very rewarding and makes me feel proud to witness the team excelling in what they do best- being awesome!
 

Hi, I'm Graham, one of the Directors at Spark Oldham. 

I have worked in the community for 26 years, carrying out various roles including within a housing setting, volunteering, charity, community interest companies and as a Community Worker. 

I have been part of SPARK since it was created, and the ethos has always been to support community members to be the best they can be. The team we have now has done amazing work and helped so many people, with stresses and anxieties that affect their families. It has been very rewarding to be part of something so special and I absolutely love what we do. I am mainly in the background, supporting the team to be awesome and being the SPARK in residents lives!

When you love what you do, it's never work!
 

Hi I’m Ryan. 

I am a director of Spark as well as the Multimedia Visual Designer. I assist in the creation and development of posters, marketing materials, and any promotional videos. I am interested in creating eye catching pieces of media as my passion is to help others through these advertised groups. 

I also help to deliver activities at our school holiday provision which then gave me the experience and passion to be successful in securing a job supporting children with special educational needs, which is rewarding. 

I really enjoy music, socialising with friends and family and working on my fitness at the gym.  

Hi, my name is Kerrie and for almost 30 years I have been working with young people aged 16 to 25.

I started out working in a formal education setting as Lecturer in a college, this was when I discovered my passion... and it wasn't formal education!

I ran a group at the college aimed at young people who were involved in offending behaviours. I quickly realised that I  wanted to do more to support young people who were facing various challenges in their lives and had many barriers that were preventing them from reaching their potential.

In 2003 retrained as a Youth & Community Worker and then spent the next 10 years as an Area Youth Worker in various local authorities. My favourite projects have always been around alternative education and supporting young people where mainstream education hasn't worked for them.

I am absolutely passionate about Informal Education and helping young people to develop the skills and knowledge they need to be able to realise their aspirations and access opportunities in Education, Employment & Training, and also getting them involved in social & community activities that have a positive impact on mental wellbeing and confidence.

Over the last 10 years I have specialised in work with Care Experienced young people and Care Leavers as my main job, but have also had a second job running social groups, residentials and respite for young people with disabilities and additional needs.

I am a strong believer that everyone is capable of reaching their own potential given the right support  and help finding opportunities that enable them to thrive.

I have joined SPARK as a Director as I love the ethos of transforming lives and helping to create thriving communities. 

SPARK starts where people are at, and works on a strength based approach, finding what 'SPARKS' people's aspirations and works with both individuals and groups to bring out the best in them!

In my career I have found that many other organisations work from a deficit model and target people based on a 'we need to fix them' approach.

SPARK is different! 

We journey with people on their life path, and support them to develop the tools in life that they need to discover their aspirations and achieve their own goals.

So here I am... 

Now part of an exciting opportunity, and working with an amazing team of people ❤