Action Learning Associates

Rachel Whale

For the past 14 years I have worked in the community development field. Following graduate and post graduate studies at Exeter and London Universities I began volunteering for a number of charitable causes. Since those early days I have had the opportunity to progress through the ranks in a number of organisations, both statutory and in the voluntary sector, working with adults with learning disabilities, child support services, but primarily in mental health organisations.

I gained the majority of my operational and senior management experience working for Rethink, the largest voluntary sector service provider in mental health. The opportunity to manage large staff teams and take responsibility for complex resources and external relationships enabled me to gain invaluable experience and insight into organisation development issues.

I have now left my position of Operations Director with Rethink to concentrate my skills, professional experience and academic background by establishing "Vanilla" an independent development agency that specialises in ideas creation, organisation development , business planning and problem solving.

I have developed a client base of national, regional and local organisations primarily in the voluntary and statutory sectors and commissions have varied, to include:

•  Large scale project management – e.g. the development of a whole organisation quality assurance programme, design and delivery of new services
•  Senior management team and trustee development programmes
•  Independent facilitation
• Strategic business planning
• Training
• Executive coaching
• Event management

My aim is to deliver a style that reflects my creativity, organisational insight, ability to be focussed, yet work for the satisfaction of the client.

In brief, I carry out project reviews and evaluations following each piece of work that is delivered and ask clients to comment on areas that relate to ease, enjoyment and effectiveness of delivery.