Beverley Newman-Rommens
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D.O.B 16 August 1960
Full driving licence.
British citizen with French residence rights.
Education and Qualifications
Secondary Education:
Caerphilly Girls' Grammar School / St Ilan Comprehensive.
Higher Education:
Qualifications:
A Level
Degrees
University College Cardiff. University College of Wales.
Professional
(obtained).
Professional
(studying)
Sociology, 1984, French 1991
BSc Econ. Honours in Social Sciences Hons 2.1 1987
Masters degree MSc Econ sociology.
1990
Further Education Teacher's Certificate
1990
(Dept. Education registration number UK.91/-
City and Guilds Trainers Certificate
1991
Youth Worker Certificate
1984
BBC Certificate In Multimedia Language Teaching 1991
CLAIT computing Instructor's Certificate adult returners).1993
TEFL certificate in teaching English as a foreign language. 2009
Positive Psychology - University North Carolina MOOC 2016
Introduction to Psychology - University of Toronto MOOC 2016
Neurobiology of Everyday Life - University of Chicago MOOC 2017
Children and Trauma- University of Minnesota MOOC 2017
Conflict management - University of California Irving MOOC 2017
Teaching Experience
As a teacher in adult and higher education I worked with a wide range of students. In the
University setting I taught student nurses’ sociology module as part of the Project 2000
programme as well as covering for sabbatical leave Dr Diana Gregory’s undergraduate
modules at the University of Glamorgan on "Inequalities in Health" and "Sociology of Health
and Sickness" to undergraduates.
Since in France I’ve been concentrating more on teaching English for business and for
undergraduates.
Management Skills
During my time with the WEA, I developed sound managerial skills in personnel relations,
record management and budget control. As the regional organiser I was responsible for the
hiring and subsequent management of over 150 part-time teachers and ancillary staff.
As many of our students were following courses that led to nationally recognised
qualifications, I was responsible for developing systems that recorded their progress for the
students themselves and for the external moderators who would subsequently monitor the
students’ credits. Much of our work was funded by the European Social Fund and for this I
had to keep accurate records for the court of auditors.
I work well without supervision but I also operate effectively within a team, and collaborate
with external agencies and enterprises effectively. I can work well under pressure and to
tight deadlines, but I also understand that a sense of humour is an important management
asset.
Information Technology
Computers have been a key tool in my everyday work for over 25 years.. I can produce
news-letters and other publications with desktop publishing programmes, and operate
computer-based record systems and data bases such as Excel and Numbers. My typing is
accurate and up to speed. and I am equally at ease in both Windows and Mac
environments as well as internet-based cloud services and creation of blog and basic
internet pages.
Health Care Related experience
I spent some time working in the health services before going to University . Initially I worked
as a nursing auxiliary before entering nursing school in Bridgend, South Wales with a view to
becoming a registered psychiatric nurse. However a back-injury early in my training obliged
me to rethink my career and I left to study towards becoming a social worker/youth and
community worker. I did however, do regular nursing auxiliary shifts throughout university as
a means of paying my way.
In my role as a community education worker , I regularly interacted with mental health and
mental disability partners to organise joint activities ( Gateway Clubs etc). In France I have
done contract work covering holidays and sick leave in mental disability settings as a
residential worker.
Neurological issues have been of interest to me for a number of years through personal
experience with family members and I’ve been studying psychology and neurology via
online university courses since early 2016.
Language Skills
I am a fluent English speaker (native tongue). I am able to read and understand texts in
French fluently; my spoken French is very good. With regards to Breton, I am able to use
basic commands and simple phrases of everyday life with ease. Having worked with
people from many different countries I can recognise and understand spoken English in a
wide variety of accents and with many regional grammatical differences.
Employment History
2016 - 2017
Freelance writer, translator and virtual assistant - recent work
includes translation of interviews for European Union funded youth
work projects and virtual assistant work for a case work manager
specialising in in brain injury cases.
2012 - 2016
Commercial and marketing assistant. Alton, 13 rue Jean Fourastié,
29480, Le Relecq Kerhuon.
Duties were to carry out a full range of administrative and
commercial activities, including sales, record keeping, customer
relations management, negotiations and preparation of sales
materials and attendance at trade shows in the UK. A sound
knowledge of British motorcycles was necessary and also the
ability to solve technical difficulties for global clients by telephone or
email. I left this post because my director wishes to change the
nature of mu contract to one that was mostly commercial and with
a salary based on commission rather than a fixed amount. We were
unable to find a mutually acceptable solution and so a " rupture
conventional" was agreed allowing the contract to be broken
without penalty on my part and with some financial contribution
from my employer for the inconvenience which I suffered during the
negotiations. It would be considered as similar to a redundancy
under British employment law.
I also worked as a help-line contact for WIFI Plus dealing with
French companies who needed after-sales service from an English
language internet service provider.
Since I have some health care background, I was able to offer
administrative assistance from time to time to Gill Walker, of
Community Casework Management Services Ltd.
1999 - 2011
I worked as a jobbing freelancer offering all and any services that
required French and English language. I gave private courses for
English learners of various levels, preparation for English language
exams TOEIC, Cambridge First etc. I covered maternity leave and
sick leave for higher education establishments such as the IUT
Brest (Institute of Technology). In the holiday period I also worked
as a real estate agent selling homes to overseas clients.
1999
Les Genets D’Or - residential home for severely mentally disabled
people who needed 24 hour care. Duties included, personal care,
feeding, stimulation, outings and accompanying clients to health
care appointments and occasional family visits. This was a 6
month contract to cover maternity leave.
Moved to France to be nearer to new partner.
1990 - 1998
Teacher and organiser in adult education. (Workers' Educational
Association South Wales and University of Glamorgan).
Duties: to arrange courses for adults/to teach courses for adults/to
hire part-time teachers and to liaise with other educational
providers. Subjects taught - English, Sociology and
Women's Studies..(see Health Care related work above).
1988 - 1990
Journalist - duties: to gather local news stories, conduct
interviews, write special features for a regional newspaper.
(Thomson Regional Newspapers/Celtic Press). A person I
interviewed for the newspaper suggested I should apply for a post
that was about to open as a community eduction worker. This
really appealed to me as it allowed me to be in contact with a wide
raging of people and really get back involved in helping improve
people’s quality of life.
1987 - 1988
John Kane Children’s Home, Thornhill, Cardiff.
Residential Social Worker - duties to arrange activities and care for
young people aged between 12 and 18 in a residential unit. I was
unhappy about a number of things in the running of the home and
so decided to explore a career elsewhere.
(South Glamorgan County Council)
-
St Ilan County Youth Wing and Bedwas Unemployed Centre.
Youth and Community Worker - duties to organise a range
of social and educational opportunities for young
unemployed people aged between 18 and 25.
(Mid Glamorgan County Council) The post was a full time one up to
September 1984 when I went part-time working evenings only so I
would be able to attend my degree course in sociology in the day
time.
1981 - 1982
Nursing auxiliary Park Psychiatric Hospital, Bridgend, South Wales.
Then started nursing school in psychiatric service based across the
three hospitals in Bridgend. I followed medical advice and left after
a damaged disc in my lower back didn’t heal correctly and fused,
leaving a permanent risk of more serious injury if I were to follow
nursing as a full time profession.
1979 - 1981
Nursing assistant, Jewish Home For the Aged, Penylan House
Cardiff. Duties included care and wellbeing of patients,
accompanying activities and outings, ensuring religious beliefs and
practices were respected. Left to take up a post at Bridgend to
prepare for Nursing School.
1978 - 1979
Assistant Manager, Lasky's Hifi – duties to organise the shop floor,
merchandise and staff. Cashing up and finance. Started in 1978 as
sales and rose to assistant manager after 1 year. Left to pursue
nursing job .
1976 - 1978
Print room assistant, Her Majesties Stationery Office, Cardiff.
Operating offset litho, photocopiers, plotters and plan printers. Left
because of contact dermatitis caused by the inks.
Interests
My main interests are reading, mediation and yoga. Getting out into nature and walking is another
passion I indulge regularly when the weather permits. I also play Irish fiddle and can be found
playing in bars and with friends from time to time.
Voluntary Work
I am a mentor for students following the University of North Carolina Positive Psychology course
through the Coursera MOOC structure. I also participate in a citizenship programme for trainee
youth and community workers.
