Introduction

Steve Skinner CIPD, MA, CQSW, is the Director of Steve Skinner Associates Co Ltd, a well-established consultancy working nationally. Steve provides services for the private, public and charity sectors in training, organisational development, facilitation, mentoring, evaluation and research. Clients have included local authorities across England and Scotland, the Local Government Information Unit, NCVO, NAVCA, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Local Trust (Lottery), voluntary organisations and community groups.

Career highlights

He was formerly a Policy Manager in Bradford Council, a regional manager for a government advisory agency and the Director of community engagement at the University of Bradford.   He also has experience of the arts sector as manager, administrator, performer and workshop leader in regional and national level organisations, funded, for example, by the Arts Council, the Gulbenkian Foundation and Oxfam.  He is the author of several widely read publications on capacity building, leadership and community engagement.  His next publication, on stronger communities, will be published by Palgrave Macmillan in spring 2019

Publications

  • Liberating Leadership Tool kit and Summary – lead writer of a new model of leadership, published by the Community Sector Coalition 2011.
  • Skilling Up for Stronger Voices – research-based description of skills, roles and tasks involved in effective representation on LSP, jointly written and published by NAVCA 2008.
  • ChangeCheck – practical guidelines on impact assessment, jointly written and published by bassac 2007.
  • Strengthening Communities – guidelines on capacity building for communities and the public sector, including models on organisational development and community engagement. Published by the Community Development Foundation (CDF) 2006.
  • Assessing Community Strengths – practical guidelines on assessing organisational capacity, CDF 2001, – with co-author Mandy Wilson.
  • Building Community Strengths – a resource book on training and organisational development, CDF 1997.
  • Calling in the Specialist – editor of a short guide on using consultants, CDF 1996.
  • Gaining Ground – a simple guide to planning for community groups, CDF 1995. (Edited with K. May).  Financed by Barclays Bank plc.
  • Directories and Resource guides – a practical manual, CDF 1995.
  • Change and how to help it happen – techniques and practical guidelines on enabling organisational change, CETU 1994.
  • Training and how to enjoy it – participative and creative training methods, CETU 1992.
  • Training and how not to panic – practical guidelines for trainers on training and development skills, CETU 1991.
  • Assertion and how to train ourselves – an assertion training manual, CETU 1990.

Other stuff

Steve is also a talented musician. His song-writing was described by Radio Kent as ‘outstanding’. He has recorded five albums of original songs including jazz, folk, comedy and world music. Has worked for ten years director of a world music band and performs on guitar, keyboards, cahon, bouzouki and oud.