Jean Betteridge works as a Welfare Rights officer, specialising in policy and publicity work, for a local authority advice service in Manchester.   She is an experienced trainer on Welfare Benefits and access to entitlements.

Jo Rawnsley has a great deal of experience, as an employee as well as a service manager. She has worked, for the past 18 years, in social work, community work and the supported housing arena and has worked for national organisations, small, local voluntary agencies and Local Authorities. Her experience covers a variety of services as well as a broad range of client groups, including young homeless people, people with mental health needs, people with drug and alcohol problems, older people and refugees/asylum seekers.  

Kevin Flemen is an independent trainer with significant and varied experience. He was the Director of Release and formerly the Senior Project Worker for the Inclusion Project at Release. He also worked for the Hungerford Project and the Big Issue. He has worked with many organisations in the North on projects, especially seminars for managers (Premises, Drugs, Law and Good Practice: Managing the Misuse of Drugs on your Premises) with HPAS and the Housing and Drugs Conference in Bradford  with the Bridge Project. Kevin has written "Room for Drugs" (1999) and "Smokin' Whispers" (1997).  

Maggie Nelson is a freelance trainer and consultant and until recently the manager of a Family Assessment Centre in Leeds.

Mary Moore  & Jeanette Harkness are Team Managers at Foundation Housing. Between them they have many years experience of working in supported housing. Within their own organisation they have worked with colleagues to develop support planning based on a solution focused model and have delivered in house training in this area. 

Nik Rabbani-Barker has designed, delivered and evaluated over one hundred training courses in the field of emotional and mental health; ranging from one-day courses to twenty-four week courses. She was formerly a Mental Health Homeless Support Worker supporting vulnerable people to live independently in their own accommodation and develop strategies to effectively manage their mental health conditions. She went on to design Mind mechanics training courses, which aim to identify fear-distorted perception and how to move beyond it to improve health, prosperity and productivity 

Rachel Gillett is an experienced trainer with several years experience of training around interviewing and advice work skills. Rachel Gillett has worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau and other voluntary sector agencies and is currently one of VA-L's training officers.

Shahida Sidduqe -  is an experienced former corporate manager, Work Life Balance trainer and Consultant, Qualified Psychotherapist and Youth and Community worker. She brings together a range of both skills and experience along with a passion and belief in human potential which enables her to deliver training to the highest standards