Meet Nicki Holdsworth, Children and Families Programme Manager for North Halifax Partnership
“Hi, my name is Nicki Holdsworth. I am the Children and Families Programme Manager for North Halifax Partnership. This means that I am responsible for managing the contract that North Halifax Partnership have with Calderdale Council for the Family Hubs (were Children’s Centres). Since qualifying as a nursery nurse at the age of 18, I have always worked with children and their families. I have worked in various positions, starting out working in nurseries in Leeds and Calderdale, then becoming a nanny in beautiful Paris, working as a Family Support Worker in Calderdale for nine years, being an Early Years Advisor for the Local Authority and implementing the funding for two-year-olds in Calderdale. More recently I have been managing the Children’s Centres (now Family Hubs!). I have two grown up children, a gorgeous sprollie dog and a pretty and sassy cat called Pepper!”
What motivated you to take on your role, and how long have you been with us?
“It has been a natural progression into the role that I currently undertake. When I started work for North Halifax Partnership (2014), I was a Children’s Centre Manager, just looking after one Centre and a Hub. Over time, this responsibility grew into managing more Centres and then I had the opportunity to step up into my current role to support our CEO, Tina Wilkes.
My passion has always been to ensure that children get the best start in life, the early years are so important and what happens in these years impacts on later life, with regards to achievement, success, and relationships. Children are amazing to work with, no two days are alike, and they make you laugh so much”.
Can you describe your role and responsibilities?
“My role varies every day which I enjoy, and I need to be very flexible. I can be supporting staff in one of our nurseries, then dealing with a building issue that may have arisen or working with our management team on developing our services. I attend a lot of meetings and enjoy working with colleagues from other organisations, this ensures we are doing our best for the children and families of Calderdale”.
What do you enjoy most about working in this role?
“The children and the variety are what I enjoy most about my role, closely followed by working with my teams to be the best that we can be, making a positive difference to people’s lives. Every day is different and keeps me on my toes!”
Meet Caren Parkinson, Children & Families Lead for Halifax Opportunities Trust
“Hello everyone, my name is Caren Parkinson and I’m the Children and Families Lead for Halifax Opportunities Trust. I knew from an early age that working with children was going to be the focus of my career. This started with looking after the younger children on my street, babysitting for local families and becoming a Cub Scout leader in my teens. After leaving school I studied for my NNEB at Calderdale College and once qualified my professional journey began with a nannying position for nine months followed by 19 years’ service with the NHS, as a Nursery Nurse on the children’s ward and then as part of the Health Visiting Team”.
“As my skills and knowledge of working with families grew I moved onto becoming a Family Support Worker in the Lower Valley of Calderdale and then at Elland Children’s Centre, before taking a step into management as a Children’s Centre Manager working for Halifax Opportunities Trust. I took up the role of Children & Families Lead in 2012 and this is where I will remain until I take early retirement after 40 years’ service in Early Years in Calderdale”.
Can you describe your role and responsibilities?
“The role of a Children & Families lead is both complex and challenging and no two days are the same. I use my knowledge and expertise gained throughout my employment to lead and support the Family Hub Area Management team, comprising of six managers and the Nursery management team comprising of four managers. This requires me to be very flexible and have the ability to prioritise and manage numerous tasks within a day, moving quickly from one topic to another”.
What do you enjoy most about working in this role?
“The highlight for me is seeing the difference our Children and Families work has made to the families living in Calderdale. Making a difference is the greatest reward and when I hear from families directly about the impact the services have on their lives, I feel extremely proud of the staff team who provide the support”.