Martha Cox Engagement Solutions
I have over 30 years experience of working in a strategic capacity on stakeholder engagement and insights. I have worked nationally and locally for health and care organisations, charities and non-profits. Because of this I know what is needed in terms of planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating engagement and insight activities.
I am an effective and skilled manager and trainer with proven organisational and analytical ability and excellent communication, training and motivational skills. I am experienced in strategic project planning and co-ordination, evaluation of outputs and outcomes, report writing, monitoring and compliance. I am skilled in staff and volunteer management and in working with a wide variety of user groups and with those who have lived experience.
I have been working for myself as a stakeholder and community insights specialist for the past four years, following redundancy in 2019. Working for myself was a long-held dream of mine affording me the opportunity to work for a variety of different organisations - big and small, long established and local and innovative - and with a corresponding variety of communities - of place, experience and interest. I use my experience to help others with all their insight needs as I believe strongly in the power of working collectively to achieve service and community change.
I can take you through the whole process of engagement with your chosen stakeholders from start to finish or can assist with just a few elements. Every project will be tailored to your needs and you are in charge of the process.
I can help you with:
Development of engagement policy, strategy and plans;
Surveys, interviews, workshops, focus groups, consultation days;
Engagement monitoring systems;
Setting up a Citizens’ Panel or community group;
Ensuring compliance with legislation. Good practice.
Recent clients from the social enterprise and charity sector include:
Sirona Care and Health CIC; Bath and North East Somerset Carers Centre; The Psychosynthesis Trust; Astriid; Bath and North East Somerset 3SG; Clean Slate CIC.
BA (hons) Social Psychology from Sussex University
Six years of training to be a Psychotherapist at Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling
Additional professional development training in: MindCoach; personal development planning; addiction counselling; aids awareness; housing issues; staff supervision; managing volunteers; management skills; fundraising; budgets and financial planning; training issues; time management; assertiveness; mental health policy, legislation and benefits; advocacy skills for young people; equalities; appraisal for funding applications; writing press releases; designing posters; writing newsletters; managing small groups.
I became an engagement consultant four years ago following redundancy. Before this I spent ten years in health and social care (Sirona Care and Health, Virgin Care) leading on patient experience and five years working for a local authority supporting community development projects. Prior experience was with a variety of third sector and community organisations.
Examples of recent work for charities and social enterprises:
Sirona Care and Health CIC - review of patient experience processes, production of report with recommendations, co-production of Experience and Engagement Strategy and review of the Customer Care complaints function and delivery of training.
Bath and North East Somerset Carers Centre - part of the Caring Communities Stakeholder Insights Project, conducting research interviews about carer support needs, identification of gaps and user testing of prototypes to address unmet need.
The Psychosynthesis Trust - review of roles for three Directors.
Astriid - Gathering feedback from candidates about their experience of Astriid. Phone interviews, collation and analysis of results and production of report.
3SG - Advice on the development of the Compassionate Communities plan and principles for Bath and North East Somerset.
Clean Slate CIC - Evaluating a pilot series of 'Money Talking' workshops for support advisors locally. Preparing a project review report on the impact of a money skills programme. Assisting with a review of data systems.
Until recently I was a Trustee on the Board of Relate, Avon.
Other related work:
BANES, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group - Planning and delivering the community engagement for a new health and social care model: interviews with key stakeholders; development of a survey and facilitation of stakeholder workshops; analysis of results and production of a report.
Virgin Care, BANES - Development of a Service User Engagement Plan in collaboration with service leads. Post pandemic research interviews with 12 third sector organisations and production of report.