Staff Spotlight: Meet Karen!

Karen joined Villiers Park as a Progression Coach 7 years ago and recently moved into her Programme Coordinator role in September ready to support our programmes in Swindon and Wiltshire for the 2023/24 academic year. 

Outside of work, you can find Karen spending time with her family, going out for walks with adopted dogs Ollie and Daisy and relaxing with a good book!

What does your role entail?

I’m the Programme Coordinator for the Swindon and Wiltshire team, planning the local Future Leaders Programme. I enjoy working with young people to improve their aspirations by delivering coaching sessions, skills workshops and application support.

I also provide support for the Villiers Park Early Entry Programme, which supports Year 12 and 13 students who are applying to universities or courses that have a UCAS deadline of 15 October like Oxford, Cambridge, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Dentistry courses. The programme is designed to deliver accurate information about these applications and help students to develop their applications for these competitive courses.

What did you do before coming to Villiers Park?

My previous roles include Medical Underwriter and Teaching Assistant. I have also worked with students in a number of skills-building and pastoral roles during the past 18 years, and I enjoy seeing our Future Leaders find the confidence to take their next step in their academic and life plans.

What is your biggest project at the moment?

We have recently implemented a new digital platform called Launchpad so there is lots to be done to get all our Future Leaders set up on the platform.

What is your favourite part about your job?

Seeing the young people that we work with grow in confidence about their future plans and ambitions

What is a book you always will always recommend?

The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go?

I would go back to the Maldives, I first visited in 2000.

Who are your 2 dream dinner party guests?

This is so difficult to only pick 2! I’d love to listen to Dame Judy Dench and Gary Barlow talk about their careers

What would your perfect weekend look like?

A weekend in Lyme Regis with my family - walks, good food and time to relax with a book.