KIRSTEN HEARN Consultant, Trainer & Disability Lead
Kirsten is a trainer and consultant on equal opportunities, people management and empowerment. She has trained organisations on a range of business issues since 1982.
Some of her recent work is listed below:
- Undertaking service reviews, rewriting policy handbooks and research into user experiences with Middlesex University, Mary Ward Centre and Rail track.
- Providing equality and diversity consultancy for the public, voluntary and private sector and includes working with Newham, Hackney, Swindon, Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham Councils, the National Trust and the BBC.
- Team building, communication and facilitation training for voluntary organisations in London.
- Coaching a wide range of individuals including politicians, senior executives and directors of voluntary organisations as well as front line workers in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Outside her training, consultancy and coaching practice, Kirsten is an Independent Member of the Metropolitan Police Authority and is the chair of its Equality and Diversity sub-committee. She is a non executive member of the Office for Disability Issues Disability Delivery Board, a member of the Disability Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and a member of the Arts Council England Independent Disability Equality Advisory Group.
She is the chair of Inclusion London, the Deaf and Disabled People’s organisations community interest company. She is a trustee of the consortium of LGBT Community and Voluntary organisations.
For eight years Kirsten was a member of the Transport for London Board where she championed social inclusion. For 3 years she was a member of Equality 2025, the UK Advisory Network on Disability Equality, providing disability equality advice at the heart of government. For sixteen years, she was an Equality specialist and senior manager in local government before running Whole World Design, a successful empowerment coaching and training consultancy specialising in evolutionary change for organisations.
Associate Consultant experience related to this project
Case Work
Whilst working at Waltham Forest Council Kirsten led the Resourcing Disabled Staff project. The project worked with individuals working for the Council and also with service users. As well as leading the team, Kirsten directly carried out case work with staff to look at the provision of reasonable adjustments and how they could negotiate with managers. The information that resulted from the project was then used to inform policy for the Council.
Both as a Transport for London and Metropolitan Policy Authority Board Member, individuals contacted Kirsten for assistance with problems. She carried out case work with the individuals; supported their case to get justice and used their experience to develop policy.
Policy review Middlesex University: Kirsten was asked to review the University’s 2P’s scheme charting progress against the 5 commitments (a) guaranteed interviews; b) regular discussions with line manager about reasonable adjustments; c) action to retain newly disabled employees; d) fostering disability awareness amongst all employees; e) annual review of these commitments and action planning).
Kirsten gathered data was through literature search and staff interviews. The outcome of the project was a series of tangible recommendations for the University.
Research Following feedback that raised issues for disabled staff in the annual staff survey, Kirsten led a project to raise the profile of disability equality in employment at Newham Council. The project required literature research into good practice in other Local Authorities: the development and implementation of a staff questionnaire and staff seminars to look at issues and good practice.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council: Following a comprehensive training needs analysis Kirsten developed and delivered Disability Equality in Employment training courses for all Council managers.
Effective Report Writing
Kirsten spent 16 years in local government at senior manager level. She worked for the GLC, Haringey Council and Waltham Forest Council. Kirsten was a Policy Officer at Waltham Forest and she was regularly required to produce reports to committee on a range of council services, with a particular emphasis on equality issues.
