If you have not guessed, my name is Susan Parnaby. I am looking for ways of increasing my income so I can support myself without having to depend on hand outs. This web site is based on the format of a European CV that I found a few years ago, although I have added a few bits to it.
What sorts of opportunities am I looking for?
First it has to be legal, decent and honest. I am also a member of the Institute for Learning so I am qualfied to teach in the lifelong learning sector. I have some experience as a carer for people with mental health problems so I have wondered about exploring that avenue.
What could I teach?
There is a list of subjects below but remember these could be taught in a group setting or to individuals depending on the circumstances of the learners.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I have taught various IT courses (see courses taught page). I am a member of the Association of Part Time Tutors so I can deliver whatever copyrighted courses are available for members to deliver. These include some IT courses. This means that I can help people achieve nationally recognised certificates without the need for involving a third party such as a college. One of my special interests is helping those who are disadvantaged in some way. This includes looking at ways of making it possible for people with a variety of impairments to use a computer. One of the ways this can be done is to have basic IT courses where everything is done without ever touching a mouse. The provisional title is Look no Mouse.
CRAFTS I can crochet and knit. I have crocheted plastic bags and wire. This has included organising groups for people who want to learn more and providing activities for groups of people with special needs.
DOMESTIC SKILLS Two particular interests of mine are living economically and being prepared for emergencies
I have developed a variety of courses in these areas some are workshops or taster sessions, others are longer 30 hour courses and now a start has been made on developing online courses in these areas. There is more information on all these courses on the courses available page.
ETHICS AND PHILOSOPHY I have taught A level Religious Studies, concentrating on the ethics and philosophy papers. Some of the topics covered as part of this course could be adapted to create short courses for interested adults.
BASIC SKILLS I have worked in a voluntary capacity as a basic skills tutor while taking the level 3 qualifications in both literacy and numeracy. These qualify me to work as an assistant basic skills tutor. My special interest is financial literacy, in other words helping people make the best financial choices. This can involve the practicalities of running a bank account or borrowing money. It applies the reading and arthimetic skills to situations where learners can make choices that can considerably improve their lives.
MIX AND MATCH What about a course that mixes computer skills and crafts? That way people can practise IT skills while looking for patterns and instructions online. What about mixing domestic skills and IT? That way people can learn how to use a spreadsheet to help them plan their spending.
What else could I do besides teach?
DEMONSTRATE SKILLS OR SPEAK TO GROUPS This could include a session on cutting up plastic bags in order to crochet or knit them like I did with a local WI.
ASSESS PORTFOLIOS I am qualified to assess portfolios like those completed for ITQ NVQ.
WRITE NON-FICTION BOOKS I enjoy researching and writing reports on various subjects. I have collated information on food storage and the problems that could arise from water shortage and wrote short books on these topics. There is a book called Surviving a Household Emergency in pdf format that can be downloaded for a fee from this page.
CREATE WEB SITES This web site is my own creation. I have used CSS and HTML to create a tablefree web site. A simple site that does not involve a great deal of programming is well within my ability to create.
LILY THE PINK CROCHET started as a small business making and selling jewellery some of which included small pieces of crochet. More about this on the my business page.
Where can I work?
I live in County Durham, which is in the north east of England. I regularly travel to Teesside and Tyneside for various purposes. However, for some of the things listed above, it might be possible to work from home.
When am I available?
At the moment my timetable is very flexible. I am used to having a timetable that is like a jig saw, made up of many little pieces. Until June 2010 I am spending Friday mornings working towards completing an NVQ.
Getting in touch with me
If you have anything you can offer me, you can contact me by e-mail