OUR ORGANISATION
Modelling a socially inclusive, holistic approach, the varied and developing organisational structure of GroOops is run by a multi-disciplinary team of dedicated professionals and volunteers who give of their time and expertise generously. Responsibilities are often shared to enable best practice and to encourage professional development at all levels to best serve our varied social and community objectives overall.We also have the privilege and benefit of being able to call on a number of eminent supporters for advice, involvement and professional expertise regarding our fiduciary duties so that we can fulfil our duty of care to our extended community to the best of our communal ability. Generically GroOops welcomes all constructive suggestions towards the fulfillment of this outcome.
FOUNDER Pennie Aston MSc Dip Couns Dip Hyp Cert Psychology Cert ILM
GroOops Founder Pennie Aston left school and home at 15 years of age with no qualifications and a second hand guitar. She has worked with children, young people, families and individuals in a variety of social and professional settings during her multi-disciplinary career as well as in the therapeutic field. Having experience and involvement with the performing arts from an early age, both from a performance and business perspective, she has created, conducted and presented groupwork modules and trainings on personal development, presentation skills, leadership, bereavement, groupwork and working with young people in schools, colleges, hospitals and organisations in a multi-disciplinary career that now spans three decades.
Sixteen years spent in the entertainment industry followed by ten years as a successful television presenter, producer and writer, she incorporated her musical and artistic background and ran, as co-director, a successful West End television production company. Involved in music, medical, television, consumer and lifestyle programming, following the birth of her children, she turned her talents to television presentation, programme writing and corporate training to give more time to her family.
Over the past ten years she gained a Diploma in Clinical and Analytical Hypnotherapy with Psychotherapy and Gold Psycho-therapeutic Counselling. This was followed by a Certificate in Psychology; Diploma in Counselling and a Masters in Science Degree in Life Course Development (A multi-disciplinary Masters incorporating Psychology, Social Psychology, Sociology, History and Anthropology) from Birkbeck College, University of London. Pennie has since gained a Successful Supervisory Management, Institute of Leadership and Management Endorsed Development Award Certificate; Instructor Certification as a Parent Facilitator in the Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities Parent Programme on behalf of the Race Equality Foundation and IYSS Leadership and Management training through FPM on behalf of CWDC. Pennie is a strong advocate of life long learning and continuing personal and professional development.
During her counselling training she was a volunteer counsellor with the bereavement and young people's charity - Rephael House, as well as MIND and Barnet Community Counselling. Becoming Honorary Secretary, Administrator and Training Co-ordinator, she produced a young people’s celebratory show in partnership with Barnet Community Counselling and GroOops. As Director of Children’s Services and Groupwork Facilitator for the children’s bereavement charity, the Grief Encounter Project, she overviewed the instigation of week-end workshops and created the concept of schools workshops in addition to fully producing two expressive arts fundraising shows on their behalf. She also conceived and initiated the creation of the Emotional Wellbeing and Counselling Forum on behalf of BVSC's Barnet Council for Voluntary Youth Services which is now run directly from CommUNITY Barnet.
Her Masters Dissertation, ‘Expanding Horizons' looked at the potential for incremental psychological and spiritual growth throughout the whole life course by transforming challenging and potentially negative, life transitions into beneficial learning experiences that can be shared with others through the concept of Generativity and Reminiscence. This, in conjunction with her Groupwork Project started in 2004, working therapeutically and artistically with performing arts pupils; her previous life experiences and subsequent work experiences, have become the backbone of, and prompted her founding, the charity GroOops on the 14th November 2007 achieving registered status on the 13th May 2008.
Having personally and professionally experienced and supported overcoming transitional experiences such as the death of a child, suicide in the family, depression, dyslexia and family fragmentation Pennie’s belief is that, with the right modelling, support and mentoring, all can increase their potential for improved emotional wellbeing and a sense of belonging and meaning that is often lost in our increasingly complicated and fragmented families, communities and society. She now dedicates her time through the work of GroOops to supporting others through and beyond life changing transitions.
Pennie currently sits on the Barnet Healthy Schools Steering Committee, the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health) Core Board, The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Board and the BCVYS (Barnet Council for Voluntary Youth Services) Steering Committee. She still plays the guitar and sings with her band – ‘The Misdemeanors’.
PATRON - DERRICK EVANS AKA MR. MOTIVATORDerrick Evans AKA Mr. Motivator lives by the motto “THE PRICE OF SUCCESS IS PERSEVERANCE”. It is this ethos towards life and living that has sustained him through many life transitions, both positive and negative and it is in this capacity in which he supports GroOops as Patron.
Mr. ‘M’ has literally changed lives with his ability to motivate and inspire. Becoming a well known fitness Guru in the 1990’s few would be aware of the life challenges that Derrick experienced and overcame as a child, young person and in the development of his adult life in order to become a “success”. It is these very experiences that qualify him to understand and support the work of GroOops and the charity’s vision. This vision is to inspire and motivate young people and their families to address life transitions and their consequences with positivity and determination and to not be defined by them. With the right support and modelling, support and mentoring he believes that all can find potential for improved wellbeing – physical and emotional.
Derrick and GroOops Director Pennie Aston first met as presenters over twenty-one years ago. Their careers developed and changed in the intervening decades sending them in different but complimentary pathways bringing them back together now to support the next generation to be motivated and inspired, encouraged and mentored.
Derrick is a personal trainer, motivational speaker, Director and reporter. Now based in Jamaica with his family, from where he originates, he is also CEO of an eco-tourism project in Freehill, St Ann, Jamaica. He visits the UK frequently in order to continue his message of health fitness and nutrition by providing team building and customer service workshops and to support the work of GroOops.
In 2009 he returned to GMTV to front a new ‘Get Motivated Club’ that provides Nutritional Health and Fitness advice to the public at large. The club has proved so successful that the Prime Minister Gordon Brown has endorsed it in promotion of the NHS Change4Life campaign.
Anne Turner MSc., BA (Hons), CQSW., Dip F.T
Anne currently works as a Service Manager in the Youth and Connexions Division of the London Borough of Barnet Children’s Service. After nearly 8 years of successfully developing and managing 331 Young People’s Service she is taking a lead on multi disciplinary developments within Children’s Services. Anne has over 30 years qualified experience in social care services, with a solid grounding in social work practice and management roles within social services departments, and multi-disciplinary teams. Extensive experience and specific expertise in adult, child and adolescent mental health including research on the mental health needs of young people leaving local authority care. Anne has developed expertise in consultancy and training across health, education, social care and voluntary sector organisations, and extensive experience of project management and organisational development. Education and Professional Qualifications; MSc Mental Health Social Work - London University Kings College 2002-2004: BA(Hons) Social Science C.Q.S.W Middlesex University 1973 -1977; Certificate in Couples and Family Therapy Institute of Family Therapy 1995; Certificate Stage 1 BSL 1997; Registered Member of General Social Care Counsel.
HONORARY SECRETARY
Barbara Walters
Barbara joined GroOops in 2007 with a wealth of experience in the media and corporate world. With thirty years experience of working with groups of professionals, artists, performers of varying ages she is well placed to manage and organise the day to day running of our busy office and our growing team of vibrant and creative therapists and counsellors. Barbara liaises between the many organisations GroOops has strategic partnerships with and manages the budgets, productions and strategies as well as our website.
SUPERVISOR
Lindy Medway BA Hons CQSW Dip.Counselling Dip.Integrative Supervision,
Certs: Relate Couples, Family Counselling & Counselling Young People.
Lindy’s origins are in Social Work and Family Therapy and during her 12 years in practice as a Therapist and Supervisor, she has worked with Adult Individuals, Couples, Families, Young People and Groups. She is an Integrative Practitioner with a Psychodynamic theoretical base. As a Supervisor/Consultant to the GroOops Facilitator's Lindy sees her role as ensuring that the BACP Ethical Framework is adhered to through the reflective process of self awareness, exploration and accountability. She believes to truly work empathetically and fulfil GroOops Aims and Objectives to assist Young People through Life Transitions; we all have to be in touch with our own inner young person. To this end adequate space is made for Supervisees to reflect on the content and process of their work and encouraged to develop their skills, theory and understanding.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - KIDZ TAKE KONTROL
Zoë-Ann Aston
Zoë originally trained at the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School and subsequently at Millenium Dance 2000. Joining GroOops in 2007 she brings all her experience of setting up her own dance troupe, Interlude Dance Troupe UK CLICK HERE which she did at the tender age of 16 in 2004. Her choreographic and directorial credits include working with Craig David, Friendly Fires, Mulberry, Nickelodeon, London Fashion Week, Kids Company, Bump and Grind, Into the Hoods, Street Dance Weekend and Breakin’ Convention as well as working in numerous schools and academies in the UK. Zoë’s vision is to encourage all young people to seek positive and creative outlets for their physical, emotional and psychological growth and to encourage the use of the expressive arts as a positive means of expression. By creating the concept of Kidz Take Kontrol CLICK HERE for GroOops she has created a medium for young people to express themselves through their music and their dance and for their families and carers to appreciate their achievements in a multi- cultural and multi-generational audience.
VOLUNTARY CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORS
Amanda Walderman BA (Hons) DHP
Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Policy from Newcastle University. She gained her Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy at the Awake School which is a training and accrediting member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). Amanda has over 10 years experience working as a therapist. She has worked in a variety of community agencies as well as probation offices, prisons and young offender institutes. She is a specialist in substance misuse and has many years experience of working with people who misuse drugs and alcohol and also their families and friends. Amanda is frustrated at the negative portrayal of young people in the media. She joined GroOops to be part of an organisation that does not label young people as ‘trouble’, but instead, embraces their potential to make positive and valuable contributions to society.
Dr. Lynette Rentoul BSc, MSc, D. ClinPsych
Dr. Lynette Rentoul is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with many years experience of working within the NHS with children, young people and their families. She is also a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist - having trained with the British Association of Psychotherapy - and maintains a thriving private practice, working mainly with adults. She was lecturer in Psychology at Kings College, London for many years. She has developed expertise in working with children and young people in the aftermath of disaster and was the Director of Children's Services in New York in the aftermath of 9/11. She is a Department of Health advisor on psychosocial responses to emergencies and currently a member of the British Psychology Society's Working Group on developing guidelines of good practice in relation to psychosocial responses to Disaster and Emergency. Lynette has been involved with GroOops since its inception and supervises the organisational context of the work and advises on areas of ethics, training, roles and outcomes.
Amanda Glass - Adv. Dip Counselling; Dip in Working with Addictions
Amanda spent many years in recruitment and was a Director of a successful West End Recruitment Agency. Following a childhood dream she left the commercial world behind and undertook four years of counselling training at CPPD. Amanda has an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling and a Diploma in working with Addictions. During her training she volunteered at Kids Company - a charity carrying out therapeutic and educational work with inner-city children and adolescents - living in the most challenging and deprived circumstances. Following this Amanda managed the 'Maccabi Street Project' (now known as Streetwise), which not only provided outreach counselling in schools but also ran specialist courses in self-esteem, drug awareness, sexual health, relationships and family issues. For the last six years Amanda has been based in two major schools in Barnet and Camden, having responsibility for the counselling services for students aged between 11-18. She is also a Year 13 Mentor, helping struggling students reach their potential. Within these positions she runs groups on leadership skills, communication, anger, conflict resolution and psycho-educational issues as listed previously. Amanda's experience also covers extensive work with refugees and young people who have experienced abuse.
Laura Farleigh MA UKCP Reg BACP Acc Integrative Arts Psychotherapist, Trainer and Group Facilitator.
Laura is a sensitive and highly skilled psychotherapist who has written and presented workshops on Self Harm and Eating Disorder for the DfES, the NHS, the Metropolitan Police and Childline. She has extensive experience of working with both children and adults as individuals and in groups, in schools, colleges, hospitals, GP surgeries and prisons. Laura has recently lectured for the Institute of Psychiatry at the International Congress in Madrid. In addition, Laura is an Associate Trainer for Beat (formerly the Eating Disorders Association), including conferences of Guys Hospital in London and regional conferences around the UK. She is involved with GroOops both as a psychotherapist and groupwork trainer with the central philosophy following the therapeutic equation; EXPLORATION: Gives us a chance to have an understanding of where we are and means we will be better equipped to understand and support. + INSIGHT: We become consciously aware of what we are doing and note how we may limit or sabotage our work, or highlight successful strategies in support of working with young people. + PRACTICE: A chance to reflect on our practice and be better equipped for the application of new skills for appropriate responses, containment and healthier communication with young people. = ABILITY: A cognitive understanding gives us the tools and strategies to promote helpful choices, which increases our emotional resilience.
Judy Mace MA, BSc (Hons), HV, SRN, SCM.
Judy has been working in health for over 30 years. Originally training as a nurse and midwife she quickly moved away from ill health to children, young people and their families and the maintenance of health and social care. Her research and background has always been children and young people general health and sexual health needs. She has been seconded out of post from Barnet PCT where she was Head of Children’s Commissioning, managing a budget of £27 million and Chair of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategic Partnership Board. She has been a Nurse Consultant in public health which continues to underpin her approach to work. As a sexual health nurse and with an advanced counselling skills qualification she developed an adolescent service researching, managing and providing the service as a job share arrangement with a social work colleague. She has worked in both health and local authority and has strategically led work to implement national policy such as the 2004 Children Act. She is a passionate advocate for children, young people and family health and is a trustee on a prison reform charity as well as advising GroOops.
020-8346-0941
Lindy Medway BA Hons CQSW Dip.Counselling Dip.Integrative Supervision,
Certs: Relate Couples, Family Counselling & Counselling Young People.
Lindy’s origins are in Social Work and Family Therapy and during her 12 years in practice as a Therapist and Supervisor, she has worked with Adult Individuals, Couples, Families, Young People and Groups. She is an Integrative Practitioner with a Psychodynamic theoretical base. As a Supervisor/Consultant to the GroOops Facilitator's Lindy sees her role as ensuring that the BACP Ethical Framework is adhered to through the reflective process of self awareness, exploration and accountability. She believes to truly work empathetically and fulfil GroOops Aims and Objectives to assist Young People through Life Transitions; we all have to be in touch with our own inner young person. To this end adequate space is made for Supervisees to reflect on the content and process of their work and encouraged to develop their skills, theory and understanding.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR - KIDZ TAKE KONTROL
Zoë-Ann Aston
Zoë originally trained at the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School and subsequently at Millenium Dance 2000. Joining GroOops in 2007 she brings all her experience of setting up her own dance troupe, Interlude Dance Troupe UK CLICK HERE which she did at the tender age of 16 in 2004. Her choreographic and directorial credits include working with Craig David, Friendly Fires, Mulberry, Nickelodeon, London Fashion Week, Kids Company, Bump and Grind, Into the Hoods, Street Dance Weekend and Breakin’ Convention as well as working in numerous schools and academies in the UK. Zoë’s vision is to encourage all young people to seek positive and creative outlets for their physical, emotional and psychological growth and to encourage the use of the expressive arts as a positive means of expression. By creating the concept of Kidz Take Kontrol CLICK HERE for GroOops she has created a medium for young people to express themselves through their music and their dance and for their families and carers to appreciate their achievements in a multi- cultural and multi-generational audience.
VOLUNTARY CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORS
Amanda Walderman BA (Hons) DHP
Amanda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Policy from Newcastle University. She gained her Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy at the Awake School which is a training and accrediting member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). Amanda has over 10 years experience working as a therapist. She has worked in a variety of community agencies as well as probation offices, prisons and young offender institutes. She is a specialist in substance misuse and has many years experience of working with people who misuse drugs and alcohol and also their families and friends. Amanda is frustrated at the negative portrayal of young people in the media. She joined GroOops to be part of an organisation that does not label young people as ‘trouble’, but instead, embraces their potential to make positive and valuable contributions to society.
Dr. Lynette Rentoul BSc, MSc, D. ClinPsych
Dr. Lynette Rentoul is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with many years experience of working within the NHS with children, young people and their families. She is also a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist - having trained with the British Association of Psychotherapy - and maintains a thriving private practice, working mainly with adults. She was lecturer in Psychology at Kings College, London for many years. She has developed expertise in working with children and young people in the aftermath of disaster and was the Director of Children's Services in New York in the aftermath of 9/11. She is a Department of Health advisor on psychosocial responses to emergencies and currently a member of the British Psychology Society's Working Group on developing guidelines of good practice in relation to psychosocial responses to Disaster and Emergency. Lynette has been involved with GroOops since its inception and supervises the organisational context of the work and advises on areas of ethics, training, roles and outcomes.
Amanda Glass - Adv. Dip Counselling; Dip in Working with Addictions
Amanda spent many years in recruitment and was a Director of a successful West End Recruitment Agency. Following a childhood dream she left the commercial world behind and undertook four years of counselling training at CPPD. Amanda has an Advanced Diploma in Integrative Humanistic Counselling and a Diploma in working with Addictions. During her training she volunteered at Kids Company - a charity carrying out therapeutic and educational work with inner-city children and adolescents - living in the most challenging and deprived circumstances. Following this Amanda managed the 'Maccabi Street Project' (now known as Streetwise), which not only provided outreach counselling in schools but also ran specialist courses in self-esteem, drug awareness, sexual health, relationships and family issues. For the last six years Amanda has been based in two major schools in Barnet and Camden, having responsibility for the counselling services for students aged between 11-18. She is also a Year 13 Mentor, helping struggling students reach their potential. Within these positions she runs groups on leadership skills, communication, anger, conflict resolution and psycho-educational issues as listed previously. Amanda's experience also covers extensive work with refugees and young people who have experienced abuse.
Laura Farleigh MA UKCP Reg BACP Acc Integrative Arts Psychotherapist, Trainer and Group Facilitator.
Laura is a sensitive and highly skilled psychotherapist who has written and presented workshops on Self Harm and Eating Disorder for the DfES, the NHS, the Metropolitan Police and Childline. She has extensive experience of working with both children and adults as individuals and in groups, in schools, colleges, hospitals, GP surgeries and prisons. Laura has recently lectured for the Institute of Psychiatry at the International Congress in Madrid. In addition, Laura is an Associate Trainer for Beat (formerly the Eating Disorders Association), including conferences of Guys Hospital in London and regional conferences around the UK. She is involved with GroOops both as a psychotherapist and groupwork trainer with the central philosophy following the therapeutic equation; EXPLORATION: Gives us a chance to have an understanding of where we are and means we will be better equipped to understand and support. + INSIGHT: We become consciously aware of what we are doing and note how we may limit or sabotage our work, or highlight successful strategies in support of working with young people. + PRACTICE: A chance to reflect on our practice and be better equipped for the application of new skills for appropriate responses, containment and healthier communication with young people. = ABILITY: A cognitive understanding gives us the tools and strategies to promote helpful choices, which increases our emotional resilience.
Judy Mace MA, BSc (Hons), HV, SRN, SCM.
Judy has been working in health for over 30 years. Originally training as a nurse and midwife she quickly moved away from ill health to children, young people and their families and the maintenance of health and social care. Her research and background has always been children and young people general health and sexual health needs. She has been seconded out of post from Barnet PCT where she was Head of Children’s Commissioning, managing a budget of £27 million and Chair of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategic Partnership Board. She has been a Nurse Consultant in public health which continues to underpin her approach to work. As a sexual health nurse and with an advanced counselling skills qualification she developed an adolescent service researching, managing and providing the service as a job share arrangement with a social work colleague. She has worked in both health and local authority and has strategically led work to implement national policy such as the 2004 Children Act. She is a passionate advocate for children, young people and family health and is a trustee on a prison reform charity as well as advising GroOops.
020-8346-0941
