Introducing: Nigel Turpin
Work Location:
With the start of the new contracts in August 2008, my nextstep work has shifted into Breckland for 2 days a week and in Norwich for 2 days a week and I continue to work as an ‘NRF’ Project Co-ordinator for 1 day a week.
Contracts covered:
Neighbourhood Renewal Fund – Our NRF contract is scheduled to complete in December 2008, by which time we will have supplied intensive support to about 550 people around the city (it’s over 450 now). I manage that contract alongside my role as a ‘nextstep’ Adviser.
Qualifications and brief work history:
I have a BSc (Hons) degree in Social Psychology and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Careers Guidance and further qualifications in Group Work skills and Counselling.
I began my career at 17 in a bank and gradually discovered I wasn’t very interested in the world of money!
I left to achieve my degree as a mature student and since then I’ve worked for over twenty years in the world of guidance counselling and information. My main work bases have been in the north east of England, North Norfolk, South Norfolk and Norwich.
I started work with NGS in the autumn of 2006 after a three year career break, which mainly involved assorted adventures around the UK in my motorhome.
What I enjoy about my work:
This work allows me to use all the skills I have learnt along the way, e.g. careers guidance, counselling and information use, in what I hope is an effective mix for the people that I work with.
I like the fact we have time to spend with people and that there always seems to be new things to discover. The work is interesting, worthwhile and varied and it is great to think that we can make a difference to at least some of the circumstances that the people we meet are facing.
It seems you never stop learning in this job, every day is different and you have the privilege of touching on people’s lives and seeing what constructive help NGS can provide.