Profile of Bernie Speight
Contact Details
The Gables
12 Quarry Lane
Birstall
West Yorkshire
WF17 0DF
I became interested in social accounting in 2000 when I worked for the Co-op and was involved in compiling the northern regions social accounts. In 2003 while working in Huddersfield as a social enterprise development manager I attended a SAN social accounting workshop in Sheffield, which switch me on to the SAN methodology. Since then I've attended a SAN masterclass in Edinburgh May 2005 and other SAN conferences or events including the research project 'Really Telling Accounts'.
I'm currently supporting 9 PCT funded Healthy Living Initiatives across Bradford to undertake social accounting.
I was part of the design & delivery team for a social accounting pilot project across W.Yorkshire in 2005-7, commissioned by Business Link where my I worked on the production of the content of 6 workshops, which took organisations from introduction through to what happens at Audit Panel. I sat on the audit panel for Wortley Community Centre, where Graham Waterhouse was chair and I wrote shadow notes, which Graham gave support and feedback on (cheers Graham). I supported UpBeat social enterprise to undertake social accounting, then through the process and to produce their first accounts and then at the Audit panel. Towards the latter end of the contract I began working with Cloverleaf Advocacy, who are currently preparing to go to Audit of their first set of accounts and have already begun incorporating social accounting into other areas of their delivery, which I am also supporting them with.
Since then UpBeat went on to compile their second set of accounts and went to Audit Panel Jan '09 which I Chaired mentored by Alan Kay (thanks again Alan J ).
I have worked in Regeneration and Economic Development for the last 20 years initially within the Voluntary & Community sector, latterly within the public sector. I'm also a qualified coach and teacher of adults so I combine these skills with business support skills to assist third sector organisations to 'Prove and Improve' their communication and service delivery.