Staff
Management team
In the following section we outline the roles and experience of the staff with South West Pound.
The
management team is made up of 3 paid staff and the chairman of the board. The
role of this team is to make the decisions on behalf of the board on a daily
strategic and operational basis. It is through this group that decisions on
project management and company development are undertaken, staffing issues are
resolved, financial decisions are made and where performances are evaluated and
measures are taken to address any concerns. The management team is made up of:-
Director of Operations – Steve Opie 
A
former bank manager for Lloyds TSB and with 30 years in the financial industry
Steve joined Devon pound in august 2006 to help take the business from concept
to delivery. Steve is now the director of operations and is responsible for the
continued delivery of the company's service and the expansion of the products
available to our client base.
Director of Resources – Kevin Osborne 
A
former budgeting and benefits advisor with Devon and Cornwall housing
association and with 12 years of local government experience at various levels
prior to that, Kevin was the original development manager of the D£von pound
project. Now the director of resources Kevin is responsible for ensuring
effective financial management of the company, company growth and general
development.
Customer Services Manager – Paula 
Paula
joined South West Pound in February 2008 with a background of working in a
variety of administrative roles for over 20 years. A background of office
management and working within the community and voluntary sector Paula is
responsible for the daily running of the office and ensuring that the customers
get a good quality of service.
education
We
have expanded our financial education services and regard this as a longer-term
solution to reducing over indebtedness issues for the region. It is the
intention of South West Pound to facilitate and co-ordinate financial education
programs throughout the South West over the coming years, be they in Schools,
adult learning or harder to reach groups. This is still in its infancy stage and
has come about following 3 initial pilot courses run during 2007/08.
Education Services Manager – Alan Gorman
Alan has a varied background in teaching, from training apprentices in
horticulture and plumbing, through to teaching English to speakers of other
languages (ESOL) and then numeracy and literacy in adult and community learning
settings, including prison. He first became actively involved in financial
literacy through a Department of Works and Pensions project promoting financial
capability in older people in the Exeter area. He has recently been appointed as
South West Pound's education services manager to help develop the company's
financial education programme, strategically and operationally.
back office
We have a small back office where all of the 0800 numbers come in and from where, we take all referrals, we co-ordinate the client appointments, produce the management information and liaise with our partnering organisations from here. The office is managed by the Customer Services Manager and she is supported by:
Communications Co-ordinator – Sarah
With over 20 year’s administration experience and with an educational background
in social policy, Sarah joined South West Pound as a customer service assistant.
Now filling the role of communications coordinator, Sarah is responsible for the
management and analysis of our client database, producing regular reports for
ours funders and partners, together with updating the company website with news
feeds and management reports.
Customer Service Assistant – Louise
Louise is from an administrative background. She trained as a bilingual
secretary and worked for the world trade organisation in Geneva for several
years and more recently as an administrative assistant for a private fostering
agency in Okehampton. Louise is a customer services assistant in our Okehampton
office.
outreach services
Our core business is delivering the services which our customers, partners and stakeholders want within some of the most deprived communities of the South West. Currently our team is Devon and Torbay based and we have one senior outreach worker who co-ordinates training, runs outreach meetings, and co-ordinates project work, such as designing our budgeting tool-kit etc.
Senior Outreach Worker covering the Teighbridge area
Jacki
After 24 years with Lloyds
TSB, Jacki joined Devon Pound in the early days of September 2006 as the
customer service manager. After 5 months in this role and setting up the office
and outreach systems and processes, she moved to the role of senior outreach
worker. Her role now includes seeing clients in Teignbridge and South Hams as
well as supporting and training the other outreach workers and updating,
modifying and developing the outreach processes and packages.
North Devon Outreach Workers
Amanda
A background in youth
and community work Amanda has also held posts with the Inland Revenue working
mainly in organizational roles. Amanda joined D£von Pound in November 2006 as a
regional outreach worker to provide support and budgeting guidance to clients.
Extensive networking has enabled a strong grasp of the agencies both statutory
and voluntary in the area and helped identify supporting organisations for South
West Pound.
Marilyn
Marilyn brings 35
years of experience of working for Barclays bank, meeting people from all walks
of life starting as a junior and ending as a city centre manager. One of the
first outreach workers to be employed by the DP project Marilyn works closely
with the credit unions offering low cost loans, budgeting guidance, and general
education on money matter and is passionate about bringing back the savings
culture.
South Devon and Torbay Outreach Workers
Julian
Julian is a fully
qualified financial adviser and has worked with business and home based clients,
throughout the South West. Julian enjoys seeing an interesting mix of people and
most are keen to put their finances in order. Julian enjoys providing “one to
one” guidance for people in the south Devon and Torbay area to help people to
achieve financial stability.
West Devon Outreach worker
Martin
Martins’ previous
roles include 21 years working in the Department for Work and Pensions at
various levels both locally and nationally in a variety of customer focused
posts. I now work as a regional outreach worker for South West Pound, ensuring
that the services we provide are offered where they are most needed.
East Devon Outreach workers
Gary
Previously Gary was
employed by the job centre plus for 28 years, holding many diverse roles
including personal adviser manager, senior decision maker, visiting officer,
regional debt manager, and job centre manager. Gary has also worked within
prisons for the YMCA focusing on accommodation issues on release, and has
completed a secondment with a housing association. As an outreach worker
covering east Devon and Exeter, Gary finds his role very fulfilling and
enjoyable.
Hilary
Hilary joined South West
Pound after twelve years experience of working within a variety of community and
voluntary based organisations as a welfare benefits and debt adviser including
as a student welfare officer with Exeter College. Hilary now works for South
West Pound as a regional outreach worker with shared responsibility for Exeter &
sole responsibility for the mid-Devon area.