Specialist Roles

Our Specialists ensure that the support provided across all services within Future Directions is of the highest quality.

Meet the Specialists who make a real positive difference to people’s lives.

David Foster

Interim Learning Development Manager

David has recently moved over to the Training team as Learning and Development Manager and has in depth experience of conducting the Induction, looking at policies and procedures, supporting and liaising with Future Directions CIC staff and management teams. David loves his role and being with his fellow colleagues. If you need to contact David then please call 0161 769 9075.

Kim Barrett

Personalisation Lead and Friends For Life Lead

As our Personalisation Lead and Friends For Life Group Lead, Kim’s role is to ensure the people we support lead the lives they choose. This includes planning day trips out and creative activities with the Friends For Life Group. She works closely with individuals, families and support teams to enable people to reach their dreams, wishes and aspirations. Kim drives all aspects of the personalisation agenda as Future Directions continually strives to deliver a truly personalised service. She feels privileged to have the opportunity to change people’s lives.

Jennifer Neville

Autism Lead

Jenny joined the Future Directions team in 2013, and has a wealth of knowledge and experience of working within Health and Social Care. As Autism Lead, Jenny’s role is to advise, negotiate, advocate and champion the needs of autistic people. She draws on best practice to ensure we provide the best possible support and to enable people to live happy, healthy and meaningful lives. 

Jenny brings her experience, knowledge and passion to her role. She is committed to creating opportunities for people we support to promote their independence and human rights. Jenny loves her job and feels proud to work for such a values-driven organisation. 

Melanie Chapman

Project Manager

Sharron Hunt

Quality Compliance Lead

Sharron is a registered nurse with many years of experience in providing high quality individualise designed personalised support services for people with a learning disability, complex health needs, mental health, autism and those with a forensic history.
Sharron has held the role of Registered Manager for many years and is passionate about ensuring that the support that is provided across all services within Future Directions is of the highest quality, ensures that the individual is at the centre of the process and is always working with teams to ensure that they are striving to improve the services provide and ensure that everyone is living their best life.

Alison Robinson

Quality and Compliance Officer

Alison is a Registered Nurse who has been working for over thirty years with people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and forensic histories within health and social settings.
As a Quality and Compliance Officer, she ensures that Future Directions provides a high quality service for the people we support that is safe, effective, accessible and individual to the person’s needs. What is most important to Alison is ensuring the people we support are at the centre of all decisions made about their lives.

Jane Mazzafiore

Quality and Compliance Officer

Jane is a registered nurse with 30+ years of experience working within Health and Social Care in various settings supporting people with complex needs, mental health and autism during this time.
Her role is Quality and Compliance Officer ensuring the services we are providing are values driven, and of the highest quality as well as continually improving our service.
She enjoys her present role, demonstrating her commitment and a real passion for supporting and mentoring teams to achieve an outstanding service.

Suzanne Ryan

Lead Nurse and Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) and IAPT LeadOfficer

Suzanne is a Registered Nurse and Social worker. Since 2001, she has worked in supporting people with learning disabilities and Mental Health needs and/or complex and challenging behaviour as a Team Leader and Network Manager. As an Employment Lead, supporting people to find paid and voluntary work, she helped to set up The SPICE Group. Her other professional experience includes being a Practice Educator/Mentor for social work and Nursing students, and an Assessor and Verifier. She is our lead on BSC Behaviour Analysis, training staff on PBS (Positive Behaviour Support).

Paul Lord

Interim Non-Verbal Communication Lead

Paul has well over 40 years’ experience of working in Health and Social Care. During this time he held a number of key support and managerial positions and has – within these posts always aspired to the delivery of services that are centred around people who have used those services. In March 2016 he retired from the Director of Operations position and returned to Future Directions on a part-time basis as the Training and Development Manager, Paul has now moved on to use his expertise in his new role of Interim Non-Verbal Communication Lead.

Kevin Phoenix

Music and Creative Activities Lead

Singer-songwriter Kevin plays a big part in making sure the people we support live their best lives possible through organising person centred music sessions across Future Directions’ houses. As well as one-to-one sessions and small group sessions, this also includes organising the Stronger Together Community Choir and Open Mic sessions, and trips out to local recording studios. He is also the genius behind Fun Time Friday with his fellow colleague, Stuart. Kevin has over twenty years’ experience in working with people with learning disabilities and autism spectrum conditions.