ALISON COX

Alison Cox is the Director of the BRITE Centre and the National Co-ordinator of the BRITE Initiative.

Alison was the recipient of the Esmee Fairbairn Fellowship from 1994 to 1996 during which period she completed an extensive research project on the role of technology in enabling people with disabilities to participate fully in education and training. She was one of the two further education representatives on the Ministerially appointed Beattie Committee, tasked with evaluating post school education and training provision for young people with additional needs in Scotland.

Alison is a member of the strategic management committee of Keycomm (the Lothians Communication Technology Service) and devised the 'Protocols for Effective Multi-agency Working' which have since been adopted as a blue print by the health board, education partners and voluntary organisations with whom Keycomm works. In 2007, Alison was appointed as Chair of the Management Board of LEAD Scotland.

Alison has worked in the further education sector for more than twenty-five years, following a first career as a chartered physiotherapist with a special interest in occupational health and rehabilitation. She was awarded the MBE in 2000 for services to education.

To email Alison click here

SHARON GLENN

Sharon Glenn is the BRITE Centre Administrator. Sharon joined the team in January 2002 following a working trip in Australia where she worked as a student adviser at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Prior to this Sharon worked for four years at the Aberdeen Business School at The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. During her time there she was the MBA (Master of Business Administration) Administrator working closely with overseas and mature students within the School. In her final two years at the Business School, Sharon was Administration Manager responsible for co-ordinating overall administrative procedures for all the Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes for some 1,500 students. One aspect of her role included co-ordinating examination requirements for students with special needs.

Sharon graduated from the University of Ulster and has experience in the hospitality industry, having previously worked in the area of sales and conference co-ordination as well as other operational areas of the industry.

To email Sharon click here

SARAH JONES

Sarah Jones became a member of the team in September 2008 and handles the clerical/admin aspects of BRITE’s work from Wed-Fri each week.

After graduating from Napier University in 1995 with a BA (Distinction) in Hospitality Management, Sarah worked in a number of areas of the Hotel industry including managing a large 4 star Hotel restaurant.

She has since lived and worked in Australia before returning home to Scotland. Sarah has extensive administrative experience in a number of fields and is particularly enjoying her interesting and varied role at BRITE.

To email Sarah click here

MONTY LILBURN

Monty Lilburn joined the BRITE team in May 2003 as one of two Assistive Technology Development Officers. He enjoys the variety of ever-changing challenges offered by this post, where he provides training and support to the Scottish Further Education sector as well as conducting research and product evaluations of emerging Assistive Technology.

Monty comes from Canada, and lived in Vancouver before moving to Scotland and Joining the BRITE team. He was previously employed as an Adaptive Technology Specialist in the University of British Columbia's Crane Resource Centre. This position enabled Monty to develop several important skills in the areas of Assistive Technology, general Information Technology and inclusive practices in education. He is delighted to be able to transfer these skills to his work with BRITE, and to build on them in his current role.

Monty enjoys using and learning about new technology, and is please to have an opportunity to pass on that knowledge to others. He hopes that his work with the BRITE team will contribute to the target of inclusive education for all within the Scottish Further Education sector.

To email Monty click here

FIL McINTYRE

I have worked in the field of Assistive Technology for the last twelve years and am very glad to be part of the BRITE team. The new job has been accompanied by a move up from Manchester along with becoming a father for the first time in May. As you can imagine the last few months have been quite busy!

I found my way into Assistive Technology whilst working at the Seashell Trust School and College in Manchester. It was while in this role I realised that the right technology could make a real difference to learning, communication and independence. Students at Seashell have a wide range of Additional Needs and I was responsible for ensuring all of them had access to technology which suited their needs. In addition to this I also enabled and encouraged staff to use technology to support curriculum delivery.

For the last four years I have been employed by Inclusive Technology to travel the length and breadth of the UK delivering ICT for Additional Needs training.

As a new dad I don’t have any spare time, but if I ever get some back I hope to re-discover my hobbies of music, climbing and motorcycling.

To email Fil click here

NIALL HARDIE

Niall Hardie has joined the core BRITE staff team as Training and Development Officer, having previously been seconded to the BRITE team as a mentor in August 2007 for 1 year.

Niall previously worked at Cardonald College, with responsibility for carrying out needs assessments for students with additional support needs; dyslexia screening and support; and for coordinating the provision of assistive technology to support inclusion.

Niall has a background in personal and social development, graduating in 1998 from Strathclyde University with a BA in Outdoor Education in the Community. He has since completed a PgCert in Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia from Napier University (2003) and a PgDip in Equality and Discrimination from Strathclyde University (2008).

To email Niall click here

CAROL BOYLE

Carol Boyle joined the BRITE team as a mentor in July 2007 and has been seconded from Kilmarnock College to work with BRITE links undertaking Module 4 of their BRITE Training. Carol completed her own BRITE training in December 2005 before embarking on DSA assessments within her college.

Carol graduated from Paisley University with a BA in Social Sciences and then studied for a Diploma in Careers Guidance before starting her career with Kilmarnock College in Student Services as a Guidance Co-ordinator in 1999. She then moved into supporting students as a Learning Development Co-ordinator from 2003 and is currently part of a larger team which provides ongoing support to students identified with a variety of needs. The Learning Development Centre at Kilmarnock College has grown considerably and now supports in excess of 200 students across several campuses and employs 9 learning assistants to provide ongoing support.

Carol is currently studying to be a Dyslexia Tutor and eventually hopes to provide this service to students in her college as well as DSA assessments and any subsequent training needs the students have in assistive technologies and study skills. She hopes that the experience she gains as a mentor will provide her with more insight on how to improve the service in Kilmarnock College and widen her network of contacts in FE with similar remits.

To email Carol click here

KELLIE MOTE

Kellie joined BRITE in 2003 as an Assistive Technology Development and Information Officer.

Following her return from maternity leave in March 2011, she chose to further develop her role in creating online resources and managing BRITE’s communications. This led to her new title as Resources and Communications Co-ordinator.

A psychology graduate, Kellie has worked in a range of learning and supportive environments. At Edinburgh’s Visiting Teaching and Support Service, she adapted learning resources into alternative formats. She then moved on to teach assistive technology skills and provide support to students at Jewel and Esk Valley College.

Voluntary work broadened her experience and she has enjoyed involvement in play schemes for with children with autism, facilitated a weekly social group for adults experiencing mental health problems, and provided telephone advice to families facing challenges.

To email Kellie click here

ALAN WYLLIE

Alan Wyllie is a freelance consultant providing Information Design services for BRITE and has been with the team since 2002.

Alan's role is to design and produce learning, support and marketing materials for delivery both on and offline encompassing a broad range of media including web, print, video and CDROM/DVD - or increasingly a hybrid of any or all of these!

Originally trained in photography, Alan has over 20 years experience in the communications industry and in addition to his work with BRITE is a partner in an established new media production company.

Alan is a firm believer in the principle of "design once for everyone" and is particularly interested in developing the use of blended technologies to produce engaging and accessible online materials.

To email Alan click here

Mentors

Every candidate who is registered through BRITE for the Professional Development Award is assigned a mentor before reaching the observed practice stage of the training.  Each mentor is experienced in developing inclusive learning strategies, conducting assessments and identifying/meeting learners' support needs.  Care is taken to match each candidate (mentee) to a compatible mentor.  In addition to some of the staff from the core BRITE team, who fulfil a mentoring role, we currently have five colleagues on secondment as BRITE mentors (see profiles below). 

KAREN MITCHELL

Karen Mitchell joined The BRITE Initiative in June 2007 as a mentor after successfully completing her own BRITE training and becoming one of the first BRITE graduates.

She has worked in education for thirty years as an English teacher in secondary schools and since 1991, as a lecturer in Inverness College UHI. Karen's teaching at the college includes English, Social Sciences and Core Communication, throughout the vocational areas and through various delivery methods.

Karen became interested in dyslexia through her teaching of English and moved into delivering learning support via 1:1 and workshop methods, in 2002. This role has grown considerably since then and she is now the Co-ordinator of Additional Support for her College.

Karen carries out needs assessments for all students who disclose disability and is also responsible for putting the appropriate arrangements into place for these students. She has been carrying out the needs assessments for students applying for DSA for two years now and hopes to be able to pass on a little of what she has learned to her BRITE links and to go on learning herself about assessing students' needs during her BRITE secondment.

To email Karen click here