Workshop and Consultancy Conditions

Workshop and consultancy: my preferred ways of working

(Please see my indicative workshops list for indicative topics for my workshops and consultancy)

I am semi-retired and only work around 40 days a year, so I am in the fortunate position to be able to be selective about what I do. I concentrate on accepting only work where I feel I have real value to add, where I can learn something myself, and where I and the participants can enjoy ourselves. This document sets out my preferred ways of working so you can get the best out of me and so I can share with you and your colleagues excellent participative learning experiences.

One-off days

I am very happy to provide keynotes, workshops and other sessions at national, institutional and Faculty/School conferences on any of my areas of expertise (particularly aspects of assessment, teaching excellence, getting published and redressing disadvantage in teaching and learning approaches) and I also enjoy contributing to panels.

If you were to invite me to contribute a single session, I would still have to charge you for a full day’s work as it uses up one of my approx. 40 working days a year that I do in my semi-retirement. For this reason, if you ask me to give a keynote, it might also be worth asking me to do a workshop as well, to give you good value for money.

Longer term Consultancy

I really enjoy working with projects over an extended period of time, as it is very satisfying to build up a good working relationship with universities and teams. If this is how you would like to work with me, it’s important to let me know well in advance how many days of work you are likely to want from the outset, so I can commit to these and not allocate those days elsewhere.

My fee for blocks of work can be reduced if the overall package is considerable.

Desk work

There may be tasks with which you would welcome my help such as reviewing, revising and redrafting university strategies and documents (e.g. Teaching and Learning Strategies). I am happy to do this at a reduced rate from my face-to-face work, but I normally would expect to have an initial actual rather than virtual meeting with you, so we can agree together what is required.

Alternatives

I am well-networked, so if you asked me to do something for you that my commitments won’t allow, I will do my best to suggest someone else you could contact to do it.

Negotiating the content of sessions

I am very happy to work with you on putting together bespoke sessions that satisfy your needs and therefore to take part in a modest number of planning phone calls and follow up emails. If you would like me to read your documentation before the sessions, ideally please send this to me in hard copy well in advance of the session so I can give it prior due attention and prepare appropriately.

Equipment and working conditions

I normally travel light so will hope to bring with me just a data stick and use your PC or laptop in situ with a data projection system. I usually like access to a flip chart stand with paper and pens and something like Blu Tak to stick sheets on the wall.

For large-scale plenaries and keynotes, I am happy to work in tiered lecture theatres: I require microphone systems of some kind to be available as good inclusive practice for people with hearing difficulties. I much prefer to use a radio mic rather than a fixed lectern one, so I am free to move around and interact with people (and I am too short to be clearly seen behind most lecterns!).

I am happy to take questions at the end of a session but also like to have plenty of opportunities within presentations for participation and questions.

In smaller-scale sessions I prefer to work in flat rooms with participants sitting around tables of no more than 8-10 people (4-5 is often better!) with room for me to move around between tables.

I can, however, work anywhere in an emergency!

About me

If you need a photo of me or a minibio to publicise the session, these are both available on my website.

Communications

I post information handouts / presentations prior and after my sessions on regular updates on my website. This may include photos taken during sessions, but I do not do so without permission from participants. My Tweetfeed is also on my website and I may Tweet during sessions but again participants’ photos are only used with their permission.

Video recordings

Organisers often ask for my permission to record my sessions for colleagues unable to attend and I do not normally give permission for this, as the result is simply a recording of the full session, and I don’t believe this is sound educational practice. If extracts and highlights of the session are to be edited into useful Reusable Learning Objects (for example, 5-8-minute captioned vignettes), I am very happy for you to record me, and will happily sign your release forms.

Evaluations

Please do provide evaluation forms for participants in the session or virtually: once analysed please do share the outcomes with me so I can use them to continuously enhance my practice.

Ensuring payment is made

This next section sounds a bit grumpy but please bear with me as it is based on gruesome experiences over many years of consultancy!

Fees

My fee (available on application) will be the standard fee, and I do not haggle! This agreed fee is exclusive of accommodation (not student halls of residence), standard class travel or air fares and reasonable expenses including modest subsistence. If the price of the First-Class Rail ticket with my Senior railcard is cheaper than the standard rail fare, I will normally book that as it is often cheaper and includes meals, so I don’t have to charge for subsistence. I would usually expect to travel the night before and have pleasant accommodation provided to undertake any work more than 30 miles from home (Newcastle).

I do quite a lot of pro bono work, but I choose the recipients carefully and I do not work without payment for well-resourced organisations and institutions.

Purchase order and other paperwork that needs to be completed in advance

If the necessary paperwork is not completed prior to the work being undertaken, it can take up to a year to get your university or institution to pay me (yes really!) so please ensure it is completed in advance, including a purchase order. Your institution must not tax my receipted expenses.

I am self-employed and pay no National Insurance as I am over retirement age, but your HR systems may need me to prove this to them before they will pay so please allow time for this. I am not VAT registered as my accountant assures me I don’t need to be. I do not carry personal indemnity insurance. If your institution requires me to have it, I will charge you for the premium.

If like most HEIs your HR department require me to show my passport (and not a photocopy of it) as proof of ID, please ask them to come and see me to do so immediately prior to the session or event I am running for you. I will not post you the original to you.

My invoice will include all the personal details you will need to pay me: please do not ask me to replicate this information on multiple forms. Please provide me with the name and number of the person in your Finance office who I can phone if payment is not prompt (within 30 days of invoicing).

Cancellation

If you make a firm commitment to me to undertake work for you, if you cancel this at short notice, I reserve the right to charge you a cancellation fee of up to half the agreed fee for that day (other than in dire circumstances) unless you immediately book me for a later date. This is because I may have turned down other work for this day.

If after all this you still want me to work with you, please contact me by email, s.brown@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or sally@sally-brown.net