www.thepooldta.co.uk/bios/steele.html -
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Published on: 10/7/2008
Last Visited: 7/6/2008
Jess Steele Head of Consultancy, DTA
Before joining the Development Trusts Association, Jess was the Programmes Director and Deputy Chief Executive of BURA, the British Urban Regeneration Association, where she was responsible for events and projects, training, awards and sharing best practice, as well as strategic leadership, staff development and building BURA membership within the voluntary, community and academic sectors.
Her background as a community activist and entrepreneur in South East London included leading the award-winning Get Set for Citizenship SRB programme and establishing numerous social enterprises including a publishing company, an environmental consultancy, a children's nursery, and a community finance company.She founded the Magpie Resource Library and has published extensively on local history, including ,Turning the Tide: The History of Everyday Deptford'.Jess now lives and works in Hastings and is the Treasurer of the newly-formed Friends of Hastings Pier.
Areas of policy expertise include community participation, worklessness, the benefits system and welfare reform, local enterprise, and seaside regeneration.She leads the CREATE Consortium in its proposals for a Community Allowance to enable people on benefits to take up community regeneration work opportunities.