New NAFD education development officer

We are pleased to announce the appointment of a full-time education development officer, Angela Allen, who joins the National Office team on July 1.

Angela Allen The NAFD is the leading education organisation in the sector and this move underlines our commitment to education and the importance we attach to raising standards within the profession. Angela, who is Sheffield born and bred and comes from an HR/learning and development background, will be responsible for developing the NAFD’s education strategy, delivering its courses and promoting professional development within the funeral service.

The NAFD has initiated two major developments in the past 12 months – the new Foundation Degree in Funeral Services and two new Vocational Qualifications. Angela will be liaising closely with the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath regarding the Foundation Degree, developing the network of Vocational Qualification assessors and travelling around the country meeting members and assisting the Local Associations and Area Federations with education matters. She will also support the CPD Committee and the Board of Examiners in carrying out their responsibilities.

Angela, who describes herself as an animal lover and people person, is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a licensed Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioner – skills she puts to good use helping people communicate and develop self-confidence in the workplace and, occasionally, helping them to overcome personal fears and phobias. Following training with Civil Ceremonies Ltd, she recently qualified as a civil funeral celebrant.

Angela has spent the majority of her career with BT/O2, fulfilling a variety of HR, performance management, training and learning and development roles in different parts of the business. For the past three years she has been working with Business in the Community, helping employers in the private, public and education sectors to translate UK gender legislation into best practice policies and implement practical action in the workplace. She has also advised on diverse workforce recruitment, retention and the development of staff.

It was while she was caring for her elderly mother and subsequently making arrangements that triggered Angela’s interest in the funeral profession. She chose to undertake training as a civil funeral celebrant as she was looking at a change of direction and this would enhance her skill base and give her further insight into the industry.

With a funeral service qualification under her belt and first hand experience of the whole process of organising a funeral and coping with bereavement on her own, Angela was planning to work as an independent consultant to hospices and to support bereaved families who don’t know where to turn next. However, she subscribes to The Funeral Director Monthly and put those ideas on hold when she realised there was an opportunity to join the NAFD.

“I’d much rather work as part of a team and felt I could bring the right mix of skills and experience to the role of education development officer,” says Angela.

“I’m really looking forward to joining the NAFD and hope that my passion for education and development will be of enormous benefit to everyone employed in the industry. Investment in people and their development not only makes people feel valued and so leads to improved performance, but also aids staff retention and attracts the best qualified candidates to new jobs, all of which helps members’ businesses to flourish in the long run.”