Welcome Carolyn!

We would like to introduce you to a new member of the team, Carolyn Sheppard has just joined us as our new Education & Employment Mentor.

Carolyn is delighted to be starting this role, which combines her love of horses with her skills and experience in sports coaching and mentoring children and young people with SEND. Carolyn will be working with participants on a 121 basis, delivering sessions in both the Gallery and around the yard. She will be supporting participants through a variety of theory-based courses in different formats. These include groundbased RDA Proficiency Modules and Activity Sessions, the Pony Club Mini Badges and the British Horse Society Challenge Awards. Carolyn will be taking on the role as Deputy Safeguarding Lead at Broadlands.

About Carolyn

Carolyn started volunteering at her local riding school at age ten, which led to many years of stable management, groom and riding experience at a reputable dressage training yard in Surrey. Moving into adulthood she took this experience to go on and share/part-loan several horses for her own enjoyment. She developed her flatwork skills and jumping experience at her own pace, competing at low levels for fun, plus happily hacking, taking part in fun rides and generally loving connection with horses. More recently, she has supported both her children to learn the basics of riding and pony/stable management in line with BHS standards of care.

Alongside her life-long passion for all things equestrian, Carolyn has developed her career in the public sector spanning over 20 years. This has given her robust experience as a workplace mentor for apprentices and graduates, sports coach for young people with SEND, lecturer in Higher Education and community development specialist in Local Government. Alongside this, she is experienced as a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, a role she undertook over five years, for a large school holiday activity scheme for children and young people with SEND.

Carolyn is looking forward to applying all her skills and experience to her new role, to ultimately make a meaningful difference to the lives of our participants.

Carolyn's working hours are 9.30 am to 2.30 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

If you would like to know more about some of the sessions that we will be running alongside our usual RDA activities, please contact Carolyn directly: education@broadlandsgroup.org.uk