Position: Director for the South
West
Frances Brennan was appointed Regional
Director for the South West in 2008. She is responsible for
overseeing the regions day-to-day operations, the delivery of 14
contracts, 280 people and a budget of £25 million. In the last 18
months we have introduced Flexible New Deal, Jobcentre Plus Support
Contract, Routes into Work, Response to Redundancy and Enterprise
Coaching in various areas across the South West.
Frances joined Working Links when it was founded in April 2000, as
the Zone Director for Plymouth. As one of the first people on
board, Frances was instrumental in building the business from its
roots in the South West which now includes Bristol, Gloucester,
Swindon, Cornwall and, as far afield as the Isles of Scilly.
The South West Working Links Delivery is built around delivering
quality welfare to work and skills programmes with the help of a
wide variety of subcontractors. In 2009 we were recognised as ‘good
practice’ for our Cornwall Works Plus ESF programme by the CBI’s
report on ‘Diversity in DWP Procurement’.
Frances has worked in the welfare to work field for over 30 years.
She began her career as a civil servant with Jobcentre Plus,
developing extensive first hand experience of helping disadvantaged
people into work.
Outside of work Frances is the chair of the
local Parish council in Cornwall. When Frances is not spending time
with her young grandsons, she is interested in all aspects of craft
work and makes stained glass windows.