Introducing... Jane Walton

What I Do

I have over 20 years experience working in the public, private and charitable sectors. Specialising in mentoring, training, education and business development I work with organisations and individuals to realise their potential. I am a qualified teacher and trainer, a school governor, a Fellow of the RSA, CIPD, and the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

I am currently the Chair of Education Policy of the Federation of Small Businesses with the aim of advocating self-employment and promoting the need for enterprise education.

I am working with a number of voluntary organisations and charities to review governance structures and to develop the skills of trustees in order to support the sustainability of their organisations and to ensure their services are having an impact on the people they serve.

I am a campaigner and lobbyist specialising in influencing government policy and thinking related to young people, enterprise and self-employment. In 2015 I worked with the Leeds City Region LEP to pilot the government's Enterprise Adviser programme which has now been rolled out nationally.

I am an experienced trustee and board having been a trustee of the Thackray Museum in Leeds which promotes health and wellbeing through its collection and interpretation of medical history, chair/team leader of Young Enterprise West Yorkshire and a governor of Wakefield College. I am currently chair of Castleford Heritage Trust which manages Queens Mill in Castleford. I have over 20 years experience in the heritage sector and supports museums to develop their services, staff and trustees. I am a trustee of Wakefield Well Women Centre leading on safeguarding and HR. I am a trustee of Home - Rugby League Cares which supports the health and well-being of players and staff involved in the game.

I am a director of Yorkshire Mentoring a community interest company which provides consultancy and training to enable organisations to develop, implement and manage mentoring programmes. I specialise in business mentoring, mentoring in education and working with mental health charities and organisations. I have developed and managed mentoring programmes for looked after children and women recently released from prison.

As a teacher and trainer I work with the delivering and developing programmes with the recovery college network, the NHS, community groups and refugee centres. I specialise in developing volunteers and supporting students to progress into volunteering, work, self-employment, employment and further learning.