Teaching Fellow

Early Years Programmes

Karen.baxter@warwick.ac.uk

Room WCE1.7, Centre for Lifelong Learning, Westwood Campus

Karen Baxter has recently joined the Early Childhood team for the Centre of Lifelong Learning as a Teaching Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Karen’s professional background includes twenty years of Youth and Community practice working with a variety of projects regarding vulnerable young people and their communities. Karen's varied practice within the field of youth and community has enabled her to spend time in The Gambie (2012) volunteering on projects such as Against FGM and Volunteer in Action. Also spending time with peers at The Gambian university.

Over the last ten years Karen has been lead coordinator on a Foundation Degree in Work with Communities and Young People and a Higher National Diploma in Social and Community Work. Her background of teaching also includes level 6 in Work with integrated Services, Children and Young People, level 4 & 5 in Hospital Play Specialism and working in partnership with the University of Warwick teaching level 4 & 5 in Early childhood.

Karen’s academic pathway from 2008 started with a FDA in Work with Young People and Young Peoples Communities, leading onto BA (Hon) in Youth and Community Development with a JNC professional qualification. Followed by her Teacher Training in 2014 and a Master's in Health and Community Development in 2018. Whilst working on her MA Karen investigated resilience and mental health and wellbeing regarding students who study higher education studies on Youth and Community Development.

Currently Karen along with the Youth and Community Steering Group associated with De-Montfort University is completing a six-year research into ‘Learning to Change’ an investigation into widening participation students on the Youth and community programs at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College and De-Montfort University.