Profile of Chair: Jim Porter

Jim joined Community Connections in 2007 and has been Chair for 2 years.

Born in Dundee in 1945, James was educated in Edinburgh and Aberdeen before moving to Norwich in 1964. Jim as he now fondly known by many has a wide breath of experience and knowledge from his involvement both paid and voluntary in the Corporate, Statutory, Voluntary and Community Sector.

Jim has worked in the banking establishment in his younger years before qualifying in social work which lead to him taking on various roles in both London and later in Norfolk Social Services including work in Social Research, Residential Homes Management and managing the Department's Training and Staff Development Team followed by further promotion in Operational Management that culminated in heading up the Adult Learning Difficulty Service. Jim retired from his Local Government Career in 2001.

In parallel with his Local Government career, Jim also had a lay Trade union career which saw him elected to senior lay official jobs, first in NALGO and then UNISON at Branch, Regional and National level. He was involved in negotiation and policy development within the union at all of those levels and had a special interest in Trade Union education.

Jim's Path after retirement:

Following "retirement", Jim became self-employed and worked;

• • On a consultancy basis for the NELM Development Trust and Earlham Youth.
• • Undertook trainer projects for local NHS organisations, Connexions and the Voluntary Sector in London.
• • Worked within Social Services undertaking complaints investigations and co-ordination work for the Learning Difficulty Partnership Board
• • Consultancy work for Walsall Local Authority.
• • Research work for Unison and some Local Authorities within the Eastern Region.
• • Employed by Norwich City College as a part time lecturer in the Trade Union Studies Department and worked across East Anglia in this role.
• • Was a member of the Voluntary Sector Initiative for Personal Development (VSIPD) Board prior to the winding up of that Organisation.
• • A Hospital Manager within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983 as amended in 2008 whose task it is to make decisions on the continued detention or otherwise of detained patients under that Act. He works within the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
• • In addition to membership of the Community Connections Board, Jim is also a Trustee for Opening Doors which is a self-advocacy organisation for people with Learning Difficulties and The Hamlet Centre Trust.
• • Finally, Jim is also Joint Chair of the Norfolk Unison Retired Members Section and edits their quarterly Newssheet.
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