Nick Tobin – Director of International Projects
Nick Tobin, formerly Operational Director for the South West and West Midlands regions from 2002 to 2004, returned to The Experience Corps as the Director of International Projects in November 2005.
As the United Kingdom’s NGO partner in an important two-year European project, Nick is currently promoting innovation in helping isolated and excluded older people lead a better quality of life. With its trans-national partners in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Lithuania, the UK is addressing the re-integration of older men and women, especially those concerned by or at high risk (e.g. single older people from ethnic minorities, those with disabilities or chronic diseases or in need of support and care, such as those with dementia) into community life.
Working with the Department for Work and Pensions in London, the Government Office of the South West region, Bristol City Council and other key city Stakeholders, including representatives of the target groups, since late 2005, Nick and his UK partners have reported on the current position of isolated older people in Bristol; compared their city with similar cities and regions in other partner nations; published an inventory of innovative ideas and practices to help empower older people at the highest risk of social exclusion; and have developed a draft regional action plan for the target group’s re-integration into the community, including examples of good practice in participating countries. Their final task is to produce guidelines on how nations could develop and implement the regional action plans. The Isolation to Inclusion project (www.i2i-project.net) ends in September 2007.
Nick is also closely involved in another European project that is developing the concept of mobility in adult learning. The project aims to ensure the best possible learning opportunities for future participants in trans-national exchange projects for senior volunteers, and the partners have systematically collated, analysed and secured existing knowledge from previous projects. A handbook is being written and will be published in 2007 in English, French, German, Italian and Polish.
Born in England and brought up in Kenya, Nick joined the Royal Navy in 1962. Following a successful 34-year career, he retired as a Captain and was appointed as a bursar at Magdalene College, Cambridge before joining the Experience Corps. He enjoys sailing, (now watching) rugby and helping others. Nick is married with a 24-year old daughter.