About us
Meet the team
FIRST is a learning and development agency, empowering enterprise skills and entrepreneurship in collaboration with government, employers, education and community organisations. Our accredited courses, workshops, consultancy and events inspire courage, self-belief and motivation, giving learners equitable opportunities to progress into meaningful education, decent work or resilient self-employment.
Meet the Team
Charlotte Windebank
"I founded FIRST to create opportunities for people who may not otherwise have access to enterprise education and support. My own journey into entrepreneurship began after facing redundancy and uncertainty in my career, which gave me first-hand experience of how difficult it can be to access the right opportunities at the right time. As CEO, I lead the vision, development, and quality of our work, ensuring everything we deliver aligns with our mission to empower people through enterprise skills and inclusive learning. I work closely with the team to grow our programmes, build partnerships, and champion positive change within entrepreneurship so that more people, regardless of their background, can develop the courage, skills, and connections to move forward."
Sam Clark
"I coordinate engagement for our learners to help them access wider business support, coordinate post-16 activity with schools and colleges alongside our Learning & Skills Team, and coordinate events like the annual Startup Awards North East. My role ensures the entrepreneurs we support are at the heart of everything we do, by connecting them with the right partners to take their next steps, whatever that looks like for them."
Jack Havver
"As Learning and Support Coordinator at FIRST, I work closely with our learners to make sure they feel supported throughout their journey. I provide one-to-one help where it’s needed, making sure everyone feels comfortable, confident, and able to take part in our courses, workshops, and events. I really enjoy supporting people as they develop new skills and seeing their confidence grow as they move forward with their ideas and ambitions."
Molly McGoldrick
"I’m the Communications Officer at FIRST, where I design social content, manage our platforms, and plan and deliver campaigns. I write case studies, articles and our newsletter, sharing the impact of our work through clear, creative storytelling. I’m passionate about building meaningful engagement, connecting with people, and celebrating the achievements of our learners across the community."
Rachel Smith
"I’m the Data Analyst Assistant at FIRST, where I collate the data from the business. I search out the trends and patterns beneath all the numbers to be able to find the golden nuggets of insights underneath; what works, what doesn’t, and what can be targeted to improve the journey undertaken by our learners!"
Kimberley Cummings
"As Operations Manager at FIRST, I’m passionate about building strong relationships with the communities, partners, and entrepreneurs we work with. My role focuses on ensuring our programmes run smoothly while creating opportunities for people to connect, learn, and grow. I enjoy bringing people together and supporting aspiring founders to build confidence, develop their ideas, and form meaningful connections. Seeing entrepreneurs support one another and take positive steps forward in their journeys is what makes this work so rewarding."
Richard Chater
"As Quality Lead at FIRST and a tutor on our programmes, I’m passionate about creating learning experiences that are engaging, supportive, and impactful. I work to ensure the quality of our courses while also delivering sessions that help learners build confidence and develop practical enterprise skills. Seeing people grow in belief and ability throughout their learning journey is incredibly rewarding, and I’m proud to support learners as they take positive steps towards employment, further education, or starting a business."
Joanna Sam Chassan
"With a blend of master’s degrees in HR, Marketing, and Computer Science, I bring a well-rounded and practical perspective to community engagement and business support. In my role at FIRST, I connect individuals with the right courses, resources, and opportunities to support their personal and professional growth, working through business support programmes and partnerships with a wide range of organisations. I provide guidance and referrals, represent the organisation at events, and deliver workshops and public speaking engagements that educate, inspire, and empower our community. If you’re seeking support, want to pursue a certification, need guidance on starting your business, or are interested in collaborating on events or workshops, feel free to get in touch."
Joanna Thompson
"As Engagement Team Lead, I build meaningful partnerships with communities, organisations, and individuals to create opportunities for learning and growth. My role is about turning relationships into impact, supporting people to develop courage, resilience, and practical enterprise skills that enable them to succeed. I’m always seeking new connections with people and communities, using business and enterprise skills as tools to empower others and strengthen local economies."
Bethany Thompson
"Hi, I’m Bethany, an Engagement Officer at FIRST. I’m all about connection, creativity, and community. My role is rooted in bringing people together, sparking conversations, and helping our learners feel confident and celebrated for who they are. I believe that growth starts with feeling understood, so I love creating moments, big or small, that make others feel seen, valued, and inspired to keep moving forward. Every story shared, every achievement recognised, and every smile along the way reminds me why I love what I do. You can find me on LinkedIn, where I post updates about the different events I am attending so you can come along and chat with me about how FIRST can help."
Don MacMillan
"As Financial Director at FIRST, I provide financial leadership and oversight to ensure the organisation remains strong, sustainable, and well-governed. My role focuses on budgeting, financial planning, and maintaining robust systems and reporting that support clear decision-making at both Board and leadership level. By ensuring our finances are well managed and aligned with our strategy, I help protect FIRST’s financial resilience and support the continued growth of the programmes that benefit our learners and entrepreneurs."
Billie Jenkins
"As the Research and Development Lead, I support FIRST to pursue new opportunities to empower enterprise skills and entrepreneurship through funding, partnerships and advocacy. For 10 years I have worked with organisations and projects that create social value by supporting individuals and communities to thrive. I’m always seeking to connect to people with an ambition to change lives through building skills, nurturing networks and supporting self-employment."
What we stand for
Our Vision:
An inclusive economy where everyone can access opportunities and contribute to a thriving society.
Our Mission:
To empower enterprise skills and entrepreneurship in under-resourced and underrepresented communities, promoting individual stability, social progress, and inclusive economic growth.
Our 'Big Hairy Audacious Goal'
By 2030, we want every learner aged 16+ to have access to FIRST’s enterprise skills education.
Want to join us?
Our values
From your first phone call to an end of project review, we believe in prioritising the following values for our stakeholders:
- Empowering others to achieve their dreams
- Expertise within enterprise skills
- Learning through fun
- Trusting relationships with stakeholders
Our services
We are passionate experts in empowering enterprise skills & entrepreneurship that drive meaningful change for individuals and economies. Here's how we can support you:
- Delivering accredited Enterprise Skill Qualifications at Levels 1, 2, and 3 to build practical knowledge and courage.
- Offering dynamic workshops, engaging events, and inspiring awards to make enterprise education accessible and impactful.
- Providing cutting-edge insights with our Enterprise Entrepreneurship Return on Investment Calculator (EERIC), helping you measure and maximise the value of your project.
- Delivering tailored Enterprise Skill Consultancy to design and implement solutions that meet your unique goals.
Partner with us to create opportunities, inspire growth, and achieve lasting results.
Our process
FIRST has helped thousands of people get the connections, skills and confidence they need to progress into jobs, self employment or further education.
Our work is developed using state of the art learning software and theory as well as skill frameworks such as EntreComp backed up by years of academic research and practitioner data.
By basing our work on solid foundations this ensures we are providing meaningful activities that create legacy, opportunities and impact long after learners and partners have worked with us. To find our more about EntreComp click here.
Our Public Sector Partners
FIRST are proud to work with local authorities to provide learning and development opportunities for residents in the North East.
We provide courses and opportunities under both the Adult Education Budget and Multiply funding and work with North East Combined Authority, Gateshead Council, South Tyneside Works and Sunderland City Council.
Scroll down to see some of our live projects and if you'd to speak to the team, send us a message by clicking the button below.
