Maximising positive impact through stronger, more purposeful relationships

I specialise in community engagement for arts & culture, wellbeing, and employment skills.

After creating multiple development projects, productions and education programmes to help lead organisations and education institutions towards their vision, I now provide strategic consultancy for clients & contractors in relation to social impact & values through Storey Consulting. This includes consulting on apprenticeships, local employment, engagement opportunities, community investment and wellbeing.

My focus is enabling businesses to connect with the communities they want to be a part of through innovative strategies that facilitate deeper and more meaningful engagement. By building strong relationships with local organisations who have deep rooted connections to the communities they serve we maximise positive impact and support clients in reaching their ESG goals.

A social values revolution

Oxford North is a huge project and I am very proud to be part of the Storey Consulting team working to help deliver their ESG goals.

Our approach is to maximise positive impact by mapping opportunities and embedding purpose in every relationship. Through strong partnerships with local organisations we work with all stakeholders to amplify and support their work, ensuring funds, resources and opportunities are directed where they can serve the greatest benefit. This includes establishing partnerships with Social Enterprise Groups, Charities, Small business, Arts, Sports & Wellness facilities, Youth Support Services, and more.

With outcomes driven by what the community wants and needs we are able to leverage our network of partners and beneficiaries to celebrate milestones and positive impact within the local community; building trust and positive recognition for Oxford North from the inside out.

We use innovative technologies, such as VR, to help communities visualise the project and how they can integrate into it. We maximise local employment opportunities, ensuring that the Oxford North project accelerates local businesses. By embedding training, development and apprenticeships within the development we seek out the best talent and nurture mutually beneficial opportunities with partners.

We work hard to build trust and communication, helping as many local residents as possible to benefit, while ensuring that our clients’ budgets work smarter and reach further.

  • Oxford North is a new innovation district for the city, specifically masterplanned, designed and being built to enable discovery.

    Delivering one million sq ft of labs and workspaces, 480 new homes, hotel, nursery, amenities, three new public parks and significant investment in travelling around sustainably, it will be a community engaged in creating a better future.

    Oxford North will connect academia and commerce, invention and investment, exploration and wellness. It will be a unique new home and workplace for scientists, technologists, and inventors, transforming lives and enhancing one of the world's greatest cities.

  • Gemma is just pure delight to work with. She brings warmth, kindness, and emotional intelligence to the social impact work that she does and is a great ambassador for Oxford North and all its social value outreach. Gemma really gets to know people, understand their needs, and provides strategic solutions which will help them in the longer term.

    Olivia Lane-Nott, Director, Spacecraft Consulting

  • Gemma has been working with me in supporting the activity we undertake around community consultation and activation of community led programmes. She has a wonderful communication style, is a great listener and provider of creative and innovative insights and ideas. I enjoy exploring ideas with her in terms of what we want to deliver on projects and find her combination of warmth and ensuring what we undertake is both ambitious yet deliverable very refreshing.

    Tom Storey, Storey Consulting