Partnership First TEAM
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Alastair Tallon
Partnership First Founder and Consultant
A senior consultant with over 25 years of experience in strategic evaluation, impact measurement, and organisational development across the arts, education, and volunatary sectors. Alastair specialises in designing inclusive, participant-centred frameworks that distil complex concepts into actionable insight. His practice is rooted in equity, collaboration, and continuous learning, enabling organisations to evidence their impact, elevate underrepresented voices, and build sustainable change.
During his career he has established education departments in different institutions, including Shakespeare’s Globe and The Royal Albert Hall, creating and shaping a bespoke strategy designed to deliver on the identified key priorities.
He has been described as “an energetic leader with a clear sense of strategic vision”, understanding the needs of all stakeholders and the importance of achieving value for money whilst ensuring quality and sustainable outcomes.
He has had excellent experience of project management, leading both large and small-scale projects, as well as local, national and international programmes. He has a strong background in developing key strategic partnerships with a range of stakeholders including with other arts organisations community groups, local authorities, Arts Council England, other funders, Heads and teachers – as well as young people themselves.
Central to many of the successful projects, has been the increased understanding of the value of strategic partnerships and how to construct, maintain and grow those partnerships over time.
CORE EXPERTISE
- Impact Measurement & Evaluation Strategy - Co-creating Theories of Change, Social Value frameworks, and evaluation models rooted in lived experience.
- Organisation Reviews - Conducting strategic assessments of governance, delivery, and impact.
- Participatory Evaluation - Designing inclusive methodologies that centre beneficiaries and practictioners.
- Strategic Reporting & Insight Translation - Synthesising findings into clear, actionable outputs for boards, funders and stakeholders.
- Partnership Development & Governance - Facilitating collaborative structures and shared impact frameworks.
- Capacity Building - Delivering training, mentoring, and toolkits to embed evaluative thinking across organisations.
- Creative Programme Design - Producing high-profile events with clear social outcomes and legacy planning.
Jean Carter
Partnership First Founder and Consultant
Jean Carter is a values-led education consultant with over 30 year of experience in music, arts, and special education needs. She specialises in providing strategic advice to funders and grant applicants, impact measurement, and inclusive programme design. Jean's work is rooted in collaboration, equity, and evidence-based practice - supporting organisations to reflect, adapt and grow. Her long-standing work with John Lyon's Charity has shaped national discourse on cultural inclusion and SEND advocacy.
She has established and developed numerous partnerships with music and arts organisations. Until 2014, she was the manager of The Tri-borough music hub that extended across 150 schools. She has been referred to as “an inspirational leader… supporting schools to engage with a diverse music offer, encouraging them to complement it through their own resources and to recognise the value of quality music education and its impact across the curriculum”.
In partnership with many world class organisations, she has developed programmes that have enabled young people to benefit from the expertise of professional artists and musicians. With partner organisations, she has piloted many innovative programmes and approaches to working in partnership.
She is a motivated and committed professional who believes in partnership and collaborative working to achieve the maximum impact.
CORE EXPERTISE
- Inclusive Arts Education - Leading strategic partnerships to improve access and to deliver meaningful outcomes
- Partnership Development - Building cross-sector collaborations including: high-profile arts institutions and organisations, local government, funders, schools and voluntary organisations.
- Strategic Grant-Making- Advising on grant giving, policy, application assessment, project monitoring and organisational support.
- Impact Measurement & Evaluation - Designing monitoring systems and conducting strategic evaluations for funders and cultural organisations.
- Organisational Reviews - Assessing programme effectiveness, governance, and delivery across arts and education sectors.
- Sector Publications - Authoring influential SEND reports as a catalyst to sector-wide reform.
- Capacity Building - Delivering training, mentoring and toolkits to support strategic development with particular reference to arts and cultural organisations.
