THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Youth Service Manager ( She / Her )
Youth Service Manager (She/Her) I manage our fantastic interdisciplinary team at Hummingbird who seek to provide the best environment and tools to support the courageous and resilient young people we work with. I began my journey in the refugee support sector in 2015 whilst studying International Relations and Development Studies at SOAS. Prior to my current role at Hummingbird I have worked in a variety of grassroots charities that centre on promoting the rights of people with lived experience of migration. These roles have focussed on the delivery and management of frontline advice and support services, advocacy and campaigning, social integration programmes and legal education. I am passionate about and committed to positive social change and championing the rights, livelihoods and wellbeing of people affected by the hostile environment. Alongside my work at Hummingbird I am studying a part time MSc Climate Change at Birkbeck University, and am enrolled on a part time Farm Entrants Traineeship at Lovebrook Farm, an ecological wellbeing project in the heart of the South Downs.
Atiya leads equality and strategic partnerships at Children's Services for East Sussex County Council. She is particuarly excited about championing youth voice and facilitatuing collaborative commissioning across the public and voluntary sector.
Her voluntary roles include Trustee of Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust and Chair of south Asian classical dance company, Amina Khayyam Dance Company.
Job Titles:
- Young Leaders Programme Lead ( They / Them )
I am the new Young Leaders Lead, and it's an exciting project to join. I am very passionate about young people having a voice and a seat at the table.
I have nearly 20 years expereince working with young people in the charity, mental health and arts sector. I am an educator and arts practitioner who's practice focuses on mental health and wellbeing, empowerment, participatory practice and creativity!
I have worked for various grassroots charities in London, managing, developing, facilitating projects with and for young people, providing a safe space for people to have their voices heard. My background was in community arts for social change. I am also a trainee counsellor Mindfulness practitioner and work in a trauma informed, compassionate way.
I have worked extensively in the LGBTQ+ youth sector, VAWG, and with young people with additional needs (disabilities, neurodiversity).
I am excited to support our future Young Leaders and join such an amazing team at Hummingbird!
Damien is a digital marketing wiz and passionate about Internet and the way it connects people and cultures.
He is also involved in different well-being activities like meditation, yoga and mindfulness.
Job Titles:
- Founder - Director ( She / Her )
Ilead the incredible and dynamic Hummingbird Project, and work closely with our Hummingbird Young Leaders to make sure our work is centred around the ideas and feedback of young people with lived experience.
I began the Hummingbird project in 2015, alongside the community of Brighton, as a response to the hostile and ill treatment of refugees in the Calais ‘Jungle' in Northern France. I have been honoured to continue that work in the UK since 2017, now as a registered charity, responding to the hostile environment and often racist practices of the UK government through the asylum system.
Prior to setting up the Hummingbird Project in 2015, my work has largely been on the frontline. Mostly in child protection and with adults and children who have experienced domestic and sexual violence but also supporting those living with HIV.
I have always been involved in activism and believe strongly in the power of hope, solidarity and collective action.
Elisa is a consultant with over 6 years' experience of working in
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Sector Support Manager for Community Works
Fabia Bates is the Sector Support Manager for Community Works, the membership organisation for the voluntary and community sector in Brighton & Hove, Adur & Worthing. She has worked in the voluntary sector for over 20 years, including 5 years as Director of Survivors' Network, the Rape Crisis Centre for Susssex .
Job Titles:
- Learning Space Lead ( She / Her )
I am Hummingbird's Education Lead and run our learning space.
I am an experienced teacher and have worked in education for over 10 years, including supporting young refugees in the UK and abroad. I have an MA in Migration and Global Development from the University of Sussex.
I believe that learning is a lifelong process which should be accessible to everyone. I enjoy supporting young people to develop their skills and knowledge to open up new opportunities and allow them to fulfil their potential.
Job Titles:
- Finance & Administration Officer ( She / Her )
My role at Hummingbird is to oversee the financial activities of the organisation, as well as the general administration of the charity. I am focused on improving working processes for the team, to support the charity's services.
Prior to joining Hummingbird, I worked for several years as an accounts assistant within an international development consultancy firm.
I feel passionately about the protection of those most vulnerable in our community, so I am pleased to aid the Hummingbird team in making Brighton a more welcoming and supportive environment for young people from refugee backgrounds.
Katie is a humanitarian consultant with 17 years' experience working in emergency situations across Africa and Asia. Now based in Brighton, Katie conducts evaluations for UN agencies in complex conflict, displaced, and refugee contexts across the world. Katie specialises in protection issues with a specific focus on adolescents and youth, and gender.
Job Titles:
- Senior Specialist Support Worker ( He / Him )
I am the Senior Specialist Support Worker for our Be Well, Be Heard service, providing one-to-one casework with young people and working with our wonderful team.
I have been supporting and working alongside young people from refugee backgrounds for the last 6 years both in the UK and France. Through a combination of youth work, casework and emotional support.
I am passionate about supporting young people to challenge the hostile environment in the UK and thrive. I also am focused on giving young people the resources and information they need to grow in confidence and develop their own skills and abilities.
May is currently retired and studying for a BA in Fine Art in Brighton. She was previously a senior tax inspector in the Inland Revenue (later HMRC) in Scotland and London, when one of her roles was head of IR Charities (Scotland). She has been a Trustee of several Arts organisations and brings to Hummingbird an understanding of accounts, bookkeeping and charity law. She is also an accredited mediator.
Job Titles:
- Global Social Club Lead ( She / They )
Job Titles:
- Hummingbird Ambassador & Specialist Support Worker ( He / Him )
I am one of Hummingbird Project's longest standing Young Leaders and a winner of Campaigner of the Year in the 2019 UK Parliamentry Awards.
Neha has over 20 years experience driving large scale organisational change.
Neha has now stepped out of the corperate world, to set up a successful food business where she shares her passion for global cuisine, she has also retrained as a yoga teacher
More recently Neha has joined the charity sector to join the fight against racial and gender inequality.
Young Leaders Facilitator & Female Engagement Lead (She/Her) My role is facilitating sessions for Young Leaders, as well as providing support to young women accessing Hummingbird's services. My work background has always been working with people, for people in various capacities. This involved me working as an artist, Exhibiting my painting, delivering art workshops, Therapeutic art life coaching, and Business Brand Story coaching, helping people use their personal story to find their brand story, using the P.H.A.T.I Brand Story System, that l devised. I have also worked in Schools as a Supply teacher, and been invited for speaking engagements, as an Inspirational Speaker at events like International Women' Day, Refugee Week, advocate for women in domestic abuse. l love working with young people, helping them make wise CHOICES and decisions for their lives, and in this case young women coming from refugee backgrounds, l can relate. I came from that background myself "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he may run that readeth it" Habakkuk 2:2
Job Titles:
- Independent Consultant
- Trustee
Richard is an independent consultant specialising in evaluation, policy analysis and advocacy, with particular expertise in asylum and migration in the European Union. He is a member of MigrationWork CIC, a not-for-profit consultancy that focuses on migration and integration, and chairs Sanctuary-on-Sea, the Brighton & Hove City of Sanctuary group. He has been involved with Hummingbird since 2015.
Job Titles:
- Specialist Refugee Support Worker ( She / Her )
My role is Specialist Support Worker, providing one-to-one support to young people across all aspects of their lives.
Prior to my current role, I spent many years in the live events industry. I am also a trainee counsellor and bereavement volunteer.
I'm passionate about community and enjoy working with young people to support them in making a new home in a welcoming environment.
"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
Thom joined the Hummingbird project in September 2019 and brings with him 12 years of fundraising experience. In his previous role at Monash University, Australia, Thom helped to set up the 'Change It. For Good' Campaign to raise $500 million from 50,000 donors, which included a focus on significantly expanding the number of scholarships awarded to students seeking asylum
Young Leaders Facilitator (He/Him) I help to run our Young Leaders Program! I support young people in learning new skills such as public speaking, leadership, communication and confidence. I also help the Young Leaders prepare for events and public speaking engagments and work with other refugee organisations to help share our learnings from the Young Leaders Program. My work experience is a wide variety of technology, events and creativity. More than anything I just like dreaming up ideas and making them happen. I love to see people (young and old) grow in confidence and take on new opportunties and challenges. Watching and each every Hummingbird Young Leader progress on their own amazing journey fills me hope and pride. "You, the people have the power. The power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure" Charlie Chaplin