Meet Our Staff

Founder - Director (She/Her)

I lead the incredible 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 our 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.

I have always been involved in activism and believe strongly in the power of hope, solidarity and collective action.

I have special interests in social justice, anti-oppressive practices and intersectional feminism.

'I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

Youth Service Manager (She/Her)

Global Social Club Lead (She/They)

I feel very lucky to have been appointed as Global Social Club Lead.
The project has a strong history of providing fun and intercultural interaction in a warm, safe space. I'm excited to be leading the Club's amazing team of dedicated staff, partners and volunteers.

I am a trained youth worker, facilitator, trainer, teacher and
campaigner. I've spent most of my career in the UK, as well as in Eritrea, Nepal and the Caribbean.

I'm passionate about meeting young people and facilitating spaces where they can grow, share and have new experiences. Global Social Club is a space like this - and it is such a joy to spend time with the young people who attend.

 “I am a person through other people.
My humanity is tied to yours.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu 

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.

Hummingbird Ambassador (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.

I regularly represent the charitiy at events, meetings and in the media. Including representing the organisation and young people in the Houses of Parliament.

I am  currently studying a to be a Social Worker at university,  And I'm also the founder of Worthing Ping table tennis club and was a touring actor in the much celebrated play ‘Borderline’. 

One interesting fact, is that coined the expression ‘standing shoulder to shoulder’ which inspired the Hummingbird Project's vision statement.

Be Well, Be Heard Team Leader (She/Her)

I’m the Team Leader of the Be Well, Be Heard service. 

I’m very proud to support our team of talented Specialist Support Workers, who offer 1:1 support to young people, in navigating the many systems in the UK, (e.g. asylum, health, education, housing, finances). The team works to assist each young person in feeling safer, more supported, and to develop their independence.    

Since 2014, I’ve worked alongside children, young people and adults who have a lived experience of migration, (in northern France, Greece and the UK), including 5 years in the home of a community of young people.  

I am passionate about young people feeling truly seen and heard, understanding their rights and entitlements, and in the power of community. 

My interest is in supporting the Be Well, Be Heard team to feel safe, connected and empowered in the work that they do, so that we can stand strongly together with the young people who access the service. 

Young Women's Specialist Support Worker (She/Her)

I am the Young Women's Specialist Support Worker as part of the Be Well Be Heard team. I offer specialised 1:1 support to the young women we support and I am thrilled to work alongside such inspirational colleagues and young people.

I have been volunteering and working in the charity sector for 10 years, and specifically alongside people from refugee backgrounds since 2019. I have worked and volunteered across the UK, Cambodia, Peru and West Africa in schools and with community groups. I am dedicated to championing the voices of racialised people and acknowledge that as a sector we must continually push back against imperial models of charity. Keeping the voices of the people we work with at the forefront is central to decolonising charity work.

Outside of Hummingbird I am a freelance illustrator and am currently working on publishing my first children's book. I have produced graphic sketchnotes for Action Aid Senagal, Comic Relief's Global majority Fund, Voices of Domestic Workers, and the annual UNcharitable Fundraising Conference.

Specialist Support Worker for Global Social Club (She/Her)

I am the Specialist Support Worker at Global Social Club. I am excited to join staff and volunteers at the Hummingbird Project in providing a safe and welcoming space for young 
asylum seekers and refugees in Brighton. 

My role is to support and empower young people coming to the service so that they can grow and build fulfilling lives in the UK. I am here to listen and work with them towards their goals. My priority is to centre the voices of young refugees and asylum seekers, to ensure the service is shaped according to their needs. 

I have been involved in grassroots campaigns for migrant justice in both the UK and Italy. I hold an MA in Migration & Global Development from the University of Sussex, and before joining the Hummingbird Project I was working for a homeless charity in London.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

James Baldwin 

Specialist Support Worker (She/her)

I have recently joined the Hummingbird project as a specialist support worker. I am looking forward to working collaboratively alongside young asylum seekers and refugees to help build a safe space where they are heard, and their voices are at the centre of the work we commit to. I have worked previously in Brighton and West Sussex, supporting young asylum seekers and refugees, helping them integrate into our communities. Focusing on person centered approaches, I supported them with their housing, finances, independent living skills, positive relationships and education. For me, it is imperative that our young people have access to support networks and equal opportunities that everybody else has in society and that we continue to advocate and campaign to protect their rights.

Young Women's Group Lead (She/Her)

As the Young Women’s Group Lead at Hummingbird, I aim to co-create supportive, empowering spaces with young women, ensuring their voices and wellbeing remain at heart of what we do. 

My commitment to working with marginalised communities is rooted in my family's history of displacement and upbringing in Hawaii, which shapes my drive and practice in facilitating safe, inclusive spaces for women with migration experiences. Before joining Hummingbird, I worked in a range of grassroots organisations including Bramber Bakehouse, Baobab Centre, and Helen Bamber Foundation, where I focused on trauma-informed programme design, participatory practice, and holistic support for women survivors of trafficking, gender-based violence, and exploitation.

I am passionate about co-designing services that intentionally reflect the experiences and aspirations of the young people I work with, and I believe that radical self-love and community care are transformative, liberating responses to disenfranchising systems.

“Transform yourself to transform the world”

― Grace Lee Boggs

Young Leaders Support and Engagement Worker (She/Her)

I am thrilled to be joining the Hummingbird Project as a Young Leaders Support and Engagement Worker. As the daughter and granddaughter of refugees, I truly feel the key to supporting young people is listening to what they have to say; helping to elevate their own voices and lived experiences. After over ten years of working with young people from a range of backgrounds, teaching and building confidence through drama and play, I feel excited to be working alongside young people and learning from what they bring to the table. My previous professional experience is in theatre, working as a performer in musicals touring the UK and Internationally, and alongside my work at The Hummingbird Project I am also a trainee counsellor where I am undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic Counselling and Psychotherapy at Brighton University. I am extremely excited to work with Young Leaders and to be a part of the amazing work The Hummingbird Project does. 

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!

 “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

Audre Lorde

Fundraising Manager (She/Her)

I am the Fundraising Manager and my role is to secure the income necessary to keep running our incredible services. This involves writing and submitting grant applications to trusts and foundations, overseeing community fundraising initiatives and working with local businesses to build partnerships to support our services. As part of my role I support the evaluation and monitoring of our programmes, including reporting to funders and donors on progress and outcomes.

I was a youth worker in a national youth organisation for over a decade, but my career started at one of The Big Four before I moved into the third sector. This has given me a unique understanding of both the business of charities and the direct services they provide. I strongly believe that our lived experience is our superpower and I strive to ensure that my work reflects the young people themselves.

I have been involved in activism and advocacy for most of my life, and it is my view that our society should be judged on how it treats those who are most marginalised. All young people should have the opportunities to thrive, and I am honoured that I get to be a small part of their journey with Hummingbird.

Finance & Administration Officer (She/Her)

In my role at Hummingbird I oversee the general administration and financial processes as part of a job share with my colleague, Kate. Having previously worked in the charity and higher education sector and across various international contexts, I am delighted to now be part of the Hummingbird Project team, working alongside people who share the same core values. 

I am passionate about equality, social justice and anti-racism work. In particular, the centering of the voices and lived experiences of minoritised people and communities. 

Alongside my work at Hummingbird I am studying for a part-time PhD at University of the Creative Arts, exploring Bengali British identity through hand weaving and contemporary textile design. 

"Stand for something or you will fall for anything."

Rosa Parks 

Finance & Administration Officer (She/Her)

As Finance and Administration Officer I help with managing Hummingbird’s financial activities and supporting the team with HR and administration.    

I love my job because it combines my passion for Human Rights with my love of spreadsheets and the satisfaction that comes from making things balance.  Coming to work every day and being surrounded by people with the same moral values as me is very important and because of this I feel very lucky to be a part of the Hummingbird team.  

My working background includes managing the finance for an environmental charity as well as volunteer recruitment and management for a social prescribing project.  I also have a degree in Human Rights and Creative Writing. 

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived.  It is what difference we have made to the lives of others."

Nelson Mandela