MYRIAM ABDEL-BASIT
Youth Caseworker
Myriam joined CARAS in January 2020 as Youth Caseworker where she helps connect young people with services and support their needs. After completing a master's in International Relations from University College Dublin, she has worked in various roles within refugee response including Search and Rescue in the Mediterranean Sea and running psychosocial support groups for children and teenagers in refugee camps in Greece as a Cultural Mediator. Myriam has previously worked with Médecins Sans Frontiers, Save The Children, and the Refugee Trauma Initiative.
MOLLY ABRAHAM
Head of Casework
Molly has worked for CARAS in various roles since 2010. She has previously managed both our adult and child services and is now focused on developing our casework provision. Molly is a registered social worker with a particular interest in working with separated children. She has studied both international development and social work at the master's level. Previously, she worked at a social work center in Southern Morocco, and as a Local Authority social worker in the UK. Molly currently volunteers with Social Workers Without Borders and has spent time volunteering in both Greece and Calais.
MIRZA BAIG
Operations Officer
Mirza has previously worked at CARAS as Admin and Communication Assistant, looking after the office building, communications and volunteer coordination. Over the past few years Mirza has volunteered in local and national organisations in many capacities supporting human rights and the rights of asylum seekers/refugees. He has worked with all kinds of age groups from different communities through art, well-being and social work in charities including The Children's Society, YMCA, MIND Lancashire and Refugee Council.
EGLE BANELYTE
Head of Youth Services
Egle has spent the last four years building an extraordinary youth service at CARAS centred on young people’s strengths and wishes. She has an MSc in Migration Studies and has worked at CARAS for seven years in a range of roles including support for children and families support and administrative coordination. Egle started at CARAS as a volunteer coordinator and has pursued other voluntary work abroad. She is also a big fan of ice cream and swimming.
ELEANOR BROWN
Managing Director
Eleanor has worked with young people throughout her professional life as a teacher and trainer both in the UK and abroad, before completing an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development, and joining CARAS in 2011. She has a strong interest in alternative education which supports the access and achievement of marginalised young people. She has contributed articles to publications and spoken at conferences about access to education for refugees and asylum seekers in the UK.
DANIEL CALVERT
Head of Learning and Language Skills
Daniel has taught ESOL in the UK, Portugal and Spain for ten years alongside his work in educational publishing for Oxford University Press and the British Red Cross. Since completing an MA Applied Lingusitics at the Institute of Education, Daniel’s research into improving educational outcomes for bi/multilingual learner has been shared across third-sector organisations in London and selected by UCL for a British Council award for its impact.
JAMIE CHARNOCK
Head of Adult Inclusion
Having graduated the University of Vienna with an MA in Human Rights, Jamie has spent five years working in the international refugee sector. Specializing in the inclusion and participation of marginalized groups, Jamie is a fervent believer in the power of human-centered design to build programs that help people create lives of value, meaning and purpose.
ELLA COSGROVE
Development Officer
Ella’s background is in campaigning and support work. They have a Masters in Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse, and lean towards research and fundraising as a form of strength in the charity sector. Ella has previously worked in fundraising and support with refugee and asylum-seeking people in London, Calais, and other parts of Europe.
ANNIE DUNCAN
Adult Caseworker
Annie supports adults to access the services they need and claim the rights to which they are entitled. She holds an MSc in Migration, Mobility & Development from SOAS and an MA in Interpreting & Translation. As an advocate for forced migrants’ rights, Annie emphasises a participatory approach in her work. She has previously researched human trafficking prevention and response, including at the British Institute of International & Comparative Law. Annie has volunteered at SOAS Detainee Support for over two years and previously volunteered in various capacities with other forced migrant organisations in London, Greece, Mexico, and Australia.
MATHILDA GRIVELL
Youth Coordinator
Tilly has an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development from SOAS, completed alongside her position as an Assistant Programme Manager on the NCS Youth Programme in London. Her voluntary experience supporting refugees and asylum seekers includes volunteering for Breaking Barriers, SOAS Detainee Support and in Calais and Dunkirk, of supporting young refugees relocated under the Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme, and two years volunteering at CARAS. She continues to advocate and campaign for detainees’ rights with SOAS Detainee Support. Tilly is passionate about using participatory methods with those she works with.
CHRIS LACK
ESOL Coordinator
Before joining CARAS, Chris worked for the British Council and private language schools as an English teacher, teacher trainer and academic manager. He has also volunteered for a number of refugee organisations in London and abroad.
RACHEL MACKENZIE
ESOL Teacher
Rachel has taught in adult education since 2001 teaching a combination of basic skills, literacy, and ESOL. Starting in a Further Education college she found her real love was outreach work. She moved to work for the Workers’ Educational Association and her scope broadened to include an eclectic variety of community groups, employment settings, and - in her last three years - the military. Now, as well as teaching ESOL for CARAS, she enjoys doing voluntary outdoor conservation work, walking, and - most of all - playing with her youngest relatives.
HELEN MASON
Volunteer Development
Helen joined the CARAS team in July 2018. She is an experienced Volunteers’ Manager and practitioner of best practice in volunteering. She lives and volunteers locally and saw the job as a great opportunity to share her expertise in supporting volunteers in refugee charities. Helen has set up and supported volunteer teams in university, social services, social enterprise, arts and health and community settings across the UK. She is a trained facilitator and project manager and used to supporting volunteers at all levels in organisations. Helen also works part-time as the Volunteer Coordinator for Action For Refugees in Lewisham (AFRIL) in South East London. She is a member of the Institute of Economic Development and has an MSc in Equal Opportunities Studies.
SOMAYA SULTANI
Finance Officer
Somaya is a chartered member of the Association of Charted Accountants and has a BSc in Business Management & Accountancy. Having worked in corporate finance, NGOs and charities, she joined CARAS as she thoroughly enjoys working for a good cause supporting less advantaged people.
PETE TARGET
Director of Operations
Pete specialises in strategy and fundraising for the arts and for migrants' rights. Beginning his career as a literary and arts publisher, he moved into campaigning for refugee rights when he joined the communications team at UNRWA in Lebanon. While in Lebanon he co-founded the arts company AMP Art whose first production was Refuge/e, an awareness-raising tour of a Syrian refugee shelter from Lebanon to major arts venues in Yorkshire and the north-east, ending at the Southbank Centre and attracting 10,000 visitors. His role at CARAS is to manage the charity's office, finances and growth.
AMY TRAXSON
Youth Coordinator
Amy joined CARAS in June 2019 from the British Red Cross in Birmingham where she worked as a Service Coordinator in International Family Tracing and a Casework Coordinator in Refugee Support. Amy has an MA in International Development, Poverty, Conflict and Reconstruction from the University of Manchester. Amy has volunteered in various roles for STAR, Refugee Action and in Calais with Help Refugees. Amy is also an experienced youth worker from previous roles at The Challenge Network and as a TEFL teacher.