Team
Crew's Board of Directors
Are all volunteers in that they are not paid for the time and commitment they put in. Of course they get payback in seeing the organisation thrive and provide first rate services to a wide range of fellow citizens.
They also learn new skills along the way and whilst maybe not treated like royalty by the rest of the organisation they are give a modicum of respect and the occasional cup of tea when in the building. They represent a diverse range of professionals and lay people form the private, public and voluntary sectors.
Chair of the Board of Directors: Alex Cockerell (Trustee)
Alex joined Crew's board as chair in 2011. He is a board veteran having chaired the board from 2003 to 2007, he has since spent time in Morocco renovating a 600-year old house and is currently running his own consultancy firm advising the banks on how to be safer.
Alex was drawn to Crew by their honest no-dogma approach to drugs and the volunteer-led management ethos of the organisation.
Vice Chair & Company secretary: Anna Ross (Trustee)
Anna Ross joined Crew as a volunteer in 2001 after spending several years listening to loud repetitive beats courtesy of the school of Techno. Since then she has moved on and graduated from the School of Law in Edinburgh and has plans to become a criminal defence lawyer.
Anna became a board member in 2004 and currently serves as the Company Secretary, Vice Chair and is part of the Human Resources Committee. As for the woman herself: She has a passion for social justice, especially concerning the criminalisation of drug users, and she also gets pretty passionate about most things if they stray too far from 'common sense'!
Ann Johnson (Trustee)
Ann Johnson is a Nurse Therapist working in substance misuse with the Local Health Authority and has been involved with providing group work and person centred treatment for people with alcohol problems for many years. Ann is also a Si Fi fan and spends her free time dressing up and attending conventions. Her greatest achievement in her life (so far) is winning second prise in the crew Christmas party fancy dress awards 2011.
Photo to follow soon....
Dawn Abell (Trustee)
Civil Servant who has a professional and personal interest in the field of drug misuse. Closely involved in the development of both the ‘The Road to Recovery' and ‘Psychostimulant Working Group Report'. In her spare time she enjoys reading, running and drinking numerous cups of tea! Her favourite food in the whole world is salad cream sandwiches (must be on white bread). She says she "can't be doing" with all that dance music - she is an indie kid through and through, with a penchant for scruffy musicians with ‘tortured souls'.
Ben Davenport (Trustee- Volunteer Rep)
Hello! My name is Ben. I am a volunteer and a director on the board which means I represent all the volunteers in the decisions that are made on how Crew is run. To do this I am very approachable and can coax ideas and opinions out of anybody. Outside Crew I am a teacher, I enjoy cycling, shushi and throwing shapes to pounding techno!! Ben :)
Paul Scott (Trustee- Volunteer Rep)
Paul Scott is the self deprecating volunteer for Crew who writes in the third person. In theory he is on the Board to voice the opinions of Crew volunteers but in reality is only interested in free biscuits. He is a smug do-gooder who is currently collecting the Top Trumps of charities by volunteering at Crew, Epilepsy Scotland, The Citadel Youth Centre and Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland
He is a former creative advertising art director, so he is obsessed by the media strategies employed to promote safe sex or raise awareness of drugs.
Crew's Staff Team
Director: John Arthur
John has been manager and director of crew since 2003 and before that had a chequered career with various youth and community development organizations.
John's background as a community activist and 'all round good guy' serves him well as a staff member with Crew. His impeccable taste in music endears him to all his colleagues, in particular they love to hear his extensive collection of blue grass music while going about their work.
Acting Operations Manager/ Oasis Co-ordinator:
Matthew Straw
Matthew Straw has been with Crew since 2000, as a volunteer for the first four years before joining the staff team.
Crew is one of several voluntary sector organizations that Matthew has worked with. His work has ranged from event management for the Beltane Fire Festival to Peer Education for Gay Men's Health. Matt has taken on the role of co-ordinating a new joint European project providing access to online self assessment and peer support for people concerned about their use of cocaine & alcohol.
He attained his qualification in Community Education from the University of Dundee in 2007.
Oasis Project Worker: Laura Dey
Laura is the Project Worker for the Oasis project. She brings a barrow load of skills and experience in the health field and is a valuable member of the team. She is currently studying for a diploma in counselling and works voluntarily for other organisations.
Enterprise & Finance Manager: Jeremy Adderley
Jeremy joined the Crew team to guide the development of a Social Enterprise arm: "Crew has cutting edge knowledge and a highly professional team practiced in delivering information and training that improves a huge 'hidden' section of the communities' well-being. Crew's enterprise arm is about growing that capacity and helping to secure its future so it is a considerable honour to be involved."
Jeremy brings over 12 years senior management & business start-up experience. Jeremy is a Bachelor of Science and has a level 4 Management SVQ in leading change. His passions are bikes, travel & food: "I still love a well crafted cocktail or artisanal beer, a legacy of great times in the leisure and hospitality industries!"Training & Outreach Coordinator: Katy MacLeod
Katy joined the Crew team in June 09 and has responsibility for co-ordinating the training & outreach work. This means you could meet her on professional training, at a festival, a club, in a school or a health fair. She has been working in the social care sector for the past few years in a variety of positions and areas, from addiction services to the criminal justice sector.
Katy picked up a couple of qualifications along the way including a COSCA certificate in counselling and a SVQ level 3 in social care. Katy recently achieved her CIPD Certificate in Training Practice to further her skills and interest in training. Before joining Crew, Katy co-ordinated groupwork and training with Turning Point Scotland. Part of Katy's current remit is developing and facilitating national training in substances used as "Legal Highs", a project funded by the Scottish Government in partnership with STRADA. This has turned her into a bit of an anorak and she can be seen trawling drug forums at all hours of the night! Katy's also into her music, she puts on her own club nights in Glasgow as well as writing a little music for film.
Support Services Team Leader: Terezia Brunklaus
Amongst other things Terezia provides support, drug counselling and auricular acupuncture. Occasionally you will also find her facilitating training. Originally from Sweden (although she has both Dutch and Hungarian roots) Terezia has lived in Edinburgh longer than she ever planned to do, as she fell in love with the place and the people, making it her home from home.
With the support of Crew, she undertook Integrative Counselling Training and also her Post Graduate Counselling and Psychotherapy Training at Edinburgh University. "Having more than 10 years of experience of working with drug users I feel passionately about people's right for non-biased information and their capability to make informed decisions about their own wellbeing. I also believe that an accepting, genuine environment makes this possible and I suppose feel a sense of pride to be part of an organisation that, I believe, strives to create such an environment."
Senior Practitioner: Joy Fraser
I am an Edinburgh born and bred lassie and although I have moved around a bit auld reekie keeps drawing me back! I have been working as a Practitioner at Crew since September 2007. Prior to this I was on a year's placement at NHS Fife clinical psychology department.
During this placement it became clear that very few services were available to people who are experiencing problems with their substance use (particularly psychostimulants) or those with substance use problems and mental health difficulties.
The practitioner post at Crew 'leapt out at me' as an area of work I would really like to be involved in. Working at Crew has been a fantastic experience.The staff are all friendly, approachable, down to earth but extremely professional. Crew prides itself on being a place where people can come for non-judgemental support and advice. The backbone of Crew is our volunteers and it has been a pleasure and great fun working with them!
Joy works part-time Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.
Senior Practitioner: Jill Punton
Jill joined the Drug Counselling team last year and works for Crew part time, three days a week (Mondays-Wednesdays).
However, she has still not written her profile...
Senior Practitioner: Michelle MacKinnon-Rae
Michelle joined the drug counselling team at Crew in January 2010 as a part time Senior Practitioner working Wednesdays to Fridays - In 1999 Michelle left her career in law and started her 3 year training as an integrative counsellor at Telford College - she has over 10 years counselling experience, including working for 6 years at Simpson House Drug Counselling Project, working in the community and in HMP Edinburgh.
Michelle is enjoying settling in to her post as part of this friendly and dynamic organisation. "I feel it is so important to try and provide a safe space for individuals to be able to come and explore their issues at their own pace, whether related to their drug use or other things from their past, present or looking to their future, in a non judgemental and supportive environment.
Recovery Development Worker: Diane Lee
Diane joined us at Crew in 2010 as our Recovery Development Worker. Before that she completed a Community Education masters with Edinburgh Uni. and also has a degree in Complementary Healthcare.
Senior Project Worker: Lisa Ferguson
Lisa joined the Crew team in May 2008. A born and bred Edinburgh lass, she trained as a midwife in 2004 and then went on to do a postgraduate in public health with a specific interest in sexual health. She now finds herself responsible for co-ordinating the drop in service and the work Crew does with volunteers.
She enjoys the great outdoors, cooking and travelling and is an avid elephant lover! You'll most likely meet Lisa in the Crew shop on Cockburn Street where you can pop in for some free condoms and a blether. ;o) .
Project Worker: Anastasia (Ana) Swann
Anastasia or Ana to her friends has recently joined the staff team after being on our Board. Ana says she loves Crew and the work it does and brings herself to her new post as Project Worker with much enthusiasm. She will be working along with Lisa in the shop so you can pop in and see her there.
She has worked for Amnesty International and is strongly committed to social justice issues.
Outreach Worker: Elaina Garcia
Elaina is an Edinburgh lass who has been involved with Crew from as far back as 2005. She obtained a BA Hons in Sculpture from Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee and then went on to do a postgraduate in Community Education at The University of Edinburgh. Elaina's time with Crew began as a volunteer and she is now an Outreach Development Worker. She has a variety of experience of working with young people, including substance use and mental health issues.
Crew is one of several voluntary sector organisations that Elaina has worked with, although she says it is Crew's unique approach that has particularly enthused her. She appreciates all that the organisation has done for her as a volunteer and is overjoyed to be part of the team in a professional role, now that she is more qualified to do so.
Reality Therapist: Nicola Fraser
Nicola has been part time with Crew for a number of years now and also works with Women's Aid in Fife. She has worked in the voluntary sector for too many years for one who looks so young.
