Meet the Team

Caroline joined Barnet Centre for Independent Living in November 2010.

She supported its board to create Inclusion Barnet as a new charity run for and by Deaf and Disabled People, which started delivering services in 2016.

She has previously worked as a librarian, and as a writer and editor, and enjoys using all the skills acquired in different roles to deliver user led services for disabled people.

Rebecca joined Inclusion Barnet when Barnet Voice for Mental Health became part of the charity in October 2017.

Rebecca worked in advertising before deciding she wanted to put her lived experience of mental health difficulties to better use.

She is passionate about the power of peer support and developing a greater understanding of what makes peer support effective.

Nitish joined Inclusion Barnet in January 2019 to lead on the delivery of the person-centred Enablement Programme at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS Mental Health Trust, and in January 2021 he joined our Healthwatch Barnet team. Nitish is a Chartered Manager who has worked for both local and national charities. In his various project and programme management roles he has created a tangible impact that has improved people’s health and wellbeing. He is passionate about providing people with the tools they need to live a healthy life and ensure local people have high-quality health and social care services.

Patricia joined Inclusion Barnet in April 2018. She has a background in teaching at Primary level working with children special educational needs.

Patricia spent a few years working on her recovery after experiencing a stroke and has now found a great and welcoming place to work.

Nick joined Inclusion Barnet in April 2017 when they went into partnership with Barnet Libraries to run both South Friern and New Barnet public libraries.

Prior to this, he worked for many years at Barnet & Southgate College, delivering beginners IT classes in several Barnet library branches.

Nick is a fervent supporter of public libraries and was excited to join Inclusion Barnet in their venture to maintain and extend the inclusive, life enriching services they offer.

Debbie joined Inclusion Barnet in December 2021 as Head of Community Services. She has nearly 20 years of experience in the voluntary sector, most recently as Director of Services for Bliss and previously as Director of Community Services at Watford & Three Rivers Trust.

Melvin joined our Healthwatch Barnet team in February 2022 to work on the NHS Winter Wellness Project. This is part of a community outreach and engagement campaign on behalf of the North Central London CCG. He has worked in statutory, voluntary and community-based health provision in several parts of the UK.

Melvin is a passionate advocate of lived-experience as an important dimension to both user-voice and involvement in design, delivery and development of all aspects of health and social care.

Sam joined Inclusion Barnet in October 2021. She is running User Voice’s new ‘Community Reporter’ project until March 2022.

She recently completed her PhD in Social Philosophy and has a background in writing and research.

Sam is passionate about social justice issues. Her lived experience of Fibromyalgia informs her approach to inclusivity, invisibility, and intersecting injustices.

Tracey joined the Touchpoint Team within Inclusion Barnet in October 2021. Tracey has worked in various roles within the Health & Social Care sector since 2000. She is also a trained Counsellor, and has lived experience. Tracey believes she has a lot to offer within the role – and says that she feels fortunate to be working for a very inclusive and supportive charity.

Laura joined the Touchpoint Team within Inclusion Barnet in October 2021 from a background in client relationship management. Laura is also currently studying and training to be an Integrative Psychotherapist as well as working as an honorary councillor for a charity focussed on improving the mental health within the LGBTQ+ community.

Laura is keen to combine their lived experience of being neurodivergent with their education, training and passion towards reducing stigma, driving awareness and accessibility in supporting vulnerable adults.

Rebecca joined Inclusion Barnet in August 2021 after finishing her Masters of Law degree. She has a background in providing legal support to migrants and refugees as well as actively challenging education inequality within inner London schools. Rebecca firmly believes in peer led models of service and hopes to use her professional and personal experiences to deliver excellent welfare and benefits advice.

Emma joined Inclusion Barnet in August 2021 and brings 12 years of working with data within the public sector.

She has significant experience in research, insight, engagement and communications and is passionate about public involvement and co-production in the design and delivery of health and social care services.

Aiming to use her experience of having two long term conditions to help improve equality for people across all services, Emma is currently also a Board Member at a Local Healthwatch in North East London.

Judi started with Inclusion Barnet in May 2021, having worked as an Event Manager for the past 6 years with a personal development charity with bases around the world.

In 2013-14 Judi worked within the Barnet VCS infrastructure organisation as a Membership Officer, so comes with some knowledge of the borough.

She has worked in mental health and education for the previous 20 years, starting in 1992 with the first Mental Health User Empowerment Project in Ealing, which went on to be run by a project officer with lived experience. She has also supported the VCS as lead through the Department of Health, Mental Health Strategic Partnership Programme from 2008-2012. She is also a chair of governors within a south London Multi-academy Trust.

Her passion is psychology and continuing to understand how to support humanity to flourish in all aspects of their lives, especially through positive and rewarding work.

Banos joined Inclusion Barnet in March 2021 to lead our co-produced adult social care research and campaigning work.

Banos has over twenty-five years of undertaking social and market research for clients in the public and private sectors, with an emphasis on health service policy development.

Banos has a Masters degree in Social Research Methods and is always looking for innovations in how to approach research to inform better policy. Particularly in how to embed user led research and stimulate user led policy making.

Claire joined Inclusion Barnet In April 2021 bringing her 15 years of comms, marketing and operational experience to the team. Claire is keen to combine her expertise with her lived experience of mental health and her caring responsibilities for her sister.

“Joining IB has felt like coming home. Working with colleagues who live by the social model of disability has been very refreshing. Disabled people and employers are both missing out on a wealth of untapped potential out there, so it is great to be part of a team that is helping to break down some of those societal barriers through peer led working and co-production partnerships”.

With a passion for empowering and improving mental health wellbeing within communities I have experience of working and volunteering within the families and youth charities sector. I have also worked as a project officer for an early intervention charity where I delivered community-based projects enabling others to thrive. Having achieved my dream to become a cameraperson for BBC London News I then went on to work with the community channel where I encouraged increased representation and engagement from BAME charities. Diagnosed with MS over 16 years ago I am thrilled to be working with an organisation that can make a difference in others’ everyday lives.

Kate joined Inclusion Barnet in March 2020 as the Touchpoint Services Manager. Kate has worked in the mental health sector for 10+ years in a range of different roles but most recently as a Peer Support Coordinator. With a passion for peer led services, she wants to continue to use both her professional and lived experience to support and develop the Touchpoint Services for the future.

Ellen joined Inclusion Barnet in July 2020 to work for Barnet Together as their Fundraising and Organisational Development Advisor, in November she moved into a new position as Voluntary and Community Sector Support Lead.

Ellen has worked in the arts, heritage and charity sector for 30+ years, in Fundraising, Marketing and Project Management roles. She is keen to use her experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to provide support, advice and resources for Barnet’s voluntary, community. faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations.

Andrea joined Inclusion Barnet early in 2020 to work with the volunteer teams at New Barnet and South Friern Public Libraries. She moved over to Healthwatch Barnet team in October of that year and enjoys working with the team to make sure that Barnet people’s voices are heard on issues of health and social care. She feels privileged to be part of a DDPO where there is so much to learn daily from friends and colleagues.

Eve has been User Voice Project Lead since October 2020, having originally joined IB as a Peer Worker on the Touchpoint team.

She is passionate about amplifying voices that often go unheard by society, creative approaches to accessibility and providing opportunities for disabled people to participate in politics.

Eve lives with multiple sclerosis, ADHD and several other long-term health conditions. Most of her work-related challenges are due to fatigue and differences in the way her brain works as a neurodivergent person.

Her favourite thing about working at Inclusion Barnet is that people are encouraged and supported to bring their whole selves to work. She continues to be amazed and heartened daily by her colleagues’ willingness to be open and vulnerable.

Shulbha joined Inclusion Barnet in June 2017 as a volunteer at East Barnet Library. Since February 2020, she has been employed as one of Inclusion Barnet’s two Library Officers, working with volunteers at both New Barnet and South Friern Libraries.

Shulbha previously worked within the IT industry as a developer and in production support. She enjoys reading, workingin a warm and friendly environment and being able to help others.

Biography coming soon!