Leadership
Dez Brown is the CEO and Founder of Spark2Life.
Dez founded and has pioneered the Spark2Life project since 2006 while leading a large inner-city youth ministry with 80+ in attendance. Dez enjoys building teams and developing leaders, in 2012 as both projects were demanding he handed over the vibrant youth programme to a person who came through it.
Dez is a reformed offender is married with four adult children; he has an autobiography – ‘Convicted or Condemned’. He’s an ordained minister, qualified therapist and a cultural architect. Dez has been going into prisons for over 20 years and now offers training, coaching and consultation to the sector.
Jamela has been working with young people for 24-years. She became a Maths teacher in 2000 and progressed onto becoming a Deputy Head Teacher in a north London Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) in 2012. She is committed to advocating for, supporting and investing in young people who are marginalised because they are considered disaffected and hard-to-reach.
She strongly believes that no young person should be disregarded, and all are worthy of our best care.
Jamela is the Spark2Life Director of Operations. She has operational oversight over the organisation along with the strategic oversight of the implementation of policies and procedures across the life of the organisation.
Despina has worked in the charity sector within the Mental Health, Criminal Justice and Education fields for over 10 years. She studied Forensic Psychology and worked as frontline practitioner with vulnerable adults and young people in police custody, courts, prison and probation. She then implemented and managed charitable forensic and school mental health services in partnership with His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the NHS England and NHS Trusts, various local authorities of London and the third sector across London.
As the Business Development Director of Spark2Life, she is responsible for all areas of income generation, developing and delivering Spark2Life’s strategies of communications and business development.
Arnold was born and raised in East London based in Waltham Forest. It is at the age of 17 that Arnold decided to separate himself from the negative influences so that he might inspire those with a similar background to his.
Arnold is Spark2Life's Prevention Manager and oversees our Schools and Community Department. Through schools, young people are positively impacted by the specialised support. The aim is to foster resilience and promote personal growth. With the Community work, the aim is to empower young people and Parents/Carers with knowledge, skills, and provide emotional support.
Arnold is passionate about people and he is committed to helping people both realise their potential and then release that potential in a positive way showing that people can challenge the negative stigma associated with them.
John was born and raised in South London, growing up in an area heavily influenced by crime and gang culture. At age 14, he fell into a life of crime and was immersed within a gang culture that landed him in prison at 19 years old.
John is now Spark2Life's Intervention Manager overseeing contracts and caseworkers in both South and East London.
He is a positive role model and mentor to the young people that he supports as well as his colleagues. Due to his own lived experience, John is often able to relate to the young people he supports and despite now being in a leadership position, is still dedicated to providing support that will prevent young people making the mistakes as him.
He is passionate about working with young people because he has seen so many dreams killed because of a lack of self-belief.
Nikaela has worked with young people for over 10 years and is passionate about supporting their emotional and mental wellbeing.
Nikaela has worked with many vulnerable and at-risk young people and she is committed to transforming the opportunities for those who are effected by SEMH (Social Emotional Mental Health) difficulties.
As the Therapeutic Coordinator she manages the Community Mentoring project within Waltham Forest and is developing a counselling service within the organisation which is integral to the trauma-informed approach that Spark2Life has adopted when working with its clients. Nikaela is also Head of Innovation at Spark2Life.
Admin & Operations
Beth was born and raised in East London. Growing up in a family where faith was of paramount importance, she became strong in her values from an early age, however those close to her sadly fell into a criminal lifestyle which led to them spending time in prison.
After completing her degree in Journalism Beth spent time volunteering at other criminal justice charities and writing for social justice magazines. She then worked as a full-time journalist covering Walthamstow which is how she was introduced to Spark2Life. After learning of the amazing work that Spark2Life carry out, Beth came on board to put her multimedia skills to use and she currently works in social media and admin.
Beth is passionate about second chances and more opportunities to empower young people to become the best people they can be and contribute positively to their communities.
Bradley was born and raised in Sri Lanka (Colombo) and then travelled to Australia (Melbourne) with his family. The family came to the UK in 2001 when Bradley was 11 and he has lived in East London for the past 18 years. At the age of 12, Bradley got involved with a gang in East London and it was in his 20’s he decided to step back from the lifestyle and started to focus on his education, this change was difficult but through the support of loved ones he was able to start a new life. Bradley realised that his risk-taking behaviour exposed him to exploitation and this impacted on his family and those he loved.
Bradley attended East London University in Stratford and achieved a degree in Social Work. This enabled him to train in Southwark social services during his placement year. During this placement, his eyes were opened to the significant impact gang affiliation had on young people, reflecting on his journey in life and the experiences shared by others made him more determined to focus on working with young people and helping them make the right choices and empowering them to make a change.
“Don’t let the past blackmail your present, to ruin a beautiful future”
Richard was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica (the best island in the world).
Prior to working at Spark2Life, Richard worked for Allen Robyn Associates Ltd for over 6 years. He decided to make the transition to S2L because he was aware of the impact S2L has within the BAME community and wanted to a part of the solutions being provided.
Richard currently works as a Financial Director at Spark2Life and has been an asset to the team.
Tobi was born and raised in western Nigeria – Lagos to be precise. She was raised in Mushin, a very rough part of Lagos, but by reserved parents who prioritized discipline over anything in life. She lived with her mum and sister before joining her dad in London 2019.
As Christians, Tobi and her family hold service to humanity dearly and she always wants to help people solve their problems in whatever way she can.
Tobi is passionate about seeing young people make positive life choices regardless of where they are from or what they have been through. Tobi also gives people the benefit of the doubt, she believes everyone deserves a second chance.
“I am very much excited at the prospect of developing within the role of Office & HR administrator as Spark2Life continues to blossom.”
Meet the team
Aaron was born and raised in Islington then moved to Manor park, and now lives in Dagenham.
Aaron has always had a heart to work with people and has always wanted to understand those who can be easily misunderstood. Within his friendship group he has always been the go-to person for people when they are struggling in their lives or struggling with being pulled into a criminal lifestyle. He is, for his friends, the person who gives advice and speaks positivity into their lives without judgement.
Aaron decided to join Spark2Life, as despite his former love of money, he was able to avoid any trouble with the law, he then discovered a purpose for his life that was greater than money.
Spark2Life's aim also resonated with Aaron due to him seeing those around him involved in criminal activity, and feeling that they were cheated by the system which lead to limiting their futures and self worth.
Aaron is currently a Project Coordinator in Hackney, where he mentors young people with hopes of opening their eyes to see a different way of living, presenting them with options of a different path, while also advocating for them in spaces where their voices are sometimes not heard.
Aaron was born in east London, Whipps Cross hospital and grew up in the Waltham Forest area.
Before joining Spark2Life, Aaron spent many years trying to figure out his path in life, which lead to being drawn into things of a criminal nature. However, he also worked in hospitality, retail and admin giving him wider experiences of professional environments.
Aaron joined Spark2Life due to his passion for people, especially those from similar backgrounds who may have faced similar challenges to him.
Aaron is currently a Caseworker at Spark2Life where he mentors and advocates for young people from 13-25, he says he has enjoyed learning and developing as a caseworker which has in turn helped to develop himself.
Aaron said: "Spark2Life really have a great culture within the organisation which we look to spread to the people we work with. I believe no one is born bad and every one deserves a fair chance to prosper and enjoy life as it should be."
Adrian was born in Bow, raised in Brixton but spent most of his life in Romford. He has worked in many different industries over the last 10 years but predominantly worked in the security industry. Adrian positioned himself in many different roles from top to bottom and realised he enjoyed the relational side of business. However, he decided to take a more purposeful route in his life.
Adrian currently works as a Caseworker at Spark2Life and enjoys his role so much so that it doesn't feel like work for him. Adrian brings a hardworking attitude to his role and hopes to learn and grow within all areas of Spark2Life.
Adrian also has a strong passion for music and is keen to see how much of his musical ability can be an asset for Spark2Life.
Daron grew up in Peckham and was involved in the gang culture within the area and subsequently, the criminal justice system.
Daron has always wanted to work with like minded people who share the mission of helping young people who are facing similar problems to himself and others with lived experience.
Although this was Daron's main reason for joining Spark2life, he has been working within the youth work field for years and has run his own workshops with young carers.
Daron's role within Spark2Life is a Caseworker in the Lewisham area, which he finds to be a highly rewarding role.
Emmanuel was born and raised in North London.
Emmanuel previously worked for Nationwide Building Society in the mortgage department for two years, but his days became quite tedious. The working from home style didn’t suit him as he was used to and enjoyed working and interacting with people.
Emmanuel decided to join the Spark2Life team after being assigned a mentor as a young person himself and saw the benefits. He now feels he owes it to the next generation to pass on the things he was taught as well as some of the life lessons he has learnt himself through his own experiences.
Emmanuel is a Spark2Life Schools and Detached worker.
Ed-Michael was born and raised in the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
He is currently based at a Pupil Referral Unit in Waltham Forest, where he conducts 1-1 and group mentoring sessions aimed at shifting the paradigm of young people and building up their resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
In his early years, Ed-Michael experienced traumatic events; and much of his teenage years were filled with battles of identity, the aftermath of trauma, and eventually suicidal tendencies.
At the age of 16, Ed-Michael had a life-changing experience and found a reason to live. Now, he stands in the gap as a relatable voice to the next generation that he would have benefited from when growing up.
Éva was born and raised in Hungary and moved to England at the age of 18.
She is passionate about helping people and takes an active role in her community. Many of the local projects she has taken part in involve supporting those suffering from addictions. She also loves working with young people and children.
Éva is now the Community Coordinator in Buckinghamshire for Spark2Life where part of her role is to recruit mentors to support young people transitioning into secondary schools.
She said: '“It takes a village to raise a child” as the saying goes, I believe that it is a real gift to have positive role models in children’s lives and try my best to encourage it."
Gavin was born and raised in South East London. He lived on an estate with his family until his dad passed away when he was 7-years-old causing him to live with his 16-year-old sister and 13-year-old brother.
Whilst growing up, Gavin was exposed to various crimes, he witnessed shootings, stabbings and many other crimes within his area.
Although Gavin had friends who were caught up in criminal activity, he realised he had a choice to make, so he slowly distanced himself from the negative influences of his friends.
Gavin joined Spark2Life because he understands the importance of having somebody fighting for you, in your corner. He aims to be relatable when impacting others as he believes everybody deserves another chance.
Jared was born in Hackney where he lived with his family till the age of 5, they then moved to Leyton where he has lived with his family ever since. As Jared got older, he started to notice that the negativity within his environment was affecting his decision making.
In 2020, things changed for Jared as he was offered a role at the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) he used to attend - this is where he began his career working with young people. Jared then moved onto work at Norlington School for Boys where he was a School Mentor for 2 years.
Jared currently works as a Caseworker within the Waltham Forest area, he said "My favourite thing about my role is getting to work with young people - it's refreshing."
Born and raised in North London, Jordan grew up in an area that was heavily influenced by criminal activity and gang culture. At the age of 15, he became immersed in gang activity, which would later lead to him being sentenced to prison at the age of 19. During the time that Jordan was exposed to street culture, he tragically lost close friends as a consequence of youth violence.
At that point, Jordan decided to change his life around and do more for younger generations who are on the path of being affected by the same circumstances.
With background experience in the education and care sectors, Jordan is now a Therapeutic Caseworker who strives to transform the lives of the young people he supports.
Michelle was born and raised in North London, in her early years she lived and went to primary school in Tottenham, then lived in Islington and Wood Green.
Michelle previously worked as a support worker for Haringey youth services and Haringey youth offending team as Court Escort and Community Service Supervisor.
Michelle decided to join Spark2Life after completing the Wholistic Mentoring course and loved the work that Spark2Life carry out with young people and their families.
Michelle currently is a caseworker who works with males aged 18-30 in Waltham Forest area assisting them in various areas of their lives.
Michelle is a compassionate and encouraging person with a disciplined approach to life complemented by a genuine caring nature, she is a good listener and empathetic. Michelle is a beacon of light, inspiring a brighter future in others wherever she goes.
Niall was born and raised in East London, he grew up on an estate where from a young age he was exposed to a lot which began to shape his mindset. From his early teen years, knife crime was very prevalent and a lot of people Niall knew became victims of knife crime.
There were times when Niall himself doubted making it past his teenage years, but the more he saw, the more he reflected and realised what he did not want for his life.
Niall started voluntary football coaching and then through working across different fields found his place contributing to the development and growth of those around him who lacked understanding.
“What I enjoy most about Spark2Life is the commitment to being an effective and positive influence across London”
Omar was born and raised in South London, growing up during a period where gun crime was prevalent helped to shape his mindset from an early age concerning the value of life.
Omar has lost close friends and family to gun crime. Although Omar grew up in church and he knew right from wrong, it still didn’t curb his desire to be the next “Nino Brown”.
Omar knows a lot of his close escapes were down to his praying mother. Inevitably, Omar was once again arrested, but it was different this time, due to the birth of his son. While being in that cell, Omar vowed that he didn’t want to have his son visit him in prison. Omar then began the slow process of changing his mindset.
Omar currenlty works as a Caseworker in Lewisham.
Raz grew up in Hackney, East London in a single parent household with his mum and two sisters. Being the only man in the home he began to feel pressure to fulfil the role as the man of the house. Unfortunately due to a lack of wisdom and guidance, Raz’s attempts to fulfil this role led him to making some bad decisions resulting in numerous encounters with the law.
It wasn’t until being introduced to a man who indirectly mentored Raz, that he started looking at life from a different perspective which had a big but positive effect on his decision making. Raz began to feel passionate about finding ways to prevent young people from making the same negative choices that he previously had made.
Raz is a qualified football coach and uses his coaching as a way to positively contribute in his community, he is also a mentor for young people. At Spark2Life Raz is employed as a Detached Coordinator and is an asset to the Spark2Life team.
Rickisha (aka Star) joined Spark2Life in the summer of 2021. She began working in a Pupil Referral Unit delivering 1:1 mentoring and group sessions as well as providing additional support for the students. She is now a Project Coordinator for Spark2Life leading on our Stop and Search Advocacy programme and Parent Champions project.
Rickisha was born and raised in Waltham Forest and has always had a heart for young people. She believes in being a voice for the misunderstood and empowering young people to see and be the best versions of themselves, despite their background.
Rickisha has worked with young people (primarily in Waltham Forest) for the last 11 years, so she has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the area and with the community.
Sophia was born and raised in Bedfordshire and is now based in Essex. She has worked in both mainstream schools & a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).
Sophia has a passion for working with young people, helping to support them with any challenges they have or are facing, and help create new and better opportunities through mentoring.
Sophia joined Spark2Life after feeling encouraged and inspired with the outstanding work we do and was keen to be involved with the rewarding work we deliver.
"You cannot change a young person past, but we can help rewrite their future."
