Our staff

Hi, I'm Pauline, the Director. I started in 1999 to expand the work of the organisation across the borough, after it opened in 1997 at the Copleston Centre. It’s a pleasure to be managing our fantastic team and making sure that we are supporting people.

Pauline has been awarded an MBE for her work with SDCAS.

Hi, I’m Warren. I work part-time as SDCAS's Early Action Development Worker, specialising in homelessness. My role is a part of the Early Action Network coordinated by Refugee Action. I joined SDCAS in August 2016 as a general volunteer, was the gardening coordinator in 2017 and have been in my current role since January 2018. When I'm not at the day centre, I work for another charity - London Gypsies and Travellers - as an Advice Worker. Before joining SDCAS, I volunteered in Greece and Calais and completed a Master's degree in Refugee Studies at South Bank University.

Hi, I'm Judith. I joined SDCAS in 2014. I currently work as Administrator and Bookkeeper – very interesting roles, of course, with challenges sometimes, but these are very good for the brain. I like what I do and I like SDCAS as a whole, with its excellent team.

Hi, I'm Bettina. I joined SDCAS in 1997 to manage the drop in service at the Copleston Centre.

I'm Ola. I work with Warren as SDCAS's Early Action and Mental Health Development Worker.

Hi, I'm Vanessa. Each week, I welcome between 15 and 20 children to our creche. I also run activities during school holidays.

Hi, I'm Alex. I joined SDCAS in 2021. In my role, I oversee clients coming into SDCAS and support the running of our advice service. Before joining SDCAS, I worked in a range of roles in the charity sector, including a rough sleeper outreach service in London and a refugee support NGO in Northern France. 

After leaving Cumbria where I grew up, I've taken the opportunity of remote working to inch my way back Northwards. I’m currently as far as Yorkshire where, on days off, I can be found walking, running and making overly complex meals.

I'm Lucy. I joined SDCAS as a volunteer advisor in 2020 and went on to work as an advisor with people who were staying in bridging hotels in Southwark, having fled Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. Having worked around the issue of housing access, I now work with SDCAS clients who are experiencing homelessness.

I'm Genet, SDCAS's cook. My team and I serve around 100 hot meals every week at the day centres, often using ingredients grown in our gardens.

My name is Robert. With a background as an artist, I originally ran art workshops at SDCAS. These days you're more likely to find me a bit muddy in our garden. I love growing vegetables and fruit and building structures to support them. I work with our clients one to one and in groups to run different activities in the garden. This can be anything from planting seeds to baking bread. I believe in the healing power of nature and of working with others.

Hi, I’m Issy. I joined SDCAS in 2023. In my role, I get to recruit and oversee all of SDCAS’s fantastic volunteers, organise regular meetings and socials and work with our volunteers to improve and expand our services. I particularly enjoy hearing all the fantastic new ideas that volunteers are regularly coming up with and seeing things come to fruition at our day centres!

Outside of SDCAS, I spend much of my time doing campaign work, reading and planning my travels. Get in touch if you're interested in volunteering with us or supporting other campaign groups that are fighting the hostile environment.