Elaha W.

Experience

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  Afghan Association Paiwand

  Jan 2013 - Jun 2014

  Mental Health Advocate
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  Merchant Co Web Solutions

  Jan 2014 - Jul 2014

  Content Developer

  Developing creative and niche content for company’s clients.

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  Afghan Voice FM

  Jun 2014 - Jan 2016

  Presenter and Producer

  Produced and presented Youthopia with Elaha; a political show that highlights some of the main issues the youth in our generation face as well as discuss possible solutions.Achievements;Produced a documentary entitled “Redefining Success”.

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  National Union of Students (UK)

  Jul 2014 - Aug 2015

  Women's Officer, NUS London

  Representation of millions of women students across London Universities and FE Colleges. The role entailed campaigning on women’s rights issues.Elected as the NUS London Media and Communication Task Force by the NUS London executive committee.

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  IKWRO - WOMEN'S RIGHTS ORGANISATION

  Nov 2015 - Mar 2017

  Advice and Outreach Caseworker

  The Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation is a registered charity which supports Middle Eastern women and girls living in the UK who are facing “honour” based violence, forced marriage, domestic violence or female genital mutilation.As well as providing support to individual women and girls, we run training for professionals and campaigns for better laws and policies to protect women’s rights.Duties and Responsibilities:1. To receive initial requests for advice and advocacy, assess users’ problems and needs and ensure appropriate responses to their needs.2. To carry out risk assessments and draw up safety plans for service users, including arranging for safe accommodation/refuge and referrals to specialists agencies (e.g. law centres and solicitors) in accordance to IKWRO’s referrals procedure.3. To undertake casework on behalf of users on issues directly or indirectly related or connected with their circumstances (e.g. housing, welfare rights). To provide advice, information, and advocacy and casework support.4. To liase and network with other agencies and professionals as part of casework duties in order to ensure that their services become available and appropriately meet the needs of IKWRO’s users.5. To negotiate with statutory bodies on behalf of users to further the progress of their case/claims.6. To refer clients on to other agencies as appropriate for specialist help with issues that fall outside the remit of the service, including legal issues such as injunctions, and representation at immigration appeals.7. To ensure that service users have access to interpreting services when required, accompany them to official bodies.8. To develop and deliver advice and advocacy in an outreach bases to meet the clients needs as required. Show less

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  THE POETRY TRANSLATION CENTRE LTD

  Jan 2016 - Aug 2016

  Marketing and Communications Officer

  In charge of producing organisations’ online content, managing social media, websites and podcasts. Also assisting with organising events and poetry workshops. The role involved community based research and tailoring content suited to a diverse audience.

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  Green Party of England and Wales

  Feb 2016 - Feb 2017

  International Development Spokesperson

  To interview and Media enquiries please contact the Green Party press office: press@greenparty.org.ukPhone: 020 7549 0315 (Journalists only)

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  Changing Pathways (formerly Basildon Women's Aid)

  Jun 2017 - Nov 2017

  Senior BAME Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA)

  Working to develop and deliver a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communuity based support services for individuals experiencing domestic abuse within South Essex, Thurrock and Southend area. Also responsible for delivery of specialist training on violence and abuse that may occur mainly within BAME communities and supervision of outreach staff.Achievements Changing Essex MARAC policy on not hearing “Honour” Based Abuse cases.

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  Refuge

  Jan 2018 - May 2021

  Working closely with Refuge’s tech abuse and senior management team to develop and deliver a empowerment programme to young people aged 10-21.Capacity Building; working with professionals and statutory services to ensure they understand technology-facilitated abuse and provide them with tools and resources to help tackle it.Manage Refuge’s trusted flagger partnerships with giant tech companies like Facebook (Instagram), Google and TikTok.Achievements:Implementation the youth tech empowerment project, delivered and designed the programme. Developed and designed COVID-19 tech safety resources for mothers and children across our refuge services.Working closely with TikTok to address safety concerns on the platform and reporting any technological abuse on the platform directly to TikTok’s senior management. Show less Working with Refuge’s Director of Operations, Head of Operations and national team of senior operations managers and service managers, as well the Technological Abuse Service to provide guidance and safety planning across the organisation on economic abuse with particular focus on cases where technology has also been used to maintain power and control over the survivor. Carry a small caseload of complex cases and help address financial gender inequality for example by providing advice on improving credit scoring, debt management and budgeting to survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence. Seek to empower survivors to become financially independent and provide opportunities to access education, training, and employment and career opportunities.Work with colleagues across the organisation including communications and policy team to ensure that Refuge continues to learn about and respond to changing developments in the field of economic and technological abuse and increases its organisational capacity to support and empower survivors in relation to economic outcomes. Role also entails liaising with funders and external strategic partners where required and coordinate programmes of information sessions and training for external partner organisations.Achievements:Developed and managed Refuge’s partnership with PayPlan. The Partnership has gone strength to strength and supported many survivors in effectively managing their debt.Contributed to Refuge’s research on economic abuse in collaboration with the Coop bank.Liaised and worked closely with DWP to address benefit abuse. Show less

  • Youth Tech Lead

    Jan 2020 - May 2021

  • Economic and Tech Abuse Lead

    Jun 2019 - Jan 2020

  • Community Outreach Worker - Multiple Disadvantages

    Jan 2018 - Jun 2019
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  SafeLives

  May 2021 - Apr 2022

  Systems Change and Practice Development Lead

  - Developing and codifying Drive model and practice- Gather learning on process, practice, gaps and potential solutions from Drive delivery areas and apply to ongoing development of the Drive model as well as national systems change- Assist with the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data and learning and apply findings to develop the Drive model and practice- Synthesise and summarise learnings and recommendations where required into papers and briefings on emerging areas for development- Carry out ad hoc internal evaluation and consultancy projects on Drive data and practice to generate further learning on emerging themes- On-going development of guidance, best practice, template documents and training- Sharing learning and development across a wide range of stakeholders- Developing approaches to ensure the voice of those who have gained understanding of domestic abuse through lived experience is involved, considered and reflected in our learning and development work- Developing appropriate approaches to ensure that the Drive service user experience, progress and feedback is considered and reflected in our learning and development work Show less

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  Freelance

  Feb 2022 - now

  Consultant

  Online harms consultant and Associate Trainer working with Rights and Security International and other INGOs to provide research, trust and safety support, and training.

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  AVA (Against Violence & Abuse)

  Apr 2022 - Oct 2022

  Project Manager

  - Lead on gender-based violence and tech projects by ensuring milestones are met, manage budgets and liaise with partners and funders.- Develop new and innovative projects for AVA that contribute towards our mission of ending gender based violence, and contribute towards securing funding including input into the drafting of funding bids.- Deliver consultancy projects on behalf of AVA. Current projects include Dignity for Abused Women in The News:https://avaproject.org.uk/dawn/And Helping Hands, a tech for good project and supporting in the development of digital and communications strategy. Show less

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  Springboard Youth Academy

  Jul 2022 - now

  Board Trustee and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
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  Refuge

  Nov 2022 - now

  Part of Refuge's Senior Management Team (SMT) leading on children and young people work. Responsible for developing an evidence-based framework for the delivery of support to children and young people across Refuges’ services nationally. Utilising research and best practice when establishing the programme, developing measurable indicators for success, ensuring there are effective policies, procedures, and process for children’s work.Oversee the work of children and young people workers through a matrix management structure. Show less

  • Senior Programme Manager - Children and Young People

    Jan 2024 - now

  • Children’s Programme Lead

    Nov 2022 - Jan 2024