EU Kinship Carers Project

International Partnerships Manager: Andrew Brown

Andrew has managed a variety of projects for Mentor UK, including their Grandparents Project, the Youth Involvement Project, and the Coastal and Ex-Mining Areas project. Andrew continues to manage the Drug Education Forum, the independent voice for drug education in England. Before joining Mentor UK Andrew worked for a national children’s charity, and was the political assistant to a Member of Parliament. He was an elected councillor between 1997 and 2006. Andrew is a governor for a federation of schools in London where he lives, and is a trustee of a local charity.

Project Manager, Italy – Rita Di Matteo

Rita works in Region Abruzzo, L’Aquila, as an officer in the Presidency’s Department – Information, Promotion, Planning Community Programs Office. Her role includes taking care of: start-up phase of the activities connected to the projects to be submitted for calls for proposals in the EC programmes; Consolidation of the activities annexed to the management, the implementation and financial reports of European Projects to which RA participates; Regional State aids; Financial issues of national and transnational projects where the Region is partner or Lead partner; Coordinator of territorial partnership for the project proposals coming form the Region and other public bodies of the territory.

Project Manager, Spain: Francisco Guillen-Grima

Francisco is Head of Preventive Medicine, at the University of Navarra Clinic, and Professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, at the Public University of Navarra. His main research interests are in public health, specialising in two areas; environment, (air pollution, asthma, occupational health cancer), and vulnerable populations (children, teenagers, young people and elderly). Francisco is the author of more than 100 papers and book chapters and has been investigator in 2 European Research Projects , 5 National Research Projects and 8 Regional Research Projects.

Project Manager, Lithuania: Jurgita Ribinskaite

Jurgita was appointed as General Secretary for Mentor Lithuania in March 2008. She has dedicated her career to non-formal education and promotion and voluntary work. Jurgita spent 7 years working for EU programmes: Youth and Youth in Action, for the State council of youth affairs and leading youth organisations. All these previous experiences have given her a deep understanding of youth work, NGO management and fundraising. A year spent in India working with different community programmes enhanced Jurgita’s intercultural competences.

Project Manager, Romania: Livia Triff

Livia is the executive country director for the Holt Romania Foundation. She has been working with Holt for more than 15 years. She started in 1993 by offering direct services specific to the Domestic Adoption Program and continued with ensuring the implementation of programs and social services within projects, mainly financed by Holt International Children’s Services, USAID, UNICEF and European Union. Since 2002, Livia ensures the national management of the foundation with branches in Tg. Mures and Iasi and working locations in Sighisoara and Medgidia. She was also involved in the management of more than 15 projects. She is an accredited trainer in adults’ education. She represents the organization in front of the Romanian government and non-governmental institutions, mass-media, national and international events. She is a resource person for Holt International within the programs developed in other countries from Europe and Asia.

Project Manager, Belgium: Peer van der Kreeft

Peer is the Head of prevention for De Sleutel, the leading drug prevention charity in Belgium.

He is also a lecturer in prevention, drug related issues, social pedagogical work, and group dynamics at HoGent University College Ghent.

Project Manager, UK: Derek Ferguson

Derek is a Project Manager at Mentor UK. As well as working on the EU Kinship Carers Project he manages the Mentor UK CHAMP Awards (Promoting Children’s Health through Alcohol Misuse Prevention) which is a biennial awards scheme that acknowledges and rewards the best alcohol misuse prevention projects working with children and young people from across Great Britain.

Before working at Mentor UK Derek was the Learning and Development Manager for Corbis.

Project Manager,Sweden: Katarina Graffman

Katarina works as a Behavioral Scientist and worked within alcohol and drug prevention before joining Mentor Sweden. Working with Åsa Bergqvist-Håål, Katarina built the Swedish Parenting Programme in 2002 and launched the pilot to the programme in the same year. To date approximately 5000 parents have participated in the Parenting Programme. Within Mentor Sweden Katarina’s work includes the Kinship Care Project, parenting classes, educating new course leaders, facilitating seminars and work with evaluation of the various programmes.

Project Administrator: Ruth Colak

Before joining Mentor in March 2009 Ruth worked as a Personal Assistant within the Royal Bank of Scotland for 13 years she has also worked for City of Edinburgh Council as a School Administrator for 2 years. In her spare time Ruth does voluntary work as a befriender one evening each week working with vulnerable adults in Edinburgh.