Sian Fiddimore

Chief Executive

Sian Fiddimore has been managing education and employment projects for ten years leading the way in innovative partnership approaches to tackling the social inclusion agenda. She spent 11 years at the award winning WHALE Arts Agency 'probably the best community arts organisation in Scotland' Glasgow Herald, 2004.

Sian joined Access to Industry in July 2004 and has successfully managed the Transition project, a mini college in the centre of Edinburgh for recovering substance users in collaboration with two local further education providers. Transition has assisted 800 people to improve their life chances and 50% have moved on into employment, training and education and the project provides a daily structured learning programme where students have already gained over 560 accredited SQA certificates.

Since 2006 Sian has also managed the Passport programme working in collaboration with Polmont Young Offenders Institution creating a progression pathway to reduce criminal behaviour inside and out in the community. The retention rate of young offenders engaging in the programme on release is 84% with a recidivism rate of 26% against a national average of 70%.

Séamus Spencer

Passport Project Manager

Séamus comes from a background in education and partnership working. Séamus has been with Access to Industry, initially with the Transition project since April 2005 and is now Project Manager of Passport. He is responsible for overseeing performance, the Passport staff team, the looked after young people, prison leavers, homeless, recovering substance users and vulnerable women activity, project development and partnership working with key strategic partners, funders and referral agencies

Cath Young

Progressions Project Manager

Cath initially joined the team at Transition in September 2006, from an Organisational Psychology background with experience in career guidance, personal development, organisational behaviour and recruitment. As Progressions Project Manager, Cath will be responsible for managing the Progressions staff team who are responsible for developing and coordinating training and education opportunities for students, in partnership with further/higher education institutions and training providers.

Adele Hill

Transition Service Manager

Adele joined Transition in June 2010 as the Transition Service Manager and brings 10 years experience in community development. Adele spent the first part of her career working within Wester Hailes, to offer alternative youth provision, to enhance educational opportunities and raise aspiration for marginalised young people.

The success of this work lead Adele into the Criminal Justice field where she spent 6 years working within the addictions services and gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise. From here Adele managed a successful national alcohol prevention project and has now found her way to Transition where she hopes all her skills will be fully utilised. Adele will lead Transition to continuous success and future sustainability.

Karolina Smoter

Caseworker

Karolina, who joined the Transition team in June 2008, is a career guidance and development graduate. Her studies and her volunteering placements have enabled her to develop an understanding of social issues. She is interested in working with people to help them achieve their potential and to support them to make well informed, realistic and achievable career decisions.

Mark Phillips

Caseworker

Mark has over 10 years' experience supporting clients in both the career guidance & addictions field. Before joining up with Passport, Mark was a regular referrer to Transition/Passport, and a staunch advocate of its accomplishments.

His most notable achievements to date have been his work with Job Centre Plus and, most recently, his service within the addiction field. He joined the Passport team based at Blair Street as Project Worker in January 2008.

Kelly Cunningham

Caseworker

Kelly, who joined the Transition Team in late March 2009, is a Criminology graduate. Her studies provided her with an understanding of what causes criminal behaviour and other associated social issues. Previously, Kelly has been involved with Regeneration projects for Lancaster City Council where she assisted vulnerable client groups to secure accommodation, services and sustainable education and/or employment. She also has experience working within the mental health sector.

Kelly strongly believes in treating all individuals as equal and providing them with the opportunity to progress and move on.

Heather Nicholson (currently on maternity leave)

Caseworker

Heather began working for Passport in January 2007 as part of the Looked After Young People Team. Heather has been involved in supporting vulnerable client groups for over five years. The groups she has worked with include young people in care, people with disabilities and homeless people. She also has a wealth of experience from voluntary work. This includes teaching in Zambia and working with children with additional support needs.

Heather is passionate about supporting and assisting vulnerable and socially excluded people - helping them to move on and create a more fulfilling future for themselves.

Claire Fraser

Caseworker

Claire joined the Passport team in January 2009 as a case worker for looked after young people. She has worked with young people in many different capacities, particularly young people who have additional support needs in an educational setting. She has also worked in a residential YPC in Edinburgh supporting looked after and accommodated young people. In August 2009 Claire took over the role of Polmont case worker, working in partnership with SPS and Polmont Young Offenders Institution.

She strongly believes in supporting and encouraging each individual to reach their full potential and to overcome barriers to progression into training, education or employment.

Stewart Paterson

Caseworker

Stewart has recently joined Passport as part of the Looked after Young People Team and it is the love of being able to support young people that he finds makes the job so rewarding.

Stewart has experience as a Youth Worker at Leith Academy and has worked as a tutor at the Canongate Youth Project's 'Get Ready for Work Programme'. As well as this he enjoys coaching and playing sports and is officer in charge of his local Boys' Brigade group.

Stewart is looking forward to creating new openings for the young people he is supporting and is a firm admirer of the opportunities the Passport Project brings.

Louise Cowe

Transition Caseworker

Louise first joined the Transition team in April 2006 as a student on placement from Edinburgh University. Whilst continuing with her studies Louise worked periodically in various roles for both Transition and Passport and now as a graduate of Community Education Louise has returned to the Transition team.

Louise is excited about returning to the project because of the key role it plays for individuals who might otherwise be excluded, helping them to reduce barriers and move into education and employment. Louise also has an interest in literacy and has volunteered with CLAN (city literacy and numeracy).

Donnie Smith

Transition Caseworker

Donnie joined the Transition staff team in November 2009 after spending three months as a classroom assistant helping with the delivery of SQA modules in IT, Creative Writing and Personal Effectiveness. He thoroughly enjoyed the experience of volunteering with Transition and jumped at the opportunity to join the project full time. He looks forward to helping Transition's clients move into employment and education.

Donnie has a professional background in software development. Since leaving the software industry he has been doing voluntary work with various client groups and has embarked on this exciting career change due to his desire to work with people rather than program computers.

Diane Hunter

Passport Caseworker

Diane studied English and Psychology at Dundee University before going on to complete a Diploma in Careers Guidance at Paisley University. Diane worked for many years in Forth Valley, initially as a Careers Adviser and later with vulnerable teenagers, young people with additional support needs and clients in transition. During her time in Forth Valley she developed close links with local employers, Further Education providers and support agencies.

Diane holds a Certificate in English Language Teaching and taught English in Madrid during 2008 and 2009 before returning to Edinburgh. Diane joined the Passport Team in December 2009.

Anthea Chan

Course Development Officer

Anthea joined the Access to Industry Course Development team in August 2006. She works with all of the Edinburgh colleges plus Newbattle Abbey College. Anthea's job involves course development with these colleges and she has established a great working partnership with Jewel and Esk College for four of Access to Industry's long-standing one-year courses.

In 2008 she developed new partnerships with Edinburgh Council Active Futures and Stevenson College Edinburgh as well as continuing work with Edinburgh's Telford College.

She works closely with referral agencies across Edinburgh and recruits students for a variety of courses: from music production and sport leadership awards to a variety of media and web design courses. Anthea also works hard to help students sustain their courses and she provides invaluable advice and support with next steps to further and higher education. Anthea is now a familiar face around the colleges in Edinburgh and enjoys meeting previous Access to Industry students that have moved on to HND courses.

Anthea is building on her previous work experience in teaching and in the recruitment sector.

Erin Keeley Messier

Creative Academy Officer

Erin joined Access to Industry as Course Development Officer in the summer of 2008. Her role involves course development as well as supporting students on Access to Industry courses. Erin is developing the Creative Industries courses on behalf of the Creative Academy in Edinburgh. Through this work she is creating opportunities for participants to access education and employment in the creative sectors across Edinburgh. Examples include front of house staff at Edinburgh theatres, and course development with the film industry. With a background in creative writing, Erin is very excited about creating new opportunities for people to access, study and work in the Creative Industries sector.

Kirsty Summers

Kirsty joined Access to Industry as Course Development Officer in May 2009. She has extensive experience of a variety of sectors including a number of years working in a customer relations role in the retail sector. Kirsty then moved into an in-house recruitment role for a large company in the corporate sector which gave her invaluable experience to undertake her most recent role as business development and recruitment manager for a small international development charity. Kirsty would like to use her position at Access to Industry to develop her interest in helping people find and sustain jobs that they can enjoy by looking at areas such as informed choices, supportive management and progression routes.

Jackie McNeil

Administrator

Over the past 25 years Jackie has worked within the clerical field enjoying roles such as secretarial, administration and office management. She has gained experience of working with a wide variety of clientele within different organisations, including education, adoption and the building industry.

Jackie is looking forward to working with all the dedicated staff at Access to Industry and will be based at our Cowgate office.

Margaret Mitchell

Administrator

Margaret joined Transition in July 2008 after having worked in community projects in Wester Hailes, including the West Edinburgh Times, for 14 years. She is based at our Blair Street office and is responsible for administration as well as greeting our students and visitors.

Margaret is enthusiastic about raising public awareness and opportunities for vulnerable individuals and is very happy to be working with a great team of people all committed to this goal

Claire Gracie

Caseworker

Claire joined Passport in February 2010 as a Caseworker working with young offenders in Polmont YOI. Claire is excited to play a key role in the new Glasgow Passport Programme supporting young offenders from the Glasgow area to reach their potential and progress into employment, training, education and voluntary work when liberated. Claire comes from an employability background having worked at Glasgow West Regeneration Agency and Access at North Lanarkshire Council where she developed her advisor and trainer skills working with vulnerable young people with a range of barriers. Claire enjoys motivating and challenging young people to succeed in reaching their goals in life.

Jamie Mcilree

Caseworker

Jamie joined the Passport team in February 2010 as a Caseworker for young people from Glasgow moving on from Polmont Young Offenders Institute. He is excited to be working with young people from various backgrounds in order to equip them with the necessary skills to shape a better future for themselves through education and employment. Jamie previously worked as a Business Bank Manager and also has experience in running a variety of youth groups in the community as well as providing support to those suffering from homelessness and substance misuse in Glasgow's city centre. Jamie is excited to be involved in the expansion of the Passport service to the Glasgow community.