WHO CARES
CONSULTANCY
About Us
A care-experienced, youth-led social enterprise committed to ensuring that care-experienced and vulnerable young people are not only heard, but actively involved in shaping the services, policies, and opportunities that affect their lives.
Our Mission
Who Cares Consultancy exists to equip care-experienced and marginalised young people with the wellbeing, practical life skills, leadership and opportunities they need to build a future they own. Through lived experience, movement, training and co-production, we create pathways into confidence, employment and lasting independence.
Our Vision
We exist to create a future where care-experienced and marginalised young people have the wellbeing, confidence and opportunities to build healthy, independent and fulfilling lives, while transforming how organisations support care-experienced and marginalised young people through lived experience, whole person wellbeing and community leadership.
Our Approach
Everything we do is guided by our commitment to care-experienced and marginalised young people, and the professionals who support them.
Whole Person Wellbeing
We know confidence, wellbeing and independence go hand in hand. Our programmes combine practical life skills, mentoring and personal development to help young people build resilience and thrive.
Young people/Young Adults are not simply participants. They are partners, leaders and paid facilitators who help design, shape and deliver our programmes and training. By placing lived experience at the centre of our work, we create services that are authentic, relevant and grounded in real life.
Lived Experience & Co-production
We believe confidence grows through experience.
Our programmes combine practical resources, interactive learning, reflection and real-world opportunities so young people can apply what they learn in meaningful ways.
For professionals, we provide practical tools that can be embedded into everyday practice rather than remaining as one-off training.
Learning Through Practice
We create pathways, not just programmes.
Young People/Adults are supported to develop leadership, communication and facilitation skills, with opportunities to progress into paid employment, mentoring, training delivery and wider career development.
Alongside this, we work with employers and partner organisations to open doors to new experiences, networks and opportunities.
Leadership & Opportunity
Our work goes beyond individual projects.
Through consultancy, training, resources and strategic partnerships, we help organisations embed trauma-informed practice, lived experience and youth participation into their everyday work.
Our goal is to create lasting change that continues long after our involvement has ended.
Sustainable Systems Change
Meet Our Team
Directors:
Mana Gondolora
Mana is a care-experienced professional who brings over 15 years of experience working within youth services, co-production, programme development, and project management. She is also the author of My Book of Independence, Who Cares Consultancy's first resource book, which supports young people to build life skills and confidence.
Director & Founder
Rusell Javian-Lennard
Rus brings a wealth of experience in youth work, education, and mental health, and has served as a trustee and governor for educational establishments, charities, and youth organisations. Rus's role on the board is to oversee projects we deliver and to help create opportunities for collaboration with community youth organisations, educational bodies, and mental health services.
Director
Youth Projects/Mental Health
Keeley Stephenson
Director
Education, Employment & Enterprise
Shakira Henry
Shakira brings over 25 years of experience working with children and young people in management positions, with responsibility for budgets, staffing, and strategic leadership. She was also a foster carer for over 18 years. As Secretary, Shakira's responsibilities include ensuring accurate records of governance meetings, compliance with reporting requirements, and supporting the Director with oversight of governance and administration.
Secretary
Advisory Board (announcing soon):
TBA
Finance Advisor
TBA
Young Advisor
Care-Experienced and Youth Voice Representative
TBA
Safeguarding Advisor
TBA
Legal & Compliance Advisor
TBA
Business Advisor
We are currently strengthening our Advisory Board and are looking for passionate professionals who want to use their skills to create meaningful social impact.
-
Partnerships & Fundraising
-
Social Work & Practice Development
-
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)
Please contact us at: info@whocaresconsultancy.co.uk
​We are particularly interested in individuals with experience in: ​
If you are interested in supporting a growing lived experience-led organisation focused on improving outcomes for care-experienced and marginalised young people, we would love to hear from you.