Introducing the Centre for International Learning and Leadership
Why we are here
After decades working in cultural relations and non-formal education, we know that international courses, exchanges or other projects give you new experiences and challenges away from your everyday environment, and bring you into contact with people you would never meet otherwise. This is by far the most effective way of developing the skills and ideas you need for a meaningful, productive and fulfilling life and career.
The Centre for International Learning and Leadership (CILL) exists to increase access to these kinds of opportunities, especially for young people in the difficult period of transition from education to employment. Recruiters are looking for more than just formal qualifications. We provide that added extra.
In an interconnected and complex world, international thinking, values and skills are what we all need for a more successful, sustainable and harmonious future.
We don’t just sit in offices and training rooms. We like to explore the world and meet people who are different from us, so we get out and about as much as possible. Our programmes are dynamic and experiential.
We enjoy what we do. Every participant on our courses, and anyone else we work with, ought to have fun as well.
We build coalitions and partnerships with other organisations wherever we can. Mutual benefit is fundamental to the way we work.
We care about quality. We aim to be the best in our field.
How we work
Meet the Team
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Andrew Hadley
DIRECTOR
Andrew is responsible for strategic development, new initiatives, policy dialogue, and public relations. Most of his career has been in the field of cultural relations which is still his main interest.
“The best thing we can do for young people is to enable them to cross borders (both literal and conceptual) and get to know people different from themselves”.
A linguist and pianist, Andrew has lived and worked in many different countries.
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Trevor Keough
DIRECTOR
Trevor is responsible for Operations, Sales, Marketing and Finance. This involves generation of ideas and project design. He is an experienced social entrepreneur, business leader and trainer/facilitator.
“I enjoy helping others to be the best they can at a national and international level”.
Trevor lives in the Lake District and loves sport and outdoor activities.
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Sarah Young
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER
Sarah is responsible for managing communications and relationships with partner organisations and project participants in the UK and overseas. She is the main point of contact for the Time for Tea programme.
“Seeing the effect international opportunities have on young people is one of the best things about my job”.
Sarah spent the first part of her working life in media companies including 10 years at the BBC and still enjoys TV, film and music in her spare time.
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Olga Ambrosiewicz
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Olga is responsible for engaging young people in our programmes and delivering activities. She has several years’ experience of working with children and young people – both as a leader and a trainer – including working on programmes for organisations such as National Citizen Service.
“Every young person deserves opportunities to discover other cultures, build international networks, and boost their employability skills”.
Olga is a Cub Scout Leader and sings and plays guitar in an Indie band.
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Stanely Mudzokora
REPRESENTATIVE
Stanely is based in Zimbabwe and has previous experience in several roles with organisations working with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. He is passionate about developing strategies for young people and improving their lives through education.
“I believe that education is a continuous process that is shaped not only in the classroom but also by our lived experiences”.
Stanely enjoys being outdoors, camping, travelling and is a big football fan.
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Zoia Polytsia
PROJECTS ASSISTANT
Zoia is an Intern working on the development and implementation of projects with Ukraine.
She is a student - previously of International Project Management Human Resources Management - and is now studying French and Management at the University of Geneva.
“It is very important for today's young people to have the opportunity to move forward, implement ideas and achieve their goals, because this makes young people truly free!”
She is passionate about travelling and is interested in psychology, music, dancing, yoga.
Our core staff team is joined by a variety of associate consultants with different backgrounds and experience.
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Consultant
Laura has degrees in Translation and Interpretation with Global Communication. She has also studied Business Sustainability Management at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. In 2021, she co-founded Albem Consulting in Dubai, with the aim of helping businesses communicate with their stakeholders in a more effective way and aid businesses in implementing sustainability practices. Having grown up in a very intercultural environment and she can speak Spanish, English, German and French.
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Consultant
Dr. Pablo Biderbost is Assistant Professor in the Department of International Relations at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid and co-founder of the consultancy company Biderbost Boscan & Rochin. His areas of expertise are public innovation, anti-corruption strategies, skills development in civil servants, youth policies and migration and refugee policies. He has worked as consultant for many organisations including the EU, EULAC Foundation, UNODC, UNDP, IOM, UNESCO and USAID.
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Consultant
Gordon worked at the British Council, where he managed the European Commission Youth in Action Programme/Erasmus+ for 14 years. He was also responsible for bilateral youth co-operation with China, Japan, Israel, and programmes with South East Europe, and Sub Saharan Africa. He later became Head of Youth Policy. In 2010, he was awarded an OBE. Previously, he was awarded Chevalier des Palmes Academiques by the French Government, and a John Adams Scholarship by the United States Embassy. In 2018, with CILL, he produced reviews of International Youth Opportunity and An Analysis of Accreditation Schemes for Intercultural Skills, commissioned by the British Council.
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Consultant
Michal has worked in the field of non-formal education and youth policy in the EU for more than 15, mainly with the Regional Volunteer Centre of Kielce in Poland and is also a Municipal Councillor (member of the network of the European Young Elected Politicians of the Committee of Regions). He has been a director and a board member of the Polish National NGO Federation, and vice-chair of the Polish National Youth Council and cooperates as an external expert with the European Commission.
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Consultant
Nichola is a highly experienced and qualified information specialist and desk researcher. She has had several roles including head of the information and library team at Connexions, directly providing and managing an adult IAG service and writing many guides and publications, including the Funding Guide to Workforce Development. Nichola has worked in the youth sector for many years most recently as Head of Membership Development for the Ambition UK. Since April 2017, she has worked freelance as a Fundraising Research Consultant, Desk Researcher and Information, Advice and Guidance Professional.
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Consultant
Paul has been designing and providing programmes for teams, individuals and leaders for over 30 years, working with clients from the financial services, IT, engineering, retail and manufacturing organisations. A strong communicator with highly effective stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, and a wealth of experience in facilitating executive teams and individuals to achieve both business and personal results.
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Consultant
Julia works with the creative, education and youth sectors to support intercultural dialogue and improve opportunities for disadvantaged communities. A former cultural diplomat with the British Council, she has led arts and education programmes with the European Union, the Middle East, East Asia and the Commonwealth, including a major global programme to commemorate the World War I centenary in 2014-18. In 2019, she founded the Internationalism Alliance, a network of organisations committed to improving access to international and intercultural opportunities for young people. She is a mentor for The Prince’s Trust and an Advisory Board member for My Life My Say.
Julia is also a cellist and composer. In 2009, she was Creative Director and Producer of the BBC Documentary "Shalom Belfast". Non-fiction writing has appeared in the collection ‘Unholy Land: An unconventional Guide to Israel’.
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Consultant
Nicola is a pioneer in using new technologies to tackle the problem of employers locking out the talents, potential and skills of many people in our societies – especially people with autism. Drawing on 15 years of private and public sector experience, Nicola has been using responsible research and innovation methodologies to co-create smarter, more inclusive and sustainable technology-enabled ways of working.
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Consultant
Tommaso is President of the Italian NGO Associazione Joint. His first role there was in 2008 as their first paid social worker, focusing mostly on young people with severe socio-economic disadvantages. Since then, he has managed over 50 international youth projects, including volunteering projects, training courses, youth exchanges, study visits and large-scale capacity-building projects. He has also worked as a consultant for municipalities, NGOs and private companies and is founder and President of the Italian Network of European Volunteering Organisations (RIVE) and a board member of Associazione PECO.
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Consultant
A former English Teacher Adrian runs an independent training consultancy. He is also Company Director at YGAM Innovations Limited, writing and delivering training to the gaming and gambling industry and Director at Aspire Prep UK, an innovative training business based in London, offering education, leadership and mentoring solutions to local authorities and external clients. He also works as an independent educational consultant specialising in developing training content around leadership and employability skills, most recently with Enviro Education an organisation which aims to create the next generation of environmental leaders.
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Consultant
Sheniz works in the international youth development sector, with a focus on reconciliation and peacebuilding, education and skills, and international volunteering, as well as strategic partnerships focusing on women economic empowerment, refugees and migrants and social entrepreneurship.
Sheniz is director of NGO Asfar and is an experienced World Bank development consultant in Azerbaijan.
“I am committed to supporting young person access international learning opportunities to widen their experiences and skills”
Sheniz loves travelling and collects art from all the countries she visits.