Our Consultants

Raj has worked in social cohesion, conflict transformation and peace building in the UK and internationally (Middle East and North Africa), for over twenty years. As well as designing and co-delivering large scale social cohesion programmes, Raj has a strong skill set in mentoring and supporting community facing leaders. He has worked as a senior advisor to UK Government departments and local authorities, where he contributed to the development of the national community cohesion, conflict resolution and community engagement agendas. This work primarily focused on improving relations between divided communities. He is senior peacebuilding advisor with the Peaceful Change Initiative and teaches Applied Theatre: Drama at Goldsmiths University, London.

Chrissie’s career has been focussed on conflict transformation and empowerment of communities to move beyond trauma and towards a healthier future. She has designed and facilitated multiple ‘on the ground’ programmes in countries affected by conflict as they seek to rebuild and create a more cohesive society.

Chrissie has worked in Leeds, Manchester, Burnley, Bradford, Rochdale, Oldham, Tamworth Southport and the London boroughs of Peckham and Southwark in London with young people and wider communities facing issues including deprivation, limited resources, territory and gang conflict, community division and activity by extremist organisations. She has a Post-Graduate Diploma from Cambridge University on Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Development.

Suffia has over 20 years’ experience of working with diverse communities, focusing on empowering individuals from all ages and backgrounds. She has experience in areas such as domestic abuse, sexual violence prevention, and youth homelessness. Her work has a particular emphasis on tackling violence against women and girls, addressing the problems and dynamics of online polarisation and youth crime, and promoting youth education and empowerment.

Suffia is a Karate, Self-Defence & Safety Awareness Coach, equipping individuals with the skills and confidence to protect themselves and navigate difficult situations. She is a trustee with Bradford Youth Development Partnership and a chair of Bradford Stronger Together (SEN support group working with parent/carers).

Zahra is a specialist advisor on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) and Wellbeing for British Red Cross. She has held strategic roles in ED&I, cohesion and integration & was the lead officer for one of the five integration areas funded by national government. Zahra is a Trustee of The Linking Network, Co-Chair for the Regional Refugee Integration Forum for Yorkshire and Humber and previously Vice Chair of the Anti-Discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Council of Europe. She brings this experience to the work of Belong believing that humanity, unity and kindness are seeds that can lay the foundation for strong, resilient and cohesive societies.

Gabriel is a peacebuilding practitioner and researcher committed to transforming conflict and community tensions. He specialises in designing and delivering initiatives that support communities experiencing conflict and tension to better understand and address the root causes of division, exclusion and violence. His approach includes designing and delivering inclusive analysis and research to map conflict dynamics and co-develop cohesion strategies. Gabriel has worked across the UK and varied contexts in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. As well as working with communities, voluntary and community sector organisations, local and national governments, and multilateral organisations, he also engages with people who might see violence as a pathway towards their objectives.

Naomi is an experienced researcher and evaluator with a strong background in supporting charities, Community Interest Companies (CICs), and universities. She brings extensive expertise in developing and delivering social impact evaluations that empower organisations to achieve meaningful change.

In addition to her work as an evaluator and researcher, Naomi is a skilled business coach. She is actively involved in community-based projects and leads innovative initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and learning.

Naomi’s commitment to evidence-based practices and her strategic insight make her a valuable member of the Belong Network, where she contributes to research that addresses social cohesion and community resilience across the UK. Find out more at Research Your Way.

Mike worked for over 30 years in local government and was the senior manager responsible for community cohesion and equalities at Burnley Council in the years after the 2001 ‘northern town’ disturbances, leading the council’s work to promote race relations during the decade when the BNP was represented on the council. He presents learning from that period in his 2021 book ‘On Burnley Road: Class, Race and Politics in a Northern English Town’. Mike is a research associate with the Montreal-based international academic network ‘Deindustrialisation and the Politics of our Time’, considering the historical roots, lived experience and social consequences of deindustrialisation.