Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

Alex joined Tutor Trust as a tutor in 2017. After graduating from The University of Manchester in 2019, he joined the team full-time as School Coordinator, and became Manchester Primary Schools Manager in February 2021, before becoming Greater Manchester Partnerships Manager. Alex also serves as a governor at a local primary school which provides resourced provision for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Alex supports staff with wellbeing, literacy, and outreach within the community they serve.

Alex says: "During my time as a tutor, I worked with vulnerable learners who needed extra support to catch up on some lost learning. Being able to mentor them 1:1 was incredibly fulfilling and sparked my belief that Tutor Trust is an amazing agent for change within the city where I grew up. It’s this commitment to tackling educational inequality head-on that led me to join the team full-time. I enjoy belonging to a vibrant, inclusive, and passionate team of people, all connected by Tutor Trust’s mission. 

"Over the past four years, I’ve been able to play a part in Tutor Trust’s rapid growth and I’m excited to see how we continue to innovate and grow our presence within the communities we serve."

Damola joined Tutor Trust in November 2023 as a Merseyside Schools Coordinator. Damola is a Political Science (Governance and Public Policy) graduate from the University of Manchester, with professional experience in administrative roles in higher education, charities, and the local authority. Damola also volunteered for Reach Out, an afterschool mentoring project empowering children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Before joining Tutor Trust, Damola worked as a social care advisor at Wirral Council, and as a children's support worker at Saheli.

Damola says: "My commitment lies in empowering vulnerable individuals and marginalised communities through educational initiatives, community work, and advocacy. I am excited to utilise my academic and professional knowledge and skills to support pupils with educational challenges. It is an honour to be a part of Tutor Trust and assist in transforming lives through tutoring."

Ed joined the Tutor Trust team in October 2023 as a Tutor Recruitment Coordinator, having recently graduated from the University of Manchester with a Master’s degree in International Relations.  

Ed says: “It is a real privilege to be a part of the Recruitment Team at Tutor Trust, working together to ensure we hire high-quality tutors who are providing essential support for the young people at the centre of our mission. As a result of my experiences in the charity and education sectors, I have realised the amazing impact that tutoring interventions can have on young people in both an academic and personal development sense. Naturally, I feel drawn to the mission, ethos, and values of Tutor Trust. 

"I feel incredibly passionate about the work of Tutor Trust and I’m looking forward to working for an organisation that seeks to make a difference in the lives of young people and help in providing tutoring that they may not have had access to otherwise." 

Janet joined us in August 2023. Her background is in the education sector, where she worked for over 20 years as a teacher and teaching assistant. She has also worked in the charitable sector in various voluntary roles including wellbeing and admin.

Janet says: “I am excited to be able to support and enable the West Yorkshire team in delivering programmes which transcend socio-economic barriers and realise young people’s true potential. Tutor Trust is a warm and welcoming place to be, where we hold in common a desire to transform the futures of young people.”

Jo started tutoring with Tutor Trust in 2021, during her first year at the University of Manchester where she studied Linguistics and Social Anthropology. While tutoring in both Primary and Secondary schools across Greater Manchester, Jo’s love for tutoring and passion for educational equity continued to grow. In October 2023, Jo joined the West Yorkshire team as a Full-Time Tutor and is excited to be a part of the enrichment of young people’s lives through education.

Jo says: "I first started working for Tutor Trust as its mission is so close to my heart. Being able to give back to families and young people now is a huge full-circle moment for me. It’s rare that you get to work with so many like-minded people towards a mission that you truly believe in. I feel lucky and grateful to be a part of this journey with Tutor Trust."

Joining Tutor Trust while at Manchester Metropolitan University, Matt wanted to support his Education Studies degree with relevant and exciting work. After almost three years working as a Primary school tutor across Manchester and graduating from university, Matt loved the culture and ethos of Tutor Trust as well as the satisfaction of the positive impact of his work.  

Matt joined us as a Full-Time Tutor on the Tutoring Plus Team, before moving into the role of coordinator for the team. He has also been involved in the AI tuition pilot.

Matt says: "Having joined the Tutor Trust in Autumn 2023, I have been so impressed at the atmosphere within the charity. Everyone is so kind and supportive and carries the charity’s ethos with them in everything they do. Whether working remotely or in the office, there is always a friendly face to help with anything you need, and this is something I remember from my time as a tutor too. 

"I have always felt strongly about the ethos of Tutor Trust and I am so proud to be able to contribute to that further as a Full-Time Tutor while engaging in the many projects, pilot programmes, training, and learning and development sessions that the charity runs."

Sarah joined Tutor Trust as Finance Director in November 2020, having spent most of her career with the Co-op working in senior finance, tax, and governance roles, initially in her hometown of Stoke-on-Trent then later in Rochdale and Manchester. She is both a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser, and trained with Price Waterhouse (now PwC) in Manchester. Sarah is also now the Company Secretary, working closely with the trustees.

Sarah says: "I’ve been involved in the charity sector for many years, initially undertaking audits for charities and helping them prepare their accounts. I later became a charity trustee and I’m currently a trustee of AidCamps International, a small charity that delivers international volunteering projects.

"Before joining Tutor Trust, my experience of tutoring was that it was something that would only be available to children whose parents could afford to pay for it, so I was excited to find an organisation that was making tutoring available to those children who needed it the most. Tutor Trust is full of people who really care about the young people we work with, and it’s great to be able to use my skills and expertise to help the charity grow and develop."

Steff joined Tutor Trust in 2018 as the first full-time member of staff for Merseyside. She had graduated from the University of Leeds the previous year with an MA in Race and Resistance and a BA in International History and Politics. During her studies, Steff was a part-time Secondary English and Primary tutor in Leeds. Seeing the impact small group intervention had on the pupils is why she joined Tutor Trust full-time.

Steff has worked in a variety of roles with us, including Liverpool Schools Coordinator, Merseyside Schools Manager, Merseyside Schools Partnership Manager and now Merseyside and West Yorkshire Strategic Operations Manager, where she is responsible for operations across Merseyside and West Yorkshire.  Steff is a member of Tutor Trust's digital working group as she is keen to be involved in driving the organisation forward into a digital future. Steff also sits on Tutor Trust's Equity, Diversity & Inclusion committee and participates in the Wellbeing group (alongside being a Mental Health First Responder trained to help with staff wellbeing). She is also a & Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. Outside of Tutor Trust, Steff is on the governing board of a large Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) school in Knowsley, the borough where she attended school.

Steff says: “I grew up in a community similar to those we work in, and my experience of school when I was growing up in Merseyside is a key reason why I became committed to working in the education sector and improving educational equality in the North West. Tutor Trust allows me to do that, and I am privileged to work with such a committed team and amazing school partners, who share a common purpose in making education fairer.”