OUR PEOPLE
We are a SQA centre leading human rights education across the UK. Our staff all have strong academic background in human rights education and law.
DEREK McCABE
BSc (Hons)
Psychology MBPsS
Derek has an interest in cultural capital and its influence on the social determinants of health and their relationship with health inequality. He has a particular interest in the mechanisms available to help redress inequality leading to improved quality of life. Emanating from this is the notion of human rights and the capability approach were, capability entitlements are the physical and institutional resources made available by government to make rights realisable. Two important capabilities at the heart of human rights are health and education which are key for a flourishing life.
His role in the development of the Advocacy Practice Award was to pull together the shared experiences of people living with long term health conditions. The development of the award built on their knowledge on how to navigate systems and challenges during difficult times. This included how best to apply policy and legislative frameworks to reconcile issues. Derek incorporated the capability approach into this and viewed vocational education as a vehicle for increasing individual wellbeing, whilst being a mainstay in creating informed advocates utilising a human rights based approach to support others during times of difficulty.
JED BRADY
PG DIP / MBACP
Jed believes everyone should be able to learn how to apply a Human Rights Based Approach (HRBa) and gain an accredited qualification through REACH’s SQA Advocacy practice award. He believes that HRBa to Advocacy can cut through labels and discrimination and hold duty bearers accountable.
With a history of using services and trying to navigate all their policies and criteria as well as working within NHS and Local Authority structures, Jed believes the Human Rights Based Approach is a bridge for individuals/families and communities to exercise their human rights and responsibilities.
He says “ The work that we have devised, developed and have delivered is pioneering and should be available for anyone who has an interest in social justice and human rights, it’s not good enough just to talk about human rights from some lofty position. Individuals/families/communities have to learn how to apply them with Universal services, NHS, GP, DWP, Social work etc for us all to be equal in Society.”
DILAN KAYA
Human Rights & Advocacy Educator
BA (Hons) in European Studies with Italian Studies (University of Reading)
LLM International Law & Security, with Merit (University of Glasgow)
CPD Evidence Analysis and Decision Making in Policy (University of Cambridge)
Dilan’s interest for human rights stemmed from her passion for EU law during her undergraduate degree, where she took on various projects and work experiences. This included taking part in panels and research at the House of Lords about the effects of Brexit models on women and children right’s, particularly in relation to asylum seekers.
Dilan also undertook a research project addressing the rights of Kurdish communities in the UK and in Italy. As a result, she was awarded the Jenny Noel Prize by the University of Reading for excellence in research.
After completing her undergraduate degree, she took on a teaching job before gaining an LLM. Her combined expertise in teaching and legal research was demonstrated in participation in diverse academic projects, specifically concentrating on the rights of indigenous communities under the UNDRIP.
Throughout academia and her work experiences, Dilan has always been keen to make knowledge of rights more inclusive and accessible for people. Her interest in a diverse range of topics and working with different communities is to understand how to make education more adaptable for everyone.
Dilan firmly believes that human rights education serves as a powerful catalyst, empowering individuals to seek justice not only for themselves but also for their communities. She believes that human rights education forms a universal language that bridges the gap between discrimination and the realisation of rights. Fostering human rights education creates a common ground where individuals can actively participate in dismantling discriminatory practices and ensuring fundamental rights are upheld.
email: dilan@reachadvocacy.net
ANTONIA EDWARDS
Human Rights & Advocacy Educator
BA (Hons) in Politics (University of Stirling)
LLM Human Rights Law, with Merit (University of Strathclyde)
During her time at university, Antonia had a voluntary student placement at a law firm, where she primarily focused on matters of civil, immigration, and human right violations. This experience allowed Antonia’s passion for the issue of discrimination and human rights to grow.
Antonia is a committee member of the Equality and Diversity Committee, as well as the Administrative Justice Sub-Committee, and the Immigration and Asylum seekers Sub-Committee of the Law Society of Scotland.
As a first-generation University attendee Antonia is driven to ensure social economic change occurs, so that every individual knows their full potential to life, regardless of what path they take.
Antonia hopes to use her platform to address the issues relating to social economic disadvantages, access to justice, and discrimination. More so, to spread the awareness that human right and advocacy is for all. As a neurodiverse woman, she understands the fundamental value of education as education is a tool that provides people with knowledge, and that is power.
Antonia is at the very early stages of her career, but she is keen to ensure everyone knows of their human rights, as the sad reality is that the basic principles of dignity, respect, and equality are not always protected under the rule of law.
email: antonia@reachadvocacy.net
TARA SINGLETON
Human Rights & Advocacy Educator
BA (Summa Cum Laude) in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law (University of Arizona)
MSc Human Rights and International Politics, with Distinction (University of Glasgow)
In addition to completing her studies, Tara was involved in a variety of student organisations and leadership roles. Tara served as the Student Body President of the University of Arizona from 2020-2021, representing a diverse body of students and their interests with stakeholders across the university. Her time as a student advocate emphasised the importance of representation and communication on key issues such as equality, housing, public health, and student wellbeing.
Tara has an interest in ensuring human rights are accessible on the grassroots level.
Through her time at university, she focused on the ways that access to human rights is affected by a variety of factors, including, identity, geography, politics, and legal structures. With education and empowerment playing a key role in promoting human rights across society, the work of Reach aligns with her focus and passions.
Across all her work,
Tara is focused on looking at discrimination through an intersectional lens, to better understand the ways that individual’s experiences and identities are compounded. Through this, we can better diagnose who is left behind, and where the rights and legal focuses should be to ensure equitable access across Scotland.
email: tara@reachadvocacy.net
OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
SHONA CRALLAN
LLM; LLB (Hons);
Solicitor (Eng & Wales, New York); CEDR accredited mediator.
Shona is a lawyer and mediator, with a background in human rights and social policy. She developed an interest in the criminal justice system and social equality while studying at Glasgow University and worked on the NCH report into the Scottish youth justice system ‘Where’s Kilbrandon Now?’ in 2004. Following this she studied a law masters in New York focusing on international human rights. She has since lived and worked in London, qualifying as a solicitor in 2005, initially working in civil litigation before specialising in human rights and public law. She has worked for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Hickman & Rose and human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Newham Monitoring Project and INQUEST where she worked with bereaved families following a death in state custody. She is an accredited mediator in civil and commercial matters as well as housing and community mediation. Shona is a member of the Law Society, The Civil Mediation Council and Scottish Mediation.
DR IAIN MCPHEE
Fellow of the Royal Society, Senior Fellow Higher Education Academ, PhD
MSc Pg. Dip Alc.Drgs (Practice) Pg. Cert TLHE
Pg. Cert Resch.
Cert. Counselling
BA (hons) Psychology & Sociology
Dr McPhee is a senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and is currently a Senior Lecturer based at UWS, specialising in addiction. Iain has acted as a consultant for both the Scottish and UK government. Prior to becoming an academic, Iain worked in a variety of drug services, residential rehabilitation Units, and addiction services. From 1996-2010 Iain taught at Scottish Police College Tulliallan on their specialist Detective drug training courses.
Iain is a consultant drugs expert witness in criminal cases, providing reports for High Court and Sheriff Courts throughout Scotland, and is external examiner for University of Liverpool, Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology programme, and external examiner for University of Limerick programme in Addiction.
For 30 years his practice and research activity has centred on enhancing understanding of stigma and discrimination in health and social care services with a clear commitment to social justice, health equity and promotion of rights-based advocacy for marginalised and vulnerable populations.
“I am a Director at Reach Advocacy because I thought I understood human rights-based advocacy, however my time with RA has made me understand that I knew very little, and supporting this organisation allows me to help promote and disseminate understanding of HRBA that can be applied to all individuals in our society”.
BARRY SHERIDAN
Barry has worked across and led on many social policy areas with local governance and NHS for the past 15 years.
Policy areas include housing and homelessness, community planning, social work policy, and alcohol and drug policy.
Barry has led on implementing a system wide rights-based approach within several local authority areas in the field of alcohol and drugs.
Barry combines working full time with a small consultancy business focusing on fund raising, research, monitoring and evaluation specifically assisting organisations focused on tackling inequalities.
In addition to this, in his spare time Barry finds time to publish peer reviewed research mainly focused on drug policy and wider policy analysis.
