CDSE was established in response to the growing need for organisational change, performance improvement and project management within the voluntary sector and social economy. This need has arisen as a result of significant external developments in the non-profit environment in the UK that require considerable adjustments to current processes.

We are resourced with associates with diverse range of experience, skills and abilities that combine to add value to projects in terms of meeting their broader socio-economic goals.

Biographies of CDSE’s team members are presented below:


An experienced management and marketing consultant with a particular interest in working with small businesses and non-profit organisations, to help them start, grow and develop new skills that enable them achieve their goals. He has worked with a total of over 500 Voluntary and Community organisations, SMEs and Public Sector organisations to date, on a range of programmes including: Project Management, Business Support, Capacity Building, Research/Feasibility Studies, Fundraising, Management Audits, Strategic/Business Planning, Organisational Reviews, Monitoring, and Evaluation, These activities have enabled the majority of recipients to achieve positive outcomes for their organisations and the communities they serve.

Sam’s strength lies in the deep understanding and insights gained on key issues affecting voluntary organisations and social enterprises in the UK, and the numerous tried and tested approaches that have been employed to address them. He has fulfilled a variety of senior management roles in his professional life, and led on the development and delivery of a number of Government, Private and Trust funded programmes including: SRB, Lottery Funds, NDC, NRU, ESF, Business Link (Access to Finance), LDA and Business Support Agencies. He has also given lectures and presentations on non-profit issues at national conferences and regional events.

Prior to setting up CDSE, Sam held the position of Director of Capacity Building with Fullemploy, progressing to the position of Director of Trust.

At the International level, his association with Johns Hopkins University – Institute for Policy Studies, and other Agencies, has broadened his base of knowledge about the non-profit sector and issues around poverty and deprivation around the world. It has also enabled him extend guidance and support to a number of projects and institutions in Countries such as: Russia, China, India, Chile, Brazil, Ghana, The Gambia and Kenya.


Bob has been an active agent for social change for the past thirty years. Both in paid and unpaid positions, he has worked in the voluntary and public sectors encouraging and enabling community groups. Throughout his career he has worked alongside organisations to improve their performances, and, as a former Director of Project Fullemploy, he devised and implemented a national capacity building programme, aimed at developing organisational efficiency.

Over the years he was able to nurture and establish several community projects and as a Senior Probation Officer, established the Handsworth Cultural Centre and The CAVE Arts Centre in Birmingham, becoming the Directors of both these projects. Bob was the founder and Director of Kokuma Dance Theatre and Black Voices, both companies becoming national and international artistes, recognised for their professionalism and expertise in black performance arts.

As the first Director of the Urban Trust (a black-led community charitable Trust) he was able to introduce critical thinking into voluntary sector management and is conversant with entry and exit strategies for voluntary organisations. Over the last five years, Bob has been focusing his energies on fundraising for non-profit organisations with the specific purpose of ensuring continuity and longevity of project ideas in local communities.


After her PhD in Soil Chemistry from Reading University, Jedidah embarked on a career of setting up new organisations, academic departments and training centres. As a senior lecturer, she set up the Chemistry Department in Egerton University, Kenya before coming to London, where she worked with the International Coffee Organisation. Jedidah worked with World Bank and UN as a consultant for more than 10 years, supporting government ministries in Southern Africa countries to implement Agenda 21. She was a consultant for the UNDP developing national environmental youth programmes, monitoring systems and carrying out environmental impact assessments for multinational projects.

In the UK, Jedidah has more than 15 years nationwide experience setting up and/or managing more than 15 training organisations in the voluntary sector. In her most recent achievement, she set up 14 Renew centres nationwide for the refurbishment of white goods, 3 high technology centres and 1 basic skills centre in London.

Jedidah’s knowledge and experience extends into fundraising; she has supported clients to raise more than £18m through ESF, SRB, New Deal bidding and from other sources with priorities for regeneration and environmental activities. She brings her fundraising and project management experience towards the achievement of client objectives.


Sam has been an active agent for social change for the past ten years. Both in paid and unpaid positions, he has worked in the voluntary, public and private sectors, supporting and mentoring community groups. Throughout his career he has worked alongside non-profit organisations to improve their performances. In recent times, Sam has volunteered his time nurturing and enabling BME groups going through difficult change.

He brings his research and strategic planning experience to support research, strategic review and evaluation and capacity building.


Jasmine has worked across the public, voluntary and private sectors in a career spanning 13 years. Her expertise lies in database administration, bookkeeping and office management.

Jasmine provides the much needed support to the team –handling the backroom activities and finance.