Meet The Team
At Arts for Life Project (UK), we are proud to be a by, for, and led by group, meaning that our programmes and services are created, designed, and led by individuals who are directly connected to the communities we serve. We are founded and operated by those who share the lived experiences of the young people and families we support, ensuring that our approach is deeply rooted in understanding their unique challenges and needs.
Every aspect of our work is shaped by those who are part of the community, allowing us to provide authentic, relevant, and effective support. By being led by members of the community we serve, we ensure that our services remain inclusive, empowering, and truly reflective of the voices and perspectives of those who need them most.
Beth Gevell BEM
Founder & Director
Born to support and create, I am hugely passionate about enabling young people to cope with the real and diverse challenges of life. Using kindness, compassion, empathy, honesty, gentleness, sensitivity, humility and fun to enhance the quality of their personal lives and show there is joy in living.​ To head Arts for Life Project and to make a difference to young people is my passion and joy and one that I couldn’t do without my incredible team.
Amanda Blake
Family Support
I am passionate about enabling young people to be their authentic selves. I have lived experience of neurodivergency, and while on this continuous learning journey I want to share my experiences and knowledge to support and help our AFLP families with a listening ear, and space to just be.
Lucy Heywood Jones
Project Manager
I found AFLP after many years as an area manager for a children’s drama school. I know, first hand, the importance and power of The Arts and I am a passionate about promoting confidence, self-esteem and development in young people. On a personal note, my brother has learning challenges and I wish our family had had access to this amazing project.
Luke Gevell
Wellness Coach
Hi I’m Luke, a qualified hypnotherapist and life coach with a focus on resilience, confidence, and personal growth. I believe in helping people navigate challenges and find purpose through a practical, mindset-driven approach.
Veronica Dolling
Wellbeing Practitioner
With over 20 years experience of supporting children with their individual and unique challenges, largely in school settings, I feel privileged to now be part of the wonderful AFLP family. I believe providing a safe and accepting environment that allows for freedom of expression helps young people build confidence, develop resilience, and learn to love themselves.
Debbie Sharp UKCP MBACP
Clinician Lead
Empathic, warm and kind, I try to be innovative in my approach; to include a sense of fun and the joy of discovery; adapting my approach to each individual’s needs. I hope to increase young people’s emotional robustness by providing tools which allow then to realise that it is ok to feel and to have emotions that may seem overwhelming and all-engulfing. A highly qualified Integrative Child Adolescent Psychotherapist and Adult Counsellor, I am keen to ensure that all my CPD is up-to-date. My qualifications include: Level 6 Supervision, level 2 Working On-Line and Remotely, Diploma in Dyslexia, Autism and Mindfulness, Level 3 Autism, Level 2 Adverse Childhood Experiences, Diploma in Cognitive, Behavioural Therapy.
Seth Gillman
Outreach Clinician & bereavement counsellor
Offering a safe, accepting, non-judgemental space to the young people I work with, I use my creativity to engage and support them to explore their inner selves and the physical and emotional world they inhabit. As AFLP’s Outreach Counsellor, I am based at the Southbank International School. For the past 15 years I have worked with a variety of people of all ages in my private practice and in a wide variety of settings and agencies in both voluntarily and paid-for roles. I hold a PG Diploma in Counselling and am a Registered Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Cassidy Jodie
Community Youth Mentor
Three words to describe me would be fun, creative and patient. Having volunteered with Arts for Life for the last four years, I am now delighted to be an official part of the team. Each young person is unique and I love to find their 'special power' using the creative arts. I love drama and have enjoyed bringing my passion and sharing my knowledge with our young people.
Tanya Dukhovnikova
Neuro-Affirming Educator & SEND Specialist
I have spent over two decades working alongside some of the most overlooked and misunderstood young people in our education system - children whose brilliance the system simply couldn't see. My passion is finding the pathway. Every child can learn and sometimes we just need to look differently, listen more carefully, so we can meet them exactly where they are. I work with neurodivergent learners whose needs go beyond traditional approaches, using a concrete-to-abstract methodology, developed over the last few years of working with young people with autism, complex learning needs and trauma histories in specialist settings as well as their own homes. I believe that before any child can learn, they need to feel safe. I have seen that connection comes before curriculum, trust comes before learning, and wellbeing is the key. Qualified as a specialist educator with teaching, SENCo, and leadership credentials and a proud finalist of the 2026 Education Provider of the Year Award, I bring both professional expertise and deep personal commitment to every young person I work with. Being part of the Arts for Life Project feels like a natural home, because I know that for many young people, it is creativity and connection that unlocks everything else.
Ollie Broadhurst
Community Youth Mentor
Hello! My name is Ollie, and I'm a proud member of the Arts for life team. I’ve always thought creativity is key to a healthy mind, allowing you to grow and find out about the deepest parts of yourself. I love meeting all the young people who come through the door, as every person has such a unique way of looking at life and I want to celebrate that! I am hoping to spread my knowledge and joy to everyone at Arts for Life!
Eliza Rojas
Digital Support Coordinator
I love being part of a community that celebrates creativity, connection, and support. It’s so inspiring to see how art brings people together and uplifts families in meaningful ways. Whether I’m helping with digital projects or chatting with parents over a cup of tea, I enjoy finding creative ways to make our spaces feel welcoming and accessible for everyone. Being surrounded by such a warm and imaginative community constantly reminds me why I love what I do.
Angela Masternak
Community Youth Mentor
Being one of the first members to join arts for life back in 2017, I’ve experienced how valuable this team, the project and the place is first hand. I became the extroverted, confident social butterfly I am today; had it not been artsforlife, I definitely wouldn’t have built those skills without such an empowering and fun environment surrounding me. Joining this team has brought me nothing but happiness and fulfilment as I see how it is inspiring and building up the confidence of others, just as it once helped me.
Brandon Canning
Community Mentor Manager
At AFLP I am able to combine my experience of working as a primary school PE with my grounding as a teenage, semi-professional football player and coach, to help young people grow and learn. Using each child’s uniqueness an creative ideas I coach them to reach their goals and become ambitious young adults.
Chloe Cayely
Youth Worker
My name is Chloe, and I am a Youth Worker at Arts for Life. I am also an artist and have a strong passion for supporting others who are going through difficult times. I first joined Arts for Life as a participant during a period when I was really struggling and had lost my confidence. Through the support, safety, and understanding I found at Arts for Life, I was able to rebuild that confidence and reconnect with a happier, more secure version of myself. The team showed me that I could feel safe being myself again. Now, as part of the Arts for Life team, I use my own experiences to support other young people, helping them feel valued, understood, and confident enough to be themselves.
Emmy Chinnick
Trainee Play Therapist
Hi! My name is Emmy and I’m a trainee Play Therapist. I love being part of the team at Arts for Life and supporting the wonderfully unique young people we work with through creativity. I value a Child-Centred approach, offering empathy and unconditional positive regard as young people navigate challenges, big and small. Through play and creative expression, I aim to help children communicate their feelings, build resilience, and develop greater self-understanding.
