About Digidad
DigiDAD Advisory Group: Led by young dads, DigiDAD is supported by an amazing team of professionals from all over the UK representing academia, youth and community work, family law, health, social work and more. Together we co-create our content to make sure that it is young dad friendly, accurate and compliant with best practice guidance at the point of release.
Present Members
Amy Berry
Amy Berry
Amy Berry is the Infant Feeding Coordinator for the Family Hubs in Northumberland. She has a wealth of Infant Feeding knowledge and reviews our parenting courses. She wants to ensure new Dad’s know the variety of ways to bond with their new baby and support their partner with their breastfeeding journey.
Ella Fielding
Ella Fielding
I currently work for the NHS and Local Authority in County Durham where I’m supporting the development of the national Family Hubs programme. My area focuses on the mental health and emotional wellbeing of parents (those who are pregnant and/or have a baby aged under 2). I’ve worked in the NHS for over 15 years and it’s fair to say every day is different. When I’m not at work I’m kept busy by my two young sons, which suits me fine!
Colin Cowlings
Colin Cowings
Colin Cowings is employed by NEYDL as a Young Dads Community Support Worker on behalf of Durham and Middlesbrough Family Hubs. Colin possesses over 20 years’ experience working in community development across the North East region on behalf of statutory services, VCSO and private sector bodies. Colin has worked extensively with marginalised groups including LGBTQ+ communities to stimulate service and policy changes at a local, regional, and national level.
Jennifer Goldstein
Jennifer Goldstein
Jennifer Goldstein is a specialist family lawyer working at Samuel Phillips Law firm and is also a trustee for the North East Young Dads and Lads. Jennifer is a very pragmatic member of the board and contributes in shaping and developing our films and online content. On the 1st January 2024, I was appointed as an independent panel member for a North East Adoption Consortium.
Chris Humba
Chris Humba
Chris Humba has been involved in the youth and community work field for over 15 years having studied at the University of Manchester. Chris has direct experience of being a young dad and was involved in the set up and the running of the Diverse Dads project including chairing the Diverse Dads sharing and learning webinar. A former trustee of the charity, Chris was the EDI lead for NEYDL for 4 years. Chris has expertise in coaching, mentoring, housing and homelessness and mental health. Chris currently works in the Ministry of Justice, managing and developing the accommodation pathways for men being released from North East prisons.
Mark Hutchinson
Mark Hutchinson
Mark Hutchinson is a Lead Nurse for Learning and Best Practice in Middlesbrough. Mark is also a qualified Health Visitor and has a passion for Public Health Nursing and the unique role that young dads can have in supporting mums to breastfeed their children.
Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson
Adam Johnson or DigiADAM as he is fondly known was one of the first young dads to see the potential of DigiDAD, investing his time, energy, and creativity in the platforms development. From voicing our first parenting course, helping to design the animated videos, and making sure our scripts contained plenty of Geordie humour, without Adam DigiDAD would not be what it is today. In September 2023, we were pleased to welcome Adam back into the recording studio in support of new young dads beginning their creative journey with DigiDAD.
Doug Laidlaw
Doug Laidlaw
Doug Laidlaw is a qualified Youth & Community Worker and has spent the last 24 years working with men and boys on behalf of VCSE organisations in East Sussex, Kent, Northumberland, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Originally joining NEYDL as a consultant in 2017, Doug has worked his way up to the position of Programmes Manager with responsibility for safeguarding and health and safety. Doug has chaired the DigiDAD Advisory Group since its inception in 2020.
Nathan Noble
Nathan Noble
My name is Nathan Noble, and I am employed by NEYDL both as a Peer Enabler supporting young dads in Tees Valley and Family and Cycling Activities Coordinator. Prior to becoming an employee, I started off as a service beneficiary of the charity, which led onto volunteering roles where I was able to contribute through my lived experience as a young dad toward the content you see on DigiDAD, including as a presenter for the Clarity Through the Court series and Perinatal Mental Health series. I am also a former Trustee of NEYDL.
Sarah Oliver
Sarah Oliver
Sarah Oliver has been a qualified social worker for over 20 years. During this time, she has predominantly worked with children and families, holding various management positions, and previously being employed by Cafcass. She is also a qualified mental health social worker. Throughout her career she has been passionate about ensuring that young fathers are fully involved and supported, leading to her current role as NEYDL trustee and safeguarding advisor.
Robert Oughton
Robert Oughton
Robert Oughton is employed by NEYDL as a Peer Enabler providing direct support to young dads and expectant fathers across County Durham. He has been a part of NEYDL since its inception, having originally accessed the charities support as a young dad, progressing to the position of Trustee before taking the step into paid employment. Robert brings lived experience to the role of DigiDAD Advisor and has played a big part in the development of the First Aid course, Podcast series and Think Dad! Father Inclusive Toolkit which all feature on DigiDAD.
Jan Rigby
Jan Rigby
Jan Rigby is registered Mental Health nurse and IPT therapist who has worked for the past 20 years in Perinatal Mental Health. It is recognised that this is a unique time in a family’s life and that mental health can impact on the whole family. Jan has been involved in supporting the expansion and development of the specialist service across Northumberland Tyne and Wear. She has been involved in the wider systems, more recently supporting the perinatal pathway within Family hubs. Jan has been involved with a pilot project working with NEYDL and recognises the needs of fathers.
Kev Stoodley
Kev Stoodley
Kevin Stoodley founded NEYDL in 2017 following a 2-year consultancy at the Young Women’s Outreach Project supporting young dads and expectant fathers in Gateshead. He has led the charity as CEO ever since. A nationally recognised and award-winning health promotion specialist and youth & community work manager, Kevin has worked with marginalised and disadvantaged communities on behalf of voluntary, statutory, and private sector organisations in Birmingham, Manchester and across the North East for over 26 years.
Fred Suadwa
Fred Suadwa
Fred Suadwa is employed by NEYDL as a Minoritised Dads Officer. A qualified Youth Worker, Fred has extensive experience of working with young men, delivering group work, one to one support, detached work and sexual health and relationship advice and guidance. Fred has previous experience of setting up targeted youth work initiative’s that target young people from Minoritised communities.
Angela Ward
Angela Ward
Angela Ward has worked for the NHS for 33 years, in a variety of professional roles including Midwife and Health Visitor specialising in public health. Currently Angela is employed as Family Nurse Supervisor for Sunderland Family Nurse Partnership working to support families to be the best parents they can be, promote health & well-being / child development & positive attachments. A former trustee of NEYDL, Angela has actively supported the development of DigiDAD, contributing to the Think Dad! Father Inclusive Toolkit and Perinatal Mental Health series.
Margherita Rovida
Margherita Rovida
Margherita Rovida is a Psychologist and a Research Assistant at the University of Pavia and at the University of Durham. Her interest in perinatal mental health was born during an internship at the Counselling Clinic of Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital and she is now specialising in Perinatal Psychology. As an Advisory Group member for DigiDad, Margherita has provided insight and scientific evidence to support the content of our videos.
Disclaimer
Copyright 2021. DigiDAD is the property of the North East Young Dads and Lads Project CIO, a charity registered in England and Wales. Charity No: 1172924. Company No: CE009920.
Registered office: BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Arts, South Shore Road, Gateshead NE8 3BA.