Dosti has two full time paid members of staff, Lorna Prescott and Katherine Rogers who are based at the Dudley CVS offices in Brierley Hill.

Lorna Prescott

As Senior Development Officer, I manage the work of Dosti and help to develop relationships between Dosti networks and public and private sector agencies within the multitude of boards and groups across Dudley Community Partnership. I also support strategic partnerships to develop and improve the ways that they engage communities. This can range from the ways that they give information and consult, to how they involve communities in joint decision making and action. Another part of my role is to work with the people elected to Dosti's Executive to develop and deliver Dosti’s work.

I have worked with community groups in Dudley Borough for over 10 years, beginning as a volunteer working with groups in Wrens Nest. I then managed environmental and capacity building community programmes in the Borough, including borough-wide work with Tenants and Residents Associations. I started working for Dosti in 2001 and during that time I have increased my understanding of community development including community empowerment, community networking, reflective practice and facilitation skills.

I volunteer in Dudley, at Brierley Hill Primary School, both as a Special Friend to pupils and as a School Governor. I am also a Trustee for the Community Development Exchange (CDX) – the UK-wide membership organisation for community development.

I am passionate about sustainable living, to the extent that I am now growing my own vegetables and keeping my carbon footprint down by travelling by bus, bike and foot. Luckily I enjoy running!

          

Katherine Rogers

My role at Dosti is as Community Development Officer and I am responsible for supporting the Dosti networks to collaborate and to have a voice at a decision making level.  I do this by providing information through Dosti communications such as the newsletter and e-news bulletin, delivering training activities linked to Dosti’s Axis of Influence and supporting a range of Dosti and network events.

My professional background is in arts and inclusion or using the arts to achieve social change and challenge inequality. In this context I have done a wide range of work with economically deprived communities, people with disabilities and refugees.  I also set up, and continue to support a project for ex-refugee young people in El Salvador using music as a tool for community development. 

I am committed to social justice and am particularly passionate about diversity issues.  I love music, dancing and travelling to El Salvador which I consider to be my second home!