Gifford Gifford

Gifford Sutherland runs a London based consultancy company “Upskill U” which provides corporate training, coaching and management consultancy for the social care, housing, criminal justice and education sectors.Gifford is also Co-Founder and Director of the social enterprise Foundation 4 Life, a ground breaking community organisation which provides therapeutic intervention and support services for disaffected young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. F4L specislise in working with those with complex needs, often living high risk lifestyles including; gangs, serious youth violence and those affected by sexual exploitation. His company’s unique approach places ex-service users at the heart of the solution. Trained as practitioners and mentors they leverage their personal experience when engaging therapeutically with the young people. F4L was responsible for the delivery of the HEART Programme (2011-2013) an EU funded Project working with nearly a thousand young women in key London boroughs affected by violence and sexual exploitation. Gifford is also Vice-Chairman of Race On The Agenda (ROTA) one of Britain's leading social policy think- tanks focusing on issues that affect Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Originally set up in 1984 ROTA are responsible for producing the ‘Female Voice in Violence’ research which has contributed significantly in influencing government policies around this agenda. Gifford currently sits on a number of strategic advisory groups around serious youth violence including; Operation Alliance and London Probation Trust - Community In Action Panel (LpCAP) Gifford has a BSc in Sociology and Psychology and is trained in CBT and other Therapeutic Techniques including Trauma Therapy Intervention (endorsed through the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust). Over the last 10 years Gifford has become an established public speaker who has featured in a number of high profile events within the sector.u