Speakers for 2007

Camila Batmanghelidjh: Keynote

Camila Batmanghelidjh has a First Class Degree in Fine and Performing Arts. She has been given Fellowships, Honorary Degrees and Awards by which she is deeply touched but prefers keeping a cartoon of herself on the mantelpiece. She knew since she was nine years old that she would work with vulnerable children. She trained as a psychotherapist and lay on a psychoanalytic couch five days a week for sixteen years in search of boredom, she says it never arrived, however the couch did break once. Her life is never without an adventure. She describes her work as a vocation for which she has to raise £4million a year. In her early twenties Camila set up The Place To Be, currently a national programme offering therapy in schools. In her early thirties Camila set up Kids Company which delivers both practical and therapeutic interventions to 11,000 exceptionally vulnerable inner city children. In her early forties Camila guarantees she will not run a camel sanctuary, anything else is possible!

For more information about Kids Company visit www.kidsco.org.uk.

Graham Duxbury, Acting Director of Development, Groundwork

Graham Duxbury has more than 15 years experience of helping public and voluntary sector organisations reach new audiences and deliver strategic communications and development campaigns. He is currently acting Director of Development at Groundwork UK, the national centre for the Groundwork movement in the UK. His responsibilities include building national relationships and partnerships, generating income, developing national programmes and leading on policy and strategic communications. Graham joined Groundwork UK in 1988, prior to which he undertook a number of communications roles in a national visual impairment charity and for local authorities in East Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Waheed Saleem, Commissioner, Sustainable Development Commission

Waheed Saleem has held a number of management positions in different areas within the health service. He is currently employed by Birmingham Eastern and North Primary Care Trust as the Locality Director with responsibility for Practice Based Commissioning and Children's Commissioning. His previous post was at University Hospital Birmingham Foundation Trust, managing the Medical Assessment Unit, Elderly Care Services and Junior Doctors. A graduate of the London School of Economics in Social Policy, he has chaired a number of major regeneration programmes and as been an active member of the local community.

He has been a member of a number of national committees including NACRO Children and Crime Committee, NRF National Community Forum, National Crime Squad Service Authority, Rail Passenger Committee and the Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee. He has a background in chairing and representing young people in different forums.

His interests are in social policy, especially in the fields of health, social exclusion, crime, diversity and youth policy. He is looking forward to contributing to the sustainable development agenda. He is a former Labour Local Councillor.

Waheed is the Commissioner for Education and Young People.