Genesis, Isis and Basis would all like to say a huge goodbye and thank-you to our long-standing Director Carol Taylor Young. After 15 years with Genesis Carol will be very much missed as she sets out on exciting new adventures in Scotland. However, Genesis is also delighted to welcome Rosie Campbell OBE to our organisation. Rosie begins full time in September and brings a huge breadth of experience of sex work and sexual exploitation to our organisation.

Rosie Campbell has worked with sex work and sexual exploitation projects throughout the UK via her involvement with the UK Network of Sex Work Projects (UKNSWP) and as a researcher. She was a founder member of UKNSWP and it’s Chair for eight years. She had a key role in developing and setting up the ground breaking National Ugly Mugs scheme, launched in 2011 initially funded by the Home office and she now Chair’s the National Ugly Mugs Advisory Group. She has been active in establishing and developing a number of sex work support and sexual exploitation projects within both a trustee and manager role e.g. between 2005-2008 she was the Co-ordinator of Armistead Street & Portside sex work projects in Merseyside and has been a Trustee for Manchester Action on Street Health 2006-2013. Rosie has worked directly as a sessional outreach and support worker for many years. She has been involved in the development of good practice guidance for service interventions for sex workers and in developing policies and holistic services related to sex work at local and national levels. She has been a member of a range of national advisory and consultation groups relating to sex work and sexual exploitation policy for example The National Association of Chief Police Officers Prostitution & Sexual Exploitation Working Group and the Home Office Best Practice Steering Group.

Rosie has a BA Honours degree in sociology and an MA in Women’s Studies from Liverpool University. She was a lecturer in sociology specialising in gender studies. Her specialist area of research is sex work and sexual exploitation, on which she has carried out research for 18 years and has published widely.  She is co editor of the book “Sex Work Now” (2006).

Doug Martin Acting Chair for Genesis:

‘Carol leaves our organisation  after 15 years wonderful contribution. The staff, trustees and service users would like to thank Carol for her outstanding leadership which has placed Genesis as central both in the city and across the region as a key player in the areas of working with girls and women.  We all wish Carol well and the best as she returns to Scotland.

Carol has built up Genesis to the point where it is not merely a voluntary organisation working with some of the most vulnerable women and girls in the region, but it has become a leading player in the mainstream of policy and practice development in Leeds and with a national reputation for its work.

Looking forward we are really fortunate to have attracted a new Chief Executive to lead Genesis through its next phase. Rosie Campbell OBE has a national profile and has recently been awarded a OBE for her contribution to women. Rosie starts with us in September and I feel she will move Genesis forward with through her policy, practice and research knowledge base.

Leeds and the region are extremely fortunate to have Genesis. The organisation works in partnership with any organisation that can contribute to the agenda of improving the lives of girls and women. It also has formed a close partnership with Blast in terms of the emerging agenda of male sexual exploitation. Genesis has an extremely well qualified, experienced and knowledgeable staff team which is caring and enthusiastic about making a positive difference to some of the most vulnerable girls and women in Leeds.

Doug Martin

Acting Chair