Norman Powell

(he/him)

Trustee

Hi, I am Norman. Born in East London, I have mainly lived and worked in North East England and the London area as well as for a time in Zambia. I started working life as a teacher of History and have since worked as an organic gardener, youth worker, probation officer and senior manager and in international criminal justice reform. My pastimes include gardening, music, filmmaking, and sharing a wonderful life with my civil partner, Scruffy the dog, Rubber the cat and many dear friends.

 

I currently run my own business supporting the community and youth-focused charities, SMEs and local authorities in their development and in reducing their carbon footprint. Throughout my working life, I have been a trustee, campaigner and volunteer for social justice, equality and LBGTQ+ rights. From the late 1970s, I helped set up and run Friend North East and the first pioneering LGBTQ+ youth groups on Tyneside and Wearside, which helped many young people become who they now are. It has been a privilege to become a Trustee of Mosaic in 2020 and I now do my best to help contribute to its further successes.

 

The parallels and developments in LGBTQ+ youth work between the 1980s and the 2020’s show both how much has been changed by focused and determined action and how much we still need to do to achieve equality, justice and fairness and to address the many health, relationship, economic, class, race, ethnic, cultural and gender dimensions impacting on young peoples’ futures.