Welcome to Donald

Tell us a bit about your work background

"I was 14 when I was removed from the family home and placed in care for offending behaviour. This was the start of a journey that would lead to young offender units, adult prison and drug addiction.

Since turning my life around, I have been involved in various projects.  I am now co-founder of a charity for people with convictions called Aid & Abet and worked for 9 years on Police Scotland’s VOW project. I am also involved in the City of Edinburgh Council’s Turn Your Life Around and previously worked on Police Scotland Choices for Life, Violence Reductions Unit’s Edinburgh Tattoo and Community Justice Scotland's Tribal Home. I support young people who have found themselves caught up in the criminal justice system.

I see the importance in building trust, having positive relationships, being a role model and I am passionate about early intervention."

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

"The best piece of advice given to me was "get out your comfort zone”. This has served me well over the years and with my background and working closely with Police, I really have got out my comfort zone."

What are you most looking forward to in your role with Fearless?

"The thing I am most looking forward to in my new role is meeting new people and doing some really positive partnership working."

We encourage young people to be fearless in speaking up about crime – what does ‘fearless’ mean to you?

"It is not without feeling fear but going beyond that fear and to do something that is outside your comfort zone or something you would not normally do."

What would you say to a young person who has information about a crime but isn’t sure who to talk to?

"I think it’s important to inform young people and to give them different options.  I would firstly check that they were feeling safe and then encourage the young person to speak with an adult that they trusted.  If they felt that this was not possible, I would tell them about Fearless."

Who or what is inspiring you right now?

"The people and thing that is inspiring me most is the Fearless sextortion campaign launched in Glasgow this week and the Dowey family, who have courageously supported and helped with the campaign to protect our young people from this emerging threat."

For more information on all the work of Fearless in Scotland, click here