About us
We offer a free, impartial and confidential advice service for temporary migrant workers in Scotland, including workers on the UK Seasonal Worker visa.
Whether you are worried about debt and money, have problems with your accommodation, are concerned about any aspect of your work, are unsure about your immigration status, we can help to give information and support or to direct you towards someone who can provide assistance.
Through the work we do we also gather anonymised information about services for workers on the Seasonal Worker Visa in Scotland, what is working and what could be improved. This information helps us to ask for bigger changes to the visa or the support available to migrant workers in Scotland.
Our staff
Caroline Robinson
Strategic Advisor and Director
Caroline provides Strategic Advice to the Worker Support Centre as an independent consultant. She is a recognised expert in the field of labour exploitation with over fifteen years’ experience working on human trafficking worldwide, including providing support to workers and trafficking survivors, research and policy engagement. Caroline founded the leading anti-trafficking NGO Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) in 2012 and served as its Director until 2019. In 2022 she designed and established the Worker Support Centre. Caroline lives in Perthshire and spends her time away from her desk in the hills and mountains of the Scottish Highlands.
Valeria Ragni
Centre Manager
Valeria has over ten years’ experience in establishing, developing and delivering programmes on local, national and international scales. This work has been focused in the UK and international refugee, migration, trafficking and violence against women sectors. She has fulfilled front-line and managerial roles in major third-sector organisations. Valeria speaks Italian and Russian, lives in Glasgow and is a trustee for a small community-led organisation based in the Southside. She loves spending time with her family, cycling and reading.
Lynda Bridger
Finance Officer
Lynda provides financial support to the Worker Support Centre as an independent consultant. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant and trained with BDO. After leaving BDO in 2004, Lynda has worked in the not for profit sector initially as a Finance Manager for a Fairtrade charity, Twin and since 2011 as an independent consultant to a number of charities. Lynda has a wealth of experience in preparing SORP accounts and project reporting for major donors (EU, Comic Relief, DFID). Lynda has acted as a project consultant to the International Division of the British Red Cross and currently works with a portfolio of smaller charities.
Margarita Permonaite
Outreach Support Caseworker
Margarita is an outreach support worker. She has over 3 years’ experience in supporting farm workers in Scotland. Her interest in workers’ rights comes from her personal experience as an agricultural worker back in 2004. She has since joined the University of Dundee where she earned three degrees in MA European Studies and International Politics, MLitt International Security and Politics and MSc Social Research Methods and progressed her knowledge in migration and refugee studies, human rights, social equality and inclusion. She has worked in various projects that promote human rights in Scotland. She speaks Lithuanian, Russian and Kurdish Kirmanji.
Iryna Pakhil
Outreach Support Caseworker
Iryna provides support and advice to seasonal workers in the agricultural community. She has previously worked at English and Scottish farms at picking soft fruits and packhouse under Seasonal Worker Scheme. She has Master’s in TEFL and over 10 years’ experience in teaching at agricultural college as well as over 10 years’ experience as an interpreter and translator for businesses and individuals. She speaks Ukrainian, Russian and Hungarian.
Claire Smith
Director
Claire serves as one of the Directors of the Worker Support Centre. Claire has worked in nature conservation since 2004, mostly in the charitable sector. She has experience of project management, managing teams and budgets and on working with government and statutory bodies to improve environmental policy. Claire believes that upholding and raising awareness of workers’ rights is key to having a healthy and functional food system, delivering for people, nature and climate.
Nicky Bolland
Director
Nicky serves as one of the Directors of the Worker Support Centre. Nicky is a visual and community artist based in Perthshire with over 15 years’ experience working with communities in Scotland and overseas, including migrants rights organising, advice/advocacy work and project delivery. Nicky was keen to join the board of the Workers Support Centre because she is passionate about ensuring people are able to have their voices heard and can access their rights: she wants to be part of efforts to ensure that migrants coming to Scotland experience inclusion, fair opportunities and a warm welcome.
Maria Navarro Pimental
Director
Maria serves as one of the directors of the Worker Support Centre.
Get in touch
Helpline: 0800 058 1633
When:
Monday-Tuesday 4pm-8pm
Thursday-Friday 1pm-8pm
Saturday 9am-3pm
At all other times there is an answer phone facility; please leave a message and we will respond as soon as a staff member is next available.