Meet the Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & LEAD THERAPIST

Meet Wendy: A Passionate Advocate for Empowerment

Wendy Nee is a dedicated leader and the driving force behind First People Housing CIC and the Empower Project. With over 20 years of experience in the social care sector, she has devoted her career to supporting individuals affected by domestic abuse, homelessness, substance misuse, and involvement with the criminal justice system. In April 2022, Wendy founded First People Housing CIC, guided by a deep commitment to providing safe housing and support for people facing homelessness and vulnerability. Her vision and leadership align closely with the Empower Project’s mission to empower those impacted by domestic abuse – including survivors and individuals who have used harmful behaviours – to break the cycle of abuse and build safer, healthier futures.

Trauma-Informed Leadership

Wendy’s leadership approach is firmly trauma-informed and advocacy-driven, recognizing that healing from abuse and adversity requires empathy, safety, and respect. She fosters an organizational culture where survivors of domestic abuse feel heard and supported, and where even those who have caused harm are engaged with compassion and accountability to encourage positive change. Wendy is passionate about creating environments of trust and empowerment: staff and service users alike describe her as a leader who listens without judgment and responds with solutions that center on healing and personal growth. By understanding the complex trauma underlying issues like domestic violence and addiction, she ensures that services at the Empower Project and First People Housing are not just about immediate crisis relief, but also about long-term empowerment and recovery. Her trauma-informed perspective means every program under her guidance – from safe housing to perpetrator intervention – is designed to promote dignity, self-belief, and lasting change for everyone involved.

Expertise and Credentials

Wendy brings a wealth of professional expertise and credentials to her role, combining frontline experience with strategic management skills:

Over Two Decades in Social Care: Wendy’s career spans more than 20 years across domestic violence support, substance misuse treatment, and criminal justice programs. She has held pivotal roles including Operations Director at Druglink, where she oversaw addiction recovery and rehabilitation services, and later served as a Consultant CQC Registered Manager for a global medical and pharmaceutical company, ensuring quality care standards in health services.

Qualified Counsellor: Wendy is a trained counsellor, equipped to provide therapeutic support and guidance to individuals working through trauma and life challenges.

NLP Master Practitioner & Coach: As an NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) Master Practitioner, Trainer, and Coach, she leverages advanced personal development techniques to help people reshape harmful patterns and build confidence.

Leadership in Health & Social Care (Level 5): She holds a Level 5 Award in Leadership, demonstrating her expertise in leading teams and managing services within health and social care settings.

Health & Wellness Coach: Wendy is a qualified Health and Wellness Coach, enabling her to take a holistic approach to well-being that addresses mental, emotional, and physical health – crucial when supporting abuse survivors or those striving to change their behaviors.

Academic Pursuits: Committed to continuous learning, Wendy is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Addiction Psychology and Counselling, further expanding her knowledge to better serve individuals with complex needs.

This blend of practical experience, therapeutic skills, and leadership training gives Wendy a 360-degree understanding of how to empower individuals affected by domestic abuse and related challenges. Her credentials underpin the high-quality, compassionate support that the Empower Project delivers to service users every day.

Driving Change

As a visionary leader, Wendy is driving change in how communities respond to domestic abuse and homelessness. By founding First People Housing CIC and spearheading initiatives like the Empower Project, she has created innovative support models that address gaps in traditional services. Under Wendy’s guidance, the organization has developed specialized programs for often overlooked groups – for example, dedicated support for male victims of domestic abuse, who frequently suffer in silence, and proactive engagement with perpetrators to help them reform their behaviour. She firmly believes that true progress in breaking the cycle of abuse comes from supporting all individuals involved: giving survivors the tools to rebuild their lives and guiding those who have used violence or control towards taking responsibility and making healthy, lasting changes.

Wendy’s impactful work has earned recognition and accolades. She received two consecutive “Care Leadership Awards” for her compassionate yet effective leadership, and her team was honored with a “Most Innovative Care Team” award from the Hertfordshire Care Providers Association – a testament to the creative, person-centered solutions she champions. Beyond operational leadership, Wendy contributes to wider conversations in the field: she has shared her insights in published articles and forums, advocating for housing-first approaches and trauma-informed care for abuse survivors. Through these contributions, she influences policy and best practice, amplifying the message that empowerment and healing should be at the heart of support services.

In every aspect of her work, Wendy remains focused on empowerment and healing. Whether it’s securing funding for new support initiatives, collaborating with partner agencies, or sitting with individuals to hear their stories, she approaches each task with empathy and an unwavering commitment to making a difference. Wendy’s ultimate goal is to create a future where everyone impacted by domestic abuse – survivors and those ready to change – has the opportunity to heal, grow, and lead a safer life. Her leadership continues to inspire staff, service users, partners, and funders alike, driving the Empower Project forward in its mission to transform lives and communities.

COUNSELLOR and CHAMPION of VICTIMS of MALE DOMESTICE ABUSE

Meet Joanne: Dedicated to supporting individuals and families impacted by complex challenges through her work in counselling, addiction support, and domestic abuse intervention.

Joanne joined Frist People Housing CIC as a Male Domestic Abuse Manage in June 2024, alongside working as a volunteer counsellor specialising in addiction.

Joanne enjoyed a 25-year career in London as a Naval Architect, during this time she was also a Union Representative and Harassment and Bullying Investigator. After taking voluntary redundancy, she decided to put her love of working with people into practice by developing a new career in the third sector. Following roles with Citizen’s Advice as an Advisor specialising in Welfare Benefits, and volunteering with Choices DA charity on their Healthy Relationships project she moved to work for Age UK. Joanne set up an Information and Advice service for a local Age UK branch in Kent, dedicated to supporting those over 55 and their carers, before becoming CEO of the local branch.

During lockdown Joanne decided to pursue a lifelong desire to work as a Psychotherapist. She completed a BSc in Psychological Counselling, gaining a First Class Honours, alongside CPCAB counselling qualifications and in 2024 resigned the CEO role to undertake a MSc specialising in Addiction Psychology and Counselling part-time. She is currently embarking on a Level 5 ATSAC accredited course Working with Sex Addiction.

Joanne is dedicated to working with both survivors and perpetrators of domestic abuse and to further develop her understanding and knowledge has undertaken training with Respect on Working 1-1 with perpetrators of Domestic Abuse , Working with male victims of Domestic Abuse and Supporting LGBTQ+ victims of domestic abuse.

Joanne is a member of the BPS, BACP and Addiction Professionals.