Eric has been lucky to work in the private, public and voluntary sectors. He has a strong commitment to influence how policy and practice so as to help vulnerable groups to realise their potential and contribute positively to their society.

Eric is currently undertaking PhD. research at Birkbeck College, University of London about how young, socially disadvantaged people can succeed in spite of the odds.

From 2000- 2009 Eric was Chief Executive of Mentor UK, the charity which focuses on developing effective drug misuse prevention activities. Prior to that, from 2005, he was Chief Executive of Angel Drug Services, a London-based street drugs agency.

Eric represents the International Mentor Foundation at the United Nations in Vienna. In 2008 he undertook research to inform the United Nations' Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs as it seeks to improve civic society's engagement with the United Nations. He has twice been elected Vice Chair of this Committee and continues in this role. He has chaired numerous sessions at the United Nations in Vienna. He recently facilitated the process to write the Committee's Strategic Plan 2009-13, which was adopted in Vienna in June 2009.

Eric has three times been elected as Chair of the English Drug Education Forum.

From January 2008 - April 2010 Eric was a member of the UK Government's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD). Since April 2010 he has been a member of the UK's Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs.

Eric's previous work experience has included developing community participation in planning and delivering Health and Social Services and setting up joint planning systems to deliver Community Care services. He has also managed local HIV prevention and treatment services and an international HIV prevention project for the British Red Cross.

Eric has held a number of Trustee positions in voluntary organisations. He also chaired a Community Health Council and a Drug Reference Group, both in Islington, London.

Eric is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Past academic achievements include:

MSc. Public Service Management (Awarded with Distinction), South Bank University

Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies, Polytechnic of Central London

M.A. (Hons.) History, University of Edinburgh 

Check out Eric's blog on http://ericcarlin.wordpress.com/.