Finbarr Toesland

Investigative Journalist @Uk Young Academy

London, GB

I\'ve filed stories from more than 18 countries, including Ukraine, Serbia, Italy, Malta, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, America, Czechia, Sweden, United Kingdom and France. Since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, I\'ve conducted multiple reporting trips to Ukraine.My journalism has appeared in NBC News, BBC, Reuters, HuffPost, British Vogue, VICE, The Telegraph, Prospect, The i Paper, openDemocracy, The Daily Beast, Monocle and The Progressive.For The Big Issue, I explored the challenges faced by volunteer-run shelters like Hope Shelter in Przemyśl, which has hosted over refugees since opening in October 2022, despite facing significant funding shortages; the reporting was named a finalist for the 2025 Amnesty International Media Awards.My work for The i Paper has delved into the concerns of Ukrainians regarding potential shifts in U.S. foreign policy and the efforts of Ukrainian therapists assisting women in rebuilding their lives after experiencing sexual abuse during the conflict. I\'ve reported from the first fashion week in Ukraine since the Russian invasion for British Vogue.I led a cross-border investigation exposing Europe’s invitation-only conversion therapy conference, which was published in several media outlets including Byline Times and German newspaper Die Tageszeitung. Supported by funding from Journalismfund Europe, this project was nominated for the True Story Award 2025. My six-month investigation for NBC News revealed how police departments across the U.S. are mandating LGBT training. The investigation was picked up by several publications, including Axios, and received praise from the President of the Human Rights Campaign. This reporting won the Excellence in Legal Coverage Award from the NLGJA.

University of Cambridge

Master of Philosophy - MPhil

University College London, U. of London

Bachelor's Degree