“The time had come for me to finally say my goodbyes to YG … well sort of. When I started working at Young Gloucestershire I never imagined it would be for nearly seven years. In that time I have worked in a variety of roles and on many projects; from youth clubs, to schools work, leading YG’s mentoring project in The Link – YG’s drop in centre and then finally as a GEM Navigator providing one-to-one support for some of the county’s most disadvantaged young people. All roles came with their own set of challenges and also some incredible successes. At the heart of every role were the wonderfully resilient and inspiring young people working hard to change their lives.

 

“My time at YG has always been driven by the young people, walking with them through heartache and success was a great privilege. My colleagues have also been a huge inspiration; selfless and endlessly positive. That said I have come to a crossroads in my life and a young family and a growing family business has meant that it is time to take step back from my delivery role at YG…. Only a little step though, as I am delighted to be taking a position on the Board of Trustees at Young Gloucestershire.

 

“This is an exciting opportunity for me to be involved in the strategic decision making behind the charity. The role is a great honour. It is the trustees that have ultimate control of the charity and are responsible for making sure YG is doing exactly what the charity should be. We work closely with the CEO and the senior management team to lead the charity and decide how it is run. But really as a group of trustees it is our individual skills and experience that we will utilise to help the charity achieve its aims.

 

“However it is easy to see how a bunch of mangers and trustees sat around a table could lose touch with the reality of life that our young people are dealing with every day. That is where I think my skills and experience are going to help. My intention is to ensure that the voice of young people is brought to the table. I will use my own experiences of working on the ground, and will help connect young people with the board to ensure their needs remain at the heart of YG’s work. I believe this really is the key to the charity’s success.”

 

YG is always on the look out for people to join the board that can bring unique skills to the charity. If you think you have something to offer and what that warm fuzzy feeling of making a positive difference in the world then please get in touch.