Why did you choose to become a youthworker?

I got involved in youthwork when I was at university as a way of getting experience to become a teacher – when teaching didn’t work out, I gave up youthwork too. Then when I became a Christian, my church wanted to start working with young people and I volunteered to help out. From there I found that God was calling me to take up youthwork full-time, so I quit my job, moved across the country and re-trained as a youthworker.

What is the best thing about your Job?

The best thing now is supporting the team of youthworkers, mentors and family support workers. I’ve found that seeing them grow and develop is as exciting as seeing young people grow and develop. Knowing that The Door changes people’s lives is amazing.

The most challenging ?

Trying to make sure we raise the money to do the things we do. As a charity there are so many opportunities to do new things, but only a small amount of money to do them

What is your best memory?

Sitting on the kerb outside the old ‘Door’ with a young woman who was upset, confused, and desperate to make a change in her life and being able to tell her how much Jesus loved her and wanted to help her change. Then over the coming years seeing how much she has changed, and how much God has done in her life.

Strangest/ Silliest/ funniest thing that has happened to you while doing Youthwork?

One Friday evening, we had two groups of angry girls turn up in the Drop-In, with the two ‘leaders’ threatening to beat each other up. As the evening progressed the tension grew more and more, with the two of them sat either side of the narrow room eyeballing each other and saying pretty nasty things at each other. We were concerned how things were going to end, when the legend that was Leo Versaci pushed his way through the crowd and right between them. He paused briefly to say something to them both and then returned to my side. “They’ll soon be gone” he told me. “Why, what did you say?” I asked. “Its not what I said, but when I was standing there, I farted” he replied. Sure enough, within another minute the smell had gone round and they were all leaving blaming Leo for being disgusting. Tension broken!