Youth Workers

Allan

Allan is married to Martine, they have lived in Perth for over ten years. Prior to training as a youth worker Allan spent a number of years in the Royal Air Force’s Fire and Rescue Service and the Defence Fire Service.
Allan Studied Youth Work and Applied Theology and International Christian College and gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Community Education at Dundee University, he worked for a local church before joining the team at YMCA. Allan has a great capacity to listen to individual young people and support them through their highs and their lows. He coordinates the work of the Acoustic café with great enthusiasm supporting young people to develop their skills in helping to manage that project.Allan is very interested in obscure black and white films that none of the rest of us understand!

Keith

Keith has spent time in the financial services industry and in career management in England. Like Allan, Keith took a change in direction and began youth work in the London area. He manages the Street Sport for All project along with a number of the Project Scotland volunteers where he has a great ability to notice a young persons naturally gifts and to encourage them to build on those, he is an excellent listener.
If you want to take up Badminton – Keiths your man having been a coach, you just need to give him a bit longer to warm up now!

Dave

Having done an HNC in Radio Broadcast Dave joined the team at YMCA as a full time volunteer under Project Scotland and he liked it so much he stayed. We liked him so much that we took him on to the full time staff where he specializes in the Radio project. Dave has a gift for getting alongside young people and offering them an honest challenge which he will support them in meeting.
Dave is always on hand to help with the technical side of things not only does he understand the Radio software but is also a whiz with Powerpoint!

James

James is married to Lynn and has two children, he is a sports fan and is regularly seen playing pool or crazy pool as its known at the YMCA. He has completed an Honours degree in Youth Work and Applied Theology and contemplating further studies. James Co-ordinates the Sidewalk Project. This project seeks to develop informal relationships with young people, who congregate on the streets of Perth, often at weekend evenings, and through this contact attempts to advice, support or educate young people through known risk behaviours. Once he gets to know individuals James can offer them particular support e.g. to engage better with schools or to interact better with their family. He is a very patient and thoughtful person who listens and supports young people through their personal trials.
James is our “thinker” who encourages the rest of us slow down occasionally!

Matthew

Matthew discovered YMCA in Perth from a friend on the staff team. He was thinking about a career in youth work and joined YMCA in Perth as a full time volunteer under Project Scotland and has remained with us in this capacity to date having applied to join a course at University to train as a professional youth worker. Matthew has a great ability to take anything in his stride without being phased. That calmness is a great asset in building relationships with young people whose lives are sometimes very chaotic.
Matt is a very calming influence in the madness of life at YMCA in Perth!

Juliet

Juliet joined the team as a student placed with YMCA from the International Christian College in Glasgow and she gives our team a truly International feel as she joined us from Endola in Zambia. Juliet was a Primary School teacher in Zambia but she wanted to train as a youth worker and hopes to bring the skills of youth work back to her home country and develop the delivery of youth work there. Juliet is very good at picking up the little signs that help her to build up a complete picture of individual young people and using that insight to enable them to make positive progress.
Juliet has acquired a lot more warm clothing since coming to Scotland!

Tony

Tony joined YMCA as a full time volunteer through Project Scotland. In fact Tony, along with another local young person, was one of the first two volunteers to be placed nationally by this excellent Programme. Tony got a job shortly after joining YMCA as a full time volunteer with Project Scotland but after two days he came back to YMCA because he would rather be here. He has since gone to the International Christian College in Glasgow to train as a professional youth worker. Tony has a great empathy with young people who are hurt and confused and is very committed to understanding and supporting them.
Tony grew up in Swaziland and has Italian ancestors so the rest of the team are still trying to get our tongues around his surname!