Dave Thompson - CEO Expand I have held the post of Director since 2004 and have helped to provide financial stability, increased income generation and ensured the development and delivery of quality services. After working in the private sector since I left School I travelled independently across the Sahara where I had time to reflect and decided to enter Higher Education, there I gained a level 4 in Youth & Community Work. After completing this qualification I worked as a Youth Worker in Germany and gained 15 years experience working for a Local Education Authority, where I held a senior level post as Principal of a large Neighbourhood College located on a ‘council’ estate which was formerly the largest in Europe. As my career developed I returned to Higher Education and gained my Master’s in Business Administration. I have a passion for working with young people and designing services which bring about positive change.
Lindsey Halford - Infrastructure Manager Expand I have been working for Dorset Youth Association since 2008, and in 2012 took on the role of Infrastructure Manager based at our Lubbecke Way Headquarters, and am a member of the Senior Management Team. Since leaving my management position in the public sector, I have worked in the Voluntary Sector in Dorset for over 15 years and have a wide knowledge of how the sector works and a wide network of colleagues, locally and regionally, to refer to when necessary. Since joining Dorset Youth Association I have been facilitating the 0-19 Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) Forum, and enjoy bringing people together to be part of a collective voice in Dorset. I have excellent working relationships with statutory colleagues, and use my communication skills to empower the VCS to inform them of the voluntary sectors views and help influence their thinking. I am fortunate to work with other professionals who feel passionate about the children, young people and families we work with, and the sector we work in, and it is empowering for me to see the successes they have achieved and the changes they have made through this passion.
Amanda Hewitt - Family Link Worker Expand I have lived in Dorset all my life; through my own family I became interested in working with children and families. I joined Dorset Youth Association, as a Family Link Worker in September 2016, having gained experience of working with children and families from a wide range of settings. From managing Dorset’s first Neighbourhood nursery for 0- 9 year olds in Bovington, working in schools, Children’s Centres, early year’s settings, homes and on Traveller sites. This gave me an opportunity to work with a wide range of professionals including those in health, education, housing, the prison service, youth services, social care and many voluntary organisations. Many of the families I have worked with are reluctant to engage with services. Building trusting relationships has been essential and I have found that being willing to be flexible, meeting parents and their children in their own home and making sure that I address their concerns have been key to establishing positive changes for the child and families. My NVQ 4 in Child Care and Education, training in Mental Health, Autism, ‘The Incredible Years program‘, ‘Working with Resistant Families’ have enabled me to apply my understanding of parenting issues in order to empower parents, helping them to engage with other services. Having such experience gives me an opportunity to offer advice and support on child development, the importance of play and healthy lifestyles, to achieve the best possible outcomes for their children.
Claire Gannon - Face Forward Volunteering Coordinator Expand I started work with Dorset Youth in August 2017 and my role is to co-ordinate volunteer opportunities for young people as part of the Face Forward project, a joint venture with Ansbury Guidance. Before moving to Dorset I worked in East London for twelve years with Worth Unlimited who work with disadvantaged young people on estates around Waltham Forest. Over the years I have gained experience in a number of different areas of youth work and worked on projects including schools work, mentoring, youth clubs, residentials, arts projects and literacy programmes. Originally my degree was in Film and Drama and I was working for a small community theatre company when I was invited to be a youth worker for a local community organisation in Leatherhead, Surrey where I helped to set up a youth café and youth clubs. I have chosen to stay with youth work since then as I have seen the great value for young people in having someone who is there for them during difficult times in their lives and I am committed to providing positive opportunities for young people in Dorset.
Debbie Shaw - Finance Officer Expand I am the Finance Officer for Dorset Youth Association working full time from our Headquarters in Lubbecke Way, Dorchester. I started in 2001 on a part time basis and I manage the Associations finance and human resources together with ensuring the smooth running of the office and managing the venue hire. Leaving extended education with a BEC National Diploma (Distinction) in Business Studies my career has been finance based having spent the early 10 years with Nat West Bank, working through all the clerical grades and gaining ‘Institute of Bankers’ qualifications. I then decided to focus on accountancy and gained Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification prior to my returning to the workplace after raising a family. I have supported the Associations financial journey as it moved from hand written ledgers to excel workbooks and through to the dedicated finance software programmes we currently use. As a mum of 4 children I have used my skills to support their activities through a variety of voluntary roles - committee member for local playgroup, treasurer for the school PTFA and as a Scout Leader. I believe young people are the key to the success and happiness of our local communities and am privileged to work for an organisation that endeavours to give young people the best opportunities in life.
Jay Brown - Project Worker (Clubs & Groups / Advice & Guidance) Expand I have worked for Dorset Youth Association since September 2013. I have a dual role within the organisation; supporting youth clubs and groups across the county and running Routes advice, information and guidance centre in Dorchester. I started my career in the Aerospace Industry within Health, Safety, Environment and Facilities Management; gaining the NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and ISO advanced auditor qualifications. My transition to Youth Work started in 2007 through coaching at a local amateur boxing club where I qualified as a full ABA England boxing coach. This led to a part time Youth Support Worker in Charge position for Dorset County Council in 2009, where I completed my Youth Work qualifications. In 2010 I established my own business coaching boxing to young people as a way of engaging them in education. I worked with Pupil Referral Units, Travellers, and Schools. During this time I completed gym & circuit training instructor qualifications. My career history has enabled me to develop a broad range of skills that’s I have transferred to my current role, giving professional advice and guidance to youth workers, trustees, community groups and young people & having an array of activities to offer young people. I’m passionate about my work with young people, gaining a great deal of satisfaction from empowering communities and individuals to make positive changes to their lives and creating opportunities to succeed.
Jess Ledbury - Family Link Worker Expand I joined the team at Dorset Youth Association in June 2013 as a Family Link Worker. My role within the organisation is to work with families who need practical, direct support with a range of issues. Previously I have worked in mental health and with young offenders around substance misuse. Although I enjoyed both these roles, I wanted to work more directly with families as a whole, using a holistic approach. This way of working was encouraged during my social work training. I have completed various training and development courses during my time at DYA, including Strengthening Families, Intense Support to Families with Complex Needs Level 4, and Group Teen Triple P. Continuing to develop my knowledge and skills in this way has enabled me to understand some of the problems families face, and provide strategies to support them in moving forward and sustaining this. As a Family Link Worker, I have been able to work with a variety of different people and it is inspiring to see the changes some families can make when they have the right support and motivation. I feel that in order to achieve change the needs of the family should be addressed alongside each other, and not just individually.
Joe Snowdon - Sports Development Coordinator Expand I am the Sports Development Coordinator based at Routes, our Information and Advice Centre in Dorchester. I am a member of the Direct Delivery Team and have been working for Dorset Youth Association since July 2013. I oversee the Fit4Life project, whose ongoing aim is to increase the health and wellbeing of young people in Dorset using physical activity as a tool. I come from a sporting background both personally and professionally. I have been involved within sport in some aspect for as long as I can remember and I carried this on throughout my education. This led to me completing my BSc in Applied Sport Science and Coaching in 2011. I started my career within a School setting in Cornwall where I shadowed Teachers and acted as a Technician for the Department. My School experience enabled me to understand I wanted to work with young people in a less formal setting and especially with those facing disadvantage that Schools sometimes miss. Whilst working for the Association I have been able to further my knowledge by gaining my Level 3 in Youth Work Practice. I really do believe that sport can transform lives, which I have seen first-hand from my own journey. My overarching aim in my work is to increase the number of young people participating in physical activity each week.
Lorna Johnson - Family Link Worker Expand I have worked for Dorset Youth Association since 2010, where I have held a range of roles working with young people. Since 2015 I have worked as a Family Link Worker. I come from a youth worker background and I am committed to a youth led/child centred approach. I am experienced with working with the hardest to reach young people in inner cities and rural Dorset. I have five year experience helping young people with learning disabilities and mental health issues achieve their potential and discover their skills and talents through group volunteering work and serving others. My career began as a criminal paralegal in a large inner city law firm where I advised and supported young people who had begun to offend and their families. I gained an insight into the stresses poverty and a difficulty family background can bring. I am committed to the Dorset Family matters link worker role and enjoy working with families and young people to overcome their challenges and achieve their goals. I am driven by the belief that we all have amazing gifts and strengths and we can help one another discover and use them to the benefit of us all. Being on this journey of discovery with some one is fun, interesting and a privilege.
Lynne Rockey - Strengthening Families Coordinator Expand I am the Coordinator for the Strengthening Families Programme 10-14 (UK) working part time from our Lubbecke Way office as part of the Infrastructure Team. I have been with DYA for over 8 years and in this role since conception of the project in 2012, when I trained as a facilitator for the programme. Having developed and delivered the Strengthening Families Programme, I have a wide knowledge and understanding of what the programme provides and how it benefits the families. My organisational and communication skills have helped to bring this project together and, through building excellent working relationships with other agencies, successfully deliver this project right across rural Dorset. There is a huge sense of achievement in watching the change in families from when they first meet us to successfully completing the programme. As a parent, and now grandparent, I understand how tough it can be, not only to ask for help but to then take that step of joining a parenting programme. When our children are young there is a natural bond between parents at the ‘school gate’ and a time to reflect on behaviours that it is likely we are all going through, that remind us that we are not alone in the difficult world of parenting. As our children grow into young teenagers and start to make their own way, this support is not there and can make us feel isolated. Parents and Young teenagers benefit from time to openly discuss their own concerns and issues, and I feel that this programme works with families to provide tools that can be used and the support and environment for open discussion. I strongly felt this would have been a huge benefit to my family and wanted to be involved to make sure the programme was accessible to those who needed it. I am very proud of the success that this programme has been in rural Dorset. I hope that my compassion and approach to the role helps make this a little easier.
Mark Samuel - Family Link Worker Expand I have worked for Dorset Youth Association since June 2013 as a Family Link Worker. Throughout my career I have worked with young people and their families in a variety of settings such as; disability teams, youth services and in schools. As Family Link Workers our work is practical and intensive, giving us the opportunity to get to know families well so we can really offer a bespoke service that is tailored to the family’s needs and can genuinely make a difference. Through the work I have done I have developed an interest in Child Psychology and I am now studying towards a BSc in Psychology. I enjoy working with complex families from across Dorset, helping support them make sustainable positive changes.
Matthew Hodgett - Maintenance & Cleaning Expand I have worked at DYA since 2013. My role is the cleaning and maintenance of the Routes and Headquarter premises and grounds. As we hire out both the Main Hall and Seaton Room at the Headquarters I am aware of the need to keeping the building and grounds in good order, ensuring a safe and pleasant environment for everyone using our facilities. Through other similar roles I have experience and am appropriately qualified in food hygiene and health and safety My background is in engineering and having gained an Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Portsmouth University. I have worked as a Civil Engineer and in Facilities Management, and enjoy the practical work of rebuilding a car, giving me many skills which I have been able to apply at DYA. I enjoy working as part of such a friendly and passionate team and like the variety of jobs associated with the position.