Gary's Profile

I’ve been involved in youth work for over twenty-four years (which will give you some idea about how old I am – without giving it away). It’s an absolute calling that I’m passionate about and love to do. Having had some amazing experiences in a youth club as a teenager, I value the importance of friendships, support and opportunities that youth provision can offer to young people. We can so easily miss the value of youth work. But, I can honestly say that I don’t think I would have made it through my high school years, if it wasn’t for the sense of belonging and value I felt in the youth club ran by a small local church.

So, my mission in life is to give young people the opportunity to gain amazing memories that will stay with them for a lifetime and build the rest of their life upon. There’s often too much pressure in life to achieve or be somebody, and so sadly we lose sight of the important things in life; such as the privilege to give and help others, enjoy life, not take ourselves too seriously and laugh often.

So here we are in Horbury, a team of youth workers and volunteers bringing a range of skills, gifts, and personalities to make a lasting difference in individual young people’s lives. The saying goes ‘find something you love to do and figure out how to get paid for it’: I love doing what I do and the bonus is I get paid for it!