Hi, my name is Meg and I am the Project Co-ordinator. I am responsible for the general running of the project, including making sure the building is safe for young people, child protection and fundraising for all of the work we do. My main priority is making sure that the young people in the area have their voices heard, and that they feel ownership of SNYP and all of the work we do. My specialist area of work is to actively listen to, and empower young people working from a basis of trust and respect.

What about me? I enjoy music, I’m a vegetarian and I enjoy watching the winter games as the snow boarding is amazing. I’m quite into creative activities. My family consists of husband, daughter, son-in-law and two amazing grandsons. I have a small amount of friends and lots of acquaintances.

Hello, I’m Julie. I’m the youth link worker at SNYP which means I’m responsible for bringing young people together and making sure their voices are heard. At the minute we do this through the creation of the Southwick Hacks newspaper. I have worked closely with all young people who have been involved and they have produced a quarterly newspaper since November 2007. I also work with the drop-in sessions and the lads group. I enjoy doing youth work because young people smiling, having fun and getting the most out of their lives is what matters to me.

Some of my hobbies and interests away from work include visiting places of mystery, scavenging on the beach for drift wood, I love DIY because it gives me the chance to create and mend things.

Bonjour, I’m Ruth.

I’m the Assistant Project Co-ordinator at SNYP, which means I am responsible for the employment and education support as well as the general management of the project during Meg’s absence. I’ve worked at SNYP since 2004 and before that I worked in Southwick for a couple of years with young people. I’m trained in chlamydia screening, SHOWT registration and the Keyfund. I really enjoy my work but I love to get involved in projects such as face painting, nail art, cooking and organising events. Part of my work is to represent the views of young people from Southwick and I do this by being part of a group on the council and by being a member of the North East Detached Youth Work Forum. I also do detached work on an evening which allows me to keep in touch with the young people in the area.

I have many outside interests, the main one being spending time with my daughter, we enjoy going to the pictures, shopping, fossil hunting, star gazing and doing art and craft projects.

Hello I’m Mak, I am part of SNYP’s management committee and I am also a youth worker in South Shields. I’ve been involved in youth work for 18 years and I first came to SNYP as part of my university placement, I enjoyed it so much they haven’t been able to get rid of me since then!

I enjoy working with young people around performing arts, fashion shows and music, where I use my skills I learnt as a DJ.

Other interests I have include music, driving, films and fashion.

Hello, my name is John Robertson.

I’ve been working at SNYP for over twenty years on the drop-in sessions. I also work on the lads group. I began my work at SNYP because I could see the need for youth work in the area, and I figured I could help out. I grew to love working at SNYP, and I still do.

I’m a full time plumber, so I can only work at SNYP during the evenings. Away from work I enjoy walking and I love to go and see live bands. I also enjoy music in general.

Hello, I'm Paul Hesslewood, I’m part of SNYP’s management committee and I currently work in security as a loss prevention officer. I came to SNYP as a young person who needed employment support. This role allows me to put something back into the local community and support a project that operates to proactively include young people in society and give them a more active role.

In my spare time I enjoy listening to music to relax. Other interests include spending time with family and friends socialising. I also like to play snooker and pool. I read both fiction and non fiction books with my favoured authors being Chris Ryan and John Grisham.

Hello, my name is Su Kaur. I’m part of SNYP’s management committee and I’m currently at university doing a degree in social work. I am also a magistrate within both adult and family courts.

I’ve lived in Southwick for 18 years, where I ran a business with my husband. I became involved with SNYP because I wanted to gain experience of working with young people. I worked voluntarily on the drop-in sessions before becoming a member of the management committee.

I am a mother of two and I travel across the country to watch my daughter pursue her interest and participation in net ball. I am also a member of a net ball team and away from my work I enjoy reading and going to the cinema.

Hello, I’m Lol

I’m part of the management committee at SNYP, and have been for about 1 year now. I currently have my own catering business but have lots of experience working with children and young people. In the past I worked at SNYP as a crèche worker and youth worker. I also have experience of working in nurseries and with autistic young people. I think that youth work was a natural progression for me after I started working with children. I enjoyed working with the young people in the area.

One of my interests in life is to travel the country to watch my partner, son and daughter take part in banger racing.

Hi, my name is Trish. I work in the junior sessions, the girls group and the drop-in sessions at SNYP. I also work with the Sunderland Young Carer’s Group and I am currently studying counselling at college. I have had training in different areas which have given me skills to work with young people such as, youth work, drama, singing, domestic abuse, racism and substance misuse. I really enjoy the work I do with young people because each day and situation are different.

I really enjoy karaoke and I often provide entertainment for family and friends.

Hello, I’m Terri. I work at SNYP on four different sessions which include the Southwick Hacks newspaper, the junior group, the girls group and the drop-in sessions. I came to SNYP as a young person in the girls group, I enjoyed it so much that I decided to become a volunteer and then went off to do an NVQ in youth work so I could become a worker. I also trained in childcare and used to work in the SNYP crèche. As well as working at SNYP, I also work at the Castleview youth club and with the Sunderland Young Carer’s group.

Away from work I enjoy banger racing, which can be scary at times but I find it exciting.

My name is Susie, I am on the management committee at SNYP. I worked at SNYP for two years as a girls worker but I also did my second year university placement there too. The things I enjoy most about youth work are delivering issue based work around sexual health and drug awareness. I’ve been involved in youth work for 8 years and have worked in peer education, young women’s work, working with young parents and delivering courses in the community.

Two of my favourite hobbies are making handmade cards and going to the cinema.

Hi, I’m Claire Williams,

I’m the chair person of the SNYP management committee and I currently work as a deputy head teacher. I’ve been involved in youth work for 19 years and have enjoyed working on different projects such as HIV/Aids awareness and art work projects including screen printing, junk art and graffiti art.

Away from work I enjoy watching live bands and I try to see as many as possible, the most recent being REM and the Pogues. I love watching sport, especially tennis, football and rugby and I try to play tennis at times.

Hello I’m Dave.

I work at SNYP as a detached youth worker, which means I’m out on the streets of Southwick for 9 hours a week. I’m 22 years old and I’m currently studying my Community and Youth Work degree at Sunderland University. I enjoy talking to young people and my interest in youth work began when I did voluntary work in Pallion at the age of 15.

I’m a massive Liverpool fan and I also enjoy going to the gym, swimming and watching CSI.

Hello, my name is Ann Russell, I’m on the management committee at SNYP and have been since 2005. I’m a personal development officer at riverside training, but have also trained in counselling and access to nursing. I have lived in the local area most of my life and I have a great interest in what goes on in the community.

Two things I enjoy away from work are exercise and meeting new people.