Staff
Youth Link Staff
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Patrick White - Director
Responsible for the overall management, delivery and co-ordination of the work of Youth Link, including forward planning; external relations; service provision; public accountability; personnel matters; financial probity and the raising of resources in line with the aims and objectives of the organisation. The Director acts as the lead officer to the Management Team. Paddy represents the interests of the voluntary youth sector through membership of the Curriculum Development Unit and the Northern Ireland Youth Service Liaison Forum. Paddy's qualifications include an MSc in Voluntary Sector Management, Cass Business School London, and an MEd in Youth & Community Work.
Helen Dickson - Deputy Director - Corporate Affairs
Responsible for management and administration of financial systems and records of Youth Link; provision of administrative, secretariat and governance services to Youth Link Council; and support to Youth Link member Churches. Helen is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and has an Honours Degree in Management & Business Studies. Previously she was employed in the voluntary and higher education sectors.
Brenda McGrann - Training & Development Manager
Responsibilities include the management, co-ordination and delivery of a number of OCN NI Training for Youth Work Units, including Level 1 Leadership in Youth Work for Young People, Level 2 Introduction to Youth Work, Level 3 Working with Others in a Youth Work Context and Programme Development. Brenda is a representative of the voluntary youth sector on the Youth Work Training Board for Northern Ireland. Prior to joining the team in Youth Link, Brenda was a full-time youth worker and managed voluntary sector youth centres in West and South Belfast.
David Stanfield - Interim Centre Director, Centre for Youth Ministry Ireland
Responsible for management, organisation and delivery of courses and other activities of CYMI regionally. David participates in all aspects of teaching and examining and acts as national module co-ordinator, as appropriate. David joined the Youth Link team in September 2000, employed as Training & Development Co-Ordinator. Previously he was the Presbyterian Chaplain at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown and Convenor of the Youth Board Training Committee.
John Peacock - Community Relations Manager
John joined Youth Link in August 2004. Previously he worked as associate minister at St John's, Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church, where he had particular responsibility for ministry to young people and families. John has a background in youth work, community relations and outdoor education through church & YMCA based work. His role in Youth Link is to support links between groups of young people from differing church and/or community backgrounds, provide opportunities for active citizenship and peacebuilding for young adults and provide resources and training in the principles equity, diversity and interdependence and community relations for youth leaders.
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Joe McKeown - Training & Development Officer
Joe joined Youth Link in November 2008. Joe began his youth work training 8 years ago with Youth Link and has been working in partnership with its staff and stakeholders ever since. He has youth work experience in both the voluntary and statutory sectors and has worked in Australia, America and Africa. Joe’s role in Youth Link is to deliver a range of Youth Work and Community Relations training programmes in specific areas of Belfast and the border counties. His post is funded under the EU Programme for Peace & Reconciliation 2007-2013, Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland (Peace III) through the Youth Education Social Inclusion Partnership. Previously he was employed as Faith Development Officer in Youthcom and delivered training programmes in youth work and ministry at parish and diocesan level. He has also been involved with the ‘New Day’ peace building initiative and has developed links with all of Youth Link’s member churches.
Carole Nesbitt - Admin Officer
Responsible for the provision of administrative support services to Youth Link staff and Centre for Youth Ministry Ireland. Carole has worked for Youth Link since 1992. She has many years experience as a volunteer youth worker in her local Church.
Darren O'Reilly - Community Relations Training & Development Officer
Darren joined Youth Link in April 2009. His post is funded through the Community Relations Council / Pobal who are managing the implementation of Measure 1.2 of the Peace III Programme for the Special European Union Programmes Body. In conjunction with Jim McDowell, and other staff members, he will deliver and assist in the co-ordination of a suite of community relations, good relations, active citizenship and youth work programmes for young people, young adults and youth workers, accredited through the Open College Network, in Belfast, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Armagh and the border counties of Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan. Darren has a degree in Youth & Community Work and is currently studying for an MA in Youth & Community Work with Applied Theology through the Centre for Youth Ministry, University of Gloucestershire; he was previously employed as Community Relations Project Officer by NI Council for Integrated Education.
Jim McDowell - Community Relations Training & Development Officer
Jim joined Youth Link in April 2009. His post is funded through the Community Relations Council / Pobal who are managing the implementation of Measure 1.2 of the Peace III Programme for the Special European Union Programmes Body. In conjunction with Darren O'Reilly, and other staff members, he delivers and assists in the co-ordination of a suite of community relations, good relations, active citizenship and youth work programmes for young people, young adults and youth workers, accredited through the Open College Network, in Belfast, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Armagh and the border counties of Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan. Jim has a degree in Community Youth Work and is currently studying for a BTh in Theology through Union Theological College; he was previously employed as Director of Youth Ministry by St John's Presbyterian Church.
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Sharon McKibbin - Assistant Director - Centre for Youth Ministry Ireland
Sharon joined Youth Link in July 2009 after working in a youth homelessness prevention service in Belfast. She has a Masters degree in Youth and Community Work, is JNC professionally qualified and has experience working with young people and volunteers in different settings, including church-based youth work. Sharon will assist in the management and delivery of Centre for Youth Ministry courses at the Centre for Youth Ministry Ireland with a primary focus on the degree in youth and community work and practical theology.
Lisa Thompson - Admin and Finance Assistant
Lisa joined Youth Link in September 2009. She is responsible for the provision of administrative support services and is first point of contact for callers to the organization. Previously Lisa was employed in an administrative capacity in the statutory and private sectors.
Kate Maguire - Youth Worker
Kate joined Youth Link in January 2010 as a trainee youth worker. Her role is funded through the Youth Apprenticeship Programme with the Joseph Rank Trust, which aims to provide professional development among youth workers within a Christian setting. As part of her development she will begin a degree course in informal education with the YMCA George William's College in September 2010. Kate graduated with a BEd Hons in Primary School Teaching with Art & Design through Stranmillis University College. She taught for over three years before moving into the youth work sector.
Kate was previously employed as a part-time Youth & Community Worker in Waringstown Presbyterian Church, while maintaining her part-time teaching career. Kate will be involved in the work of the Youth Work & Community Relations Departments of Youth Link, through the delivery of youth work, good relations and cultural diversity programmes. She will develop a youth forum which will encourage youth participation within Youth Link structures.
