What did you want to do when growing up? I wanted to be a social worker. It was probably to do with my dysfunctional upbringing and wanting to put things right with the world.
So what did you do? I spent some time in the Channel Islands doing casual work in hotels. Back in Bristol I was homeless, but I was part of a squatting network and was always active in the community. I contacted a volunteer bureau and ended up volunteering for the London Connection in St Martin in the Fields and the drugs helpline Release.
This got you into youth work? A member of staff urged me to study at YMCA George Williams, and I just devoured it. My early jobs had a focus on housing and drugs, but I moved into more generic youth work. I always looked to bring in as much training and development as possible for staff and young people - I was helped by someone and the way to repay that was to put something back.
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