Sam Evans, training and quality manager, Staffordshire Youth Service
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Sam Evans originally wanted to work with horses but got into youth work after her dad volunteered her.
- Did you always want to be a youth worker?
No, I wanted to work with horses, but ended up with a job in the tax office for seven years. Not every young girl's dream but it gave me good experience of finance and budgeting, which has stood me in good stead with later jobs.
- So how did you get into youth work?
My brother worked at a youth club that needed staff and my dad volunteered my services. I enjoyed it so much I couldn't believe people got paid for it. Soon I was working four nights a week at a variety of projects. It took eight years of part-time working before I felt ready to go for the degree. I didn't feel responsible enough to manage things - I also feared missing out on the fun part.
- Where did you study?
De Montfort University - it was a fantastic experience. It really opens your eyes about yourself. Jobs followed running centres in Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and then the chance came up to become a training co-ordinator. My employer allowed me to combine that with my youth development work. The role was fantastic - I loved being able to help people grow.
- And now?
I've been working for Staffordshire Youth Service for three years. It's an exciting time to be in training - in addition to our entry level and (NVQ) Level 1 and 2 training, we've set up nine youth work apprenticeships.
