YOUTH PRESENCE - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Deputy Safeguarding / Child Protection Lead

If you have a Safeguarding concern related to a Youth Presence project, you can report concerns to Youth Presence by calling 07395329399 on Fridays, between the hours of 9.30am - 2.30pm. Our Safeguarding/Child Protection Lead is Iain Biddle. Our deputy Safeguarding/Child Protection Lead is Fr. Hugh Pollock. Fr. Hugh was born in Blackpool in 1955 and later studied History at Lancaster University. He trained and worked as a lawyer but after six years left and became a social worker for the Church of England, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. Fr. Hugh thoroughly enjoyed this, certainly compared to being a lawyer. He then studied to be a priest and was based in Rome for six years before being ordained a Catholic priest. He has worked in the Diocese of Lancaster since 1997 and is currently based in Kendal.

Job Titles:

• Project Worker

Iain is the Youth Presence Project Worker (YPPW) based at The Queen Katherine School from September 2022-August 2023. The YPPW will offer a ‘drop in' provision for KS3 students before school, at lunchtime and after school Monday to Thursday and facilitate targeted interventions and programmes that fall outside of statutory provision.  Working with other key providers and local agencies the YPPW will offer young people aged 11-14 opportunities that will benefit them and the best support structures possible.  This role will be needs-led and this is a preventive role.  Youth Presence is not a charity that can offer specialised support for mental health difficulties.  However, Iain can support young people in building protective factors and in offering them an additional layer of support alongside specialist services the school may refer them into.  This role is kindly funded by the Cumbria Community Foundation and The Freida Scott Charitable Trust.'

Kinga is a Law student at the University of Leeds. Kinga will be managing Youth Presence social media as well as being a trustee alongside her studies. Kinga has been attending youth events, including projects with VIDES UK and the Salesian Family, from a young age. She is passionate about providing young people with the opportunities she was given when she was younger. Kinga believes in making a difference to young people based on the values which align with that of Youth Presence. She aims to work towards empowering young people and believes in making a difference to the local community. As well as sharing her experience she brings to the group a lifetime commitment of helping young people to unleash their true potential

Marian has enjoyed an extensive and varied career in schools and youth services. Since her retirement she has continued to support the education of young people at home and in Malawi through volunteering with a couple of specific charities. As well as sharing her experience she brings to the group a lifetime commitment of helping young people to unleash their true potential Marian acts as treasurer to Youth Presence.

Mary was inspired at a young age to want to work with children and young people. She has been working with the young now for around 20 years. Mary has worked in a variety of roles including university chaplaincy, education, pastoral support in school and development roles within the charity sector. She spent many joyful years volunteering with the charity VIDES UK, as well as continuing to work with her local parish. Mary believes in the goodness of all children and young people and is passionate about supporting those who have had difficult experiences in their lives.

Sr Connie has been a Salesian Sisters for over 27 years. She is passionate about her vocation and her mission to the young. She is a fully qualified Youth & Community Development Worker and has worked in many different youth work settings and contexts. Over the years she has co-ordinated residential youth retreat projects, been a Learning Mentor in a Secondary School, been Director of VIDES UK Charity that promotes the development and training of volunteers and projects for disadvantaged children and young people at home and abroad, Manager of a Youth Provision in London, Assistant manager of a College for disaffected young people in Education, set up an Outreach Faith Development Project for Young People in schools and parishes, and in July 2020 has completed 6 years' service as Provincial of the Salesian Sisters in Great Britain. As well as sharing her experience she brings to the group a lifetime commitment of helping young people to unleash their true potential.