Jon Kear

Bang, Click as the prison officer closed and locked the door behind us, the sound echoed down the empty corridor, “Okay lets go,” he said. As we walked I was taking it all in, this new environment, but it was far from new itself - the site used to be an airbase during the war, then transferred into this prison, and not much had changed since. We went through another set of doors and around the corner we had arrived in the chaplaincy area of the prison. This is where I was going to work for the next ten months. I was the new chaplain of a team of five in a young offenders institute in Northumberland. What had I let my self in for? And this was my introduction to full time youth work!

Before I started in youth work I was seven years in agriculture (including college). To start with a general farm worker, and then I moved into sheep and ended with dairy, milking a herd of three hundred cows, but not on my own! As with all farming we hit the bad times and since I was the last one in I was the first to go. I decided then that this might be a good opportunity to change career. It was a tough decision, to leave a life style behind, but the decision was made and I started working for a charity called Youth for Christ.

My first placement was in Newcastle where they were going to train me on the job as well as doing a correspondence course through Brunel University, London. The type of things I was involved in was “Sunday School”, a lads cell/house group, drop-in centre - a place to chill out, a monthly youth service called Power zone, class room assistant for learning support, I started a Christian union, detached at lunch time - being there in the playground, in prison I did cell visits, bible studies / discussion groups, visiting the workshops, association time/ chatting and playing pool, the occasional football match, although I was a supporter and occasional Sunday services.

After that year had finished I went to my second placement in Wimbledon, which was a totally different style of work. This time I was on my own, although still under the watchful eye of Youth for Christ. Here I ran the Genesis Project, which is a  ten-week programme to help pupils achieve their full potential, looking at communication skills, failure, self worth, anger, problem solving and hopes, aims and ambitions. I ran a discussion group and social events for the church young people, and from the church I ran detached work and a football club.

When the year finished I returned closer to my roots, with a job as the youth worker with the Grosmont group of parishes. This started from scratch, with no youth activities being done. During my time as youth worker we built up three regular youth clubs. We also had other activities happening through out the year including discos, trips, holiday clubs, performing art and music workshops, youth weekends away, talent shows and church services. The job was a trail for a year to see if there was a need in the area, and after five years of working with the group of parishes I decided it was time to move.

And the move I made was to Raglan, here with you. I am looking forward to meeting you all, and helping to make a different to the young people.