This Month’s Directors Chair comes from Barrie Voyce – Business Development Director

September is often a time of change, new beginnings and next steps. At The Door we had some celebrating to do as Bev Searle completed and passed her Business Administration Apprenticeship! (Something which definitely deserved cake)

Bev is the latest in a long line of young people who have connected with The Door as teenagers looking for support and a safe space, who end up becoming part of the team!

Her line manager for the past year has been Anne Townsend, who herself graduated from an Apprenticeship here a few years ago. Bev and Anne are now the heart-beat of The Door, with Anne as Operations and Events Coordinator, and Bev permanently installed as Service Delivery Administrator.

Over in Dursley, Courtney has been on placement from Stroud College as she completes her Health and Social Care qualification, (read her story here) while Senior Youthworker Frankie has started her final year of a youthwork degree.

The list goes on! Rosie, the first ever “Young Person of The Year” at The Door is now a trustee and sessional youthworker. Following a year of volunteering, Owen has just started his first ever paid job in The Door Shop and  Leah, another ‘Young Person of The Year’ , is also a sessional youthworker.

Our strapline “Unlocking Potential, Opening Opportunities” runs deep within The Door. Those opportunities don’t always have to be inside the organisation, but they frequently are. We have a myriad of young people on work experience placements throughout the year, others volunteering in The Door Shop as part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

Within our community youthwork teams we find ways for young people to serve as “peer youthworkers” – helping out in centres, on detached youthwork and getting involved in our schools work. We are also delighted to see young people deciding to become a volunteer mentors, having experienced the life changing effects of being mentored themselves.

And its not just young people – increasingly we are finding opportunities for parents and carers to give back. Perhaps becoming more involved in organising Parent Connections, and our new Dads at The Door group, or themselves volunteering in The Door Shop. Others get involved in helping at fundraising events.

Its also great to see people moving on into roles outside The Door too – spend any time around the District and you will be sure to come across someone who got their first start with us. Being served my chips by Corey last week was great, knowing he’d learnt his retail skills in The Door Shop. Bumping into Daniel who runs a property development business was fascinating, as he recalled getting involved in redecorating The “old” Door twenty years ago when he was a teenager.

For more information on all the different ways you can get involved as a volunteer at The Door whether you are a young person or not visit thedoor.org.uk/volunteering or email Bev: info@thedoor.org.uk