Heather Wilson never envisaged that joining the Guides would lead to her future career.

Heather’s route into her current role as senior youth worker with Bradford Council’s integrated youth support team, based in Shipley, came through voluntary youth work.

“I was always doing some sort of work with young people because I’ve always been involved with Guides, which I continue to do when I can fit it in,” she says.

After working in management training with Rackhams, the former Bradford department store, Heather joined Bradford Council in 1990. With the Council’s support, she has been able to take opportunities which have come her way and gain qualifications, as a mature student, to develop her knowledge and expertise.

“Working with people and training them up is something the Council is really good at. I have had lots of opportunities to increase my training through working with the Council,” she says.

Her job as a youth worker involves community outreach work with 13 to 19-year-olds, both one-to-one and in groups.

Activities are geared around crime prevention and early intervention, the aim being to prevent young people becoming involved in crime.

Part of the work involves embarking on expeditions through the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, where youngsters can learn valuable lessons for life such as working together as a team.

Heather says having such a diverse team of workers enables them to bring a range of valuable skills into the profession. They provide locations for young people to go where they are safe and can get involved in positive activities.

One of their high-profile initiatives is Shipley Youth Cafe, set up two years ago, where young people can chill out with friends. A similar scheme has been set up in Denholme.

Heather says their aim is to engage with young people, providing fun things for the them. Through their achievements, youngsters can see the positive contributions they are making, which helps to increase their confidence.

Being involved in Guiding and her retail background gave Heather transferable skills that she is still using in youth work.

“Working in retail helped me because it gave me the experience of working with lots of different people, and that gave me many different skills that I still use now,” she says.

“I love working with young people because it is a voluntary relationship. We work quite hard to build the trust with them and encourage them to participate, but they never fail to surprise me because they are so creative and enthusiastic. It is lovely to watch them start to grow, take on more responsibility and start to feel confident about themselves. That is the bit I love, as well as seeing them come out as well-rounded individuals.”

Heather says qualities youth workers need are a sense of humour, to be prepared to work unsociable hours and to be adaptable.

For more information about courses in youth work, contact Bradford College on (01274) 433333.