Youth Work Week 2014: Your Story, Our Inspiration-Naz Deen
03 November 2014
Monday 3 November 2014
This week is Youth Work Week, offering the opportunity for youth organisations, youth workers and young people to celebrate their achievements and the impact of their work
During this week London Youth will be publishing blogs from youth workers who work at our member clubs across London. We want to highlight the importance of youth work in London and its impact on young people.
Our first interview is with Naz Deen from Coram’s Field.
Tell us about your youth club
Coram’s Fields Youth Centre is an important part of the community in South Camden where we improve young people’s personal and social development. All our activities are free of charge for people of all abilities and we work tirelessly to keep it this way.
What is your role at your youth club/organisation?
I’m the Head of Youth and Sport and I organise and coordinate a diverse range of Youth activities that will engage young people but will also help them through the difficult transitional phase of adolescents into adulthood. A phase I’m still going through in my 30’s.
What made you get involved with youth work?
Working with young people and helping them in some capacity is all I’ve ever wanted to do. My parents wanted me to be a Lawyer. If I’d listened to them I’d probably have a Mercedes as opposed to a Zone 1-2 travel card.
Your best moment in youth work
Working on an 18 month Leadership Project which culminated in me travelling to Africa with a group of disadvantaged teenagers from London. We fundraised and managed to set up several Tag Rugby Schools in impoverished communities in Zambia. I am incredibly proud of every single teenager from London that gave up their time to help those significantly more underprivileged than themselves.
What are the biggest challenges you or your youth club have to overcome?
Funding is a constant battle and keeping Youth Activities free for young people at Coram’s Fields is imperative. The future is perilous if this ever changes.
What do you and your youth club hope to achieve in the next year?
We have a wide spectrum of objectives that we’d like to meet but ultimately we want every young person at Coram’s Fields to be safe and to have fun in a stimulating environment. Surely It’s what we all want in life?
Naz with Francis from Coram's Field and our Sports Development team at London Sports Award 2014.
