Jenny grew up in Surrey and went to secondary school at Therfield, where she focused on Maths and Sciences, with the plan of becoming an engineer. Whilst at Therfield, she also regularly attended the youth groups at St. George’s Church in Ashtead, which is where she discovered her passion for youth work. Having had youth workers support her through difficult times but also encourage her in everyday life, she learned to value this support and wanted to be able to support others in the same way. Plus, she enjoyed all the experiences that being a part of the youth group brought. As a result, Jenny took a gap year after completing her A levels in 2013 and worked as the Youth Ministry Assistant at St. George’s.
After three months in the role, she changed her plan from studying Electrical Engineering at Loughborough to studying Applied Theology with Youth and Community Work at Moorlands College. However, as one of her last roles at St. George’s, Jenny joined the team of young people on a trip to Cape Town, South Africa, to run a holiday club and help in a local township. After the two week trip and meeting a few of the young people, Jenny accepted a job to work in the local church and move to Cape Town for a year! She then had to fly back to England, apply for a visa to return to South Africa, and explain her sudden change of plan to both parents and to Moorlands College. Both gap years allowed Jenny to see more of the world and meet a lot of great people!
In 2015, after working in Cape Town, Jenny moved back to England and began her degree at Moorlands College, on the edge of the New Forest and near the beach! After completing a three year degree, learning a whole lot about youth and community work and meeting a few more amazing people, Jenny has now joined LYP as the lead Bookham Youth Worker. She is excited to join the team and get to know the young people here: FYI she loves to chat! She’s looking forward to having the opportunity to work alongside young people and encourage them towards their goals.
Jenny will be working alongside Bookham schools and churches, creating a safe and supportive space in Bookham Youth and Community Centre, setting up a girls project for local teenage girls, as well as running a whole host of other exciting projects!
