Karen Yusuf

I left Medway for a while and did several different jobs but the best was as Community Engagement working with young unaccompanied asylum seekers out of Millbank. These young people were very inspiring and I am grateful to have had as chance to work with them. 2020 I came back to Medway as Youth Participation Worker and living working with motivated young people in the youth council and on other projects. September 2013 I have been covering maternity leave with the Healthy Weights Team with Public Health. I am currently working on and helping to deliver the MEND Programme ( Mind, Exercise, Nutrition and do it!) which is a free 10 week healthy lifestyle programme for 2-13 year old, however I work only with the 5-13's and also some of the older children who attend the Graduates Sessions. This programme supports families to lead healthier, happier lives. Prior to that I was based at Medway Youth Offending Team as part of the Intergrated Prevention Service where I worked with young people and families. Prior to that I was on secondment from the Youth Service to Targeted Youth Support. Most of my career however has been with Medway Youth Service which I started in June 1998 where I worked as a Youth Development Worker/ Detached Worker and was based in Strood Youth Centre and covered Strood South and Grain. I have been working in Grain since 1998 and still work there part time one evening a week. I also worked for Charlton Atheletic Community Trust during the summer of 2013 on the National Citizenship Programme which was a fantastic experience for not only the young people I was priviledged to work with but for me too.