PROJECT MANAGER – INSPIRE
Darren re-joined the FOCUS staff team in October 2019 after spending a few years away, working for three years as an English Language Teacher in València, Spain. Upon returning to the UK, he briefly worked for a year in a children’s home and shortly afterwards, a further year and a half in a local primary school.
Initially being part of the team as a student on placement, and after graduating De Montfort University with a BA Hons in Youth Work and Community Development in 2011, Darren joined the staff team as a Youth Worker for the pilot National Citizen Service (NCS) ‘Summer of a Lifetime Programme’.
Over the years, Darren’s time at FOCUS has been in the planning and running of various successful programmes for young people, which have helped Focus to maintain its prominent position as a young people’s organisation within the city.
Darren’s experience in a variety of sectors enables him to draw from the skills and insight gained elsewhere to meet, sometimes complex and multi-faceted needs of young people that can access the programmes available at FOCUS.
“The journey from childhood to adulthood can often be a difficult route for young people to navigate without some guidance and a belief in their potential along the way. That is the reason for doing what I do. Focus is a great charity in which young people can be supported to develop the skills necessary to be happy and successful in their lives, and I’m excited to be back making a real and positive impact.”