Meet the FYT team
Clare Birch
Job title: Talent – Youth in Action Project
Clare recently joined FYT as Development worker for Talent - Youth In Action and is enjoying her first 'official' job in youth work! Involved for many years with Bath YFC as a volunteer and mentor, she was also a founder member of 'new church' community, Sanctuary, which has contributed acclaimed arts and worship installations to the Greenbelt festival for several years.
Ruth Corless
Job title: National youth work development adviser
I joined FYT in February 2007 and am based in the North East. Having spent several years in faith based youth work, both at schools, parish and retreat level, I am looking forward to developing and supporting Christian youth work initiatives for FYT. As a committed Roman Catholic I am encouraged by the genuine heart that FYT has to see young people served and welcomed into the Kingdom of God. I am currently supporting the work of CSV in Newcastle by tutoring young people in basic life and employment skills and future work will involve links with Spectrum and other faith based youth agency activities.
Jo Fitzsimmons
Job title: Administrator and PR Officer
Jo is based in the Birmingham office part time, managing the office and dealing with your questions! With 13 years experience in Christian youth work organisations Jo is committed to young people outside the church and works on her estate with young people and their families.
Jo sits on the editorial team for Perspectives journal and is avaliable to speak about FYT in your Church/Club.
Matt Hall
Job title: FYT Scotland
Matt Hall is based in Easterhouse, Glasgow, Scotland; an outer-urban housing scheme where he works with young people in a family and community setting. Current FYT role is to support the renewal of our work in Scotland. Matt is also involved in research and training with youth workers. Australian by birth he has lived in four separate countries enabling an appreciation of different cultures. He is passionate about evangelism; discipleship; prayer; and sport and how these are lived out in frontier mission.
Martin Hardwidge
Job title: Accounts and Admin
Peter Hope
Job title: Jacob Project
Diehard Colchester united fan and Leyton Orient, so obviously a connoisseur of fine football.!! Became a Christian through the witness of fellowship afloat, background - London firefighter for fifteen years, Essex probation service five years, FYT four years, now promoting the FYT/timeforgod partnership 'The Jacob Project' working with young offenders.
Richard Passmore
Job title: National Youth Work Development Advisor
Richard Passmore is also seconded as assistant course director for Bristol Centre for Youth Ministry. He is committed to detached work and helping other engage young people in the community. He undertakes a variety of training, including detached work training for both faith based agencies and local authorities. He is exploring new ways of being, defining and developing church with young people, (FYT church on the edge). He writes regularly for a variety of magazines, journals and books as well as for a co-operative blog called Sunday Papers which goes some way to explain the journey around church he is on.
Nigel Pimlott
Job title: National Youth Work Development Advisor and Co-ordinator Connect Spiritual Development Project
Nigel is currently a National Youth Work Development Advisor for FYT. In this role, Nigel undertakes research relating to issues that affect young people, facilitates extensive training and writes resources for youth workers and speaks at conferences . His work focuses upon the spiritual development of young people, seeking to understand what mission with young people means and exploring a wide range of subjects that young people wrestle with. In addition to his FYT role, He also works as a volunteer youth worker in his home town of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham. He is concerned about how the church treats young people and is a passionate supporter of Manchester City football club!
Dave Wiles
Job title: Chief Executive
Dave is team leader and CEO of FYT and has 30+ years of youth and community work experience. He is very involved in training, writing and supporting youth work as well as doing it! He spends a lot of time speaking at a wide range of Christian gatherings - 50% of his time focused on trying to get people in the world to join the church and 50% trying to get the church to join the world! A favourite 'hobby horse' of his is 'participation and inclusion' and he believes that there is a new call for participation: genuine involvement of people at the grassroots level, where they may begin to shape their own destiny. However, he also acknowledges that many institutions, like the church, will find the call for authentic inclusion extremely challenging and is only too willing to help them try! He describes his Churchmanship as eclectic!
To contact Dave email Wiles119@aol.com