This month, we’re talking with Monique, a Youth Development Worker with our SW!TCH team, who both mentors and runs positive activities for young people.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I grew up in a lot of different places—was born in Hackney and moved to Essex later. My extended family is pretty big, with lots and lots of cousins who just love family gatherings. I’ve got one older sister and two younger brothers and we grew up in a single parent house.
I’d describe my mother as very hard working, the no-nonsense type, and strong. She believes in justice and asks a lot of questions. She always sticks up for young people. She really believes in liberty and freedom. She was born in Paris and grew up in Nigeria, where my Dad was born and raised. As a result, I love to travel and highly value my relationships.
As a young person, I was quiet but very adventurous—I spent a lot of time outdoors. I was, still am, very creative, which I express in many different ways. I enjoyed playing sports and spending time with friends.
Though I was the only child at home, I spent a lot of time with people. I became responsible and independent, but also supported my mum in the ways I knew how. I studied physical activity and sports development at the University of Hertfordshire, as education my mum gave me the autonomy to choose. I would have loved to study psychology, but I was more involved in sports at schools. I do wish I took a gap year before uni so I had more time to think through my decision.
What is your role at LifeLine?
I’m part of the SW!TCH team and I mentor young people across four different schools. I also run our roller-skating positive activity for the young people.
My role requires me to work dynamically because things are always changing—each young person in front of you is very different from the last. And how they communicate is not in what they say alone—I have to pay attention to body language or tone as well. It can be hard for young people to communicate their needs or regulate their emotions—it’s something they need to learn, it can’t be an expectation.
To some, I’m a big sister, a friend, or a therapist. But in every case, my approach is to be non-judgemental and create a safe space. The work can sometimes feel overwhelming, but you have to get through it for them.
How long have you been working with young people?
It’s been ten years now. I was very much looking to do something with young people, when I was 16, I completed a four-week youth programme run by the National Citizen Service. I enjoyed it so much that, three months later, I started volunteering for them. Then, the following year, I returned as a support team leader.
What do you like most about your role?
I love working with different types of people, with different backgrounds and life experiences. And I love having great conversations with young people.
And LifeLine has been great—people here are really friendly, they gave me a warm welcome when I started, and my team have provided me with a ton of support throughout.
We’re all very focused and very driven. It is clear that everyone is here is because they want to make a difference. But they also know how to have fun!
Have you learnt anything from the young people you're mentoring?
I think they’ve taught me to not take life too seriously. And they keep me young and up-to-date.
They’re very good at remaining true to themselves, there’s no pretences, and I think that’s a good approach to carry on through life.
Youth work can be challenging—how do you navigate difficult days or moments?
Safeguarding, in particular, can have you facing some difficult situations. But I usually speak my manager about it and we work things through together.
After days with heavy safeguarding, it’s important to find space to decompress and wind-down, which I do alone or with my support network.
How would you describe yourself as a youth worker in a few words? And how do you think young people might describe you?
I think I’m “multi-facted”.
As for young people, they’d say “She gets us”.
What’s something about you that your colleagues or mentees might not know?
I broke our district record in the hammer throw when I was 15.
In general, how do you see the young people you work with?
I believe that they’re all full of potential, and I believe that all of them can reach that potential—it just takes one person to truly believe in and guide them.