My name is Lizzie Takyi-Akyaa and I am the new Lead Youth Worker at Carney’s Community. This post is an exciting and humbling opportunity to make positive and long-lasting changes in the lives of the youth in my community.

As a Ghanaian woman, born and bred on a South London council estate, I have a vested interest in the social capital of our young people in society. Although I do not have a traditional background in youth and community work, I have always had a burning desire to enter this field of work due to my own experiences. I have spent a decade working in customer services, and I have acquired an immeasurable amount of knowledge and experience during this time which has enabled me to feel confident as the new Lead Youth Worker.

From working as a toilet attendant to becoming a Manageress at one of the largest, global bookmakers, my real-life working and personal experiences, coupled with the academic knowledge I have acquired over time, have given me a level of maturity and insight suitable for a Lead Youth Worker. I had the honour and pleasure of spending five years working as a Youth Coordinator at Elim Pentecostal Church (Battersea). This gave me an opportunity to really develop and enhance my youth work skills, by leading youth work sessions on a fortnightly basis. This role cemented my desire to work in the youth and community sector, to be able to work within my community and to work with those living in my community. I am very excited to see what I achieve at Carney’s Community, and the impact our work at Carney’s will have on our participants’ lives.