The National Youth Agency - Maggie Jardine

Maggie Jardine

Maggie Jardine’s NYA Profile

Maggie Jardine Maggie's passion for developing and delivering quality services with and for young people has been constant in her different work roles.

Born and brought up in Northern Ireland her working life started as a teacher and part-time youth worker before moving into the job of playschemes organiser across twenty communities in Belfast. She later moved to develop her training skills in residential work with young people, staff team building and supporting the development of community based youth organisations as Training Officer, and later Assistant Director, with the Northern Ireland Association of Youth Clubs. Before leaving Northern Ireland in 1986 she became an independent consultant and trainer with voluntary, community and statutory organisations where she further consolidated her organisation development, project management and training skills.

Maggie learnt much during the challenging and creative time of the 70s and 80s about tailoring responses and solutions to meeting the identified needs of young people, who were often marginalised or at risk. In working with organisations, and staff teams and managers, Maggie also developed political and conflict management skills.

After three years in Leicester with CCETYCW, as adviser for professional youth work training courses, Maggie moved to Sheffield in 1989 as Youth Officer with responsibility for developing a city centre team, the central information, advice and support centre and also providing services across a large geographical area. She had strategic lead roles and also developed projects around young people's voice and influence, youth action, homelessness, a wide range of health issues as well as supporting young people questioning their sexuality - all in a joint working multi agency context.

Up to 2004 she worked with Sheffield Futures, contracted by the local authority to deliver the City's Youth Service, and also the main provider of the Connexions Service, as Head of Profession - youth work - and Area Director co-ordinating the work of staff across different contracts to offer an integrated response to young people at the point of delivery.

An experienced public and voluntary sector manager, Maggie has supported organisations to improve performance around key areas such as curriculum and staff development, MI and QA processes, management and leadership skills training and a model for evaluating professional practice. She also offers coaching support to managers working their way through the policy maze to help align the distinctive contribution their project, community or organisation can make to young people's lives and to helping them achieve fulfilling outcomes.