Jenny Hargreaves is retiring after 36 years of youth work in the island, most recently having been at Ramsey Youth Club.

Asked how she got started in the career path, Mrs Hargreaves told us: ’It started off as a favour for a friend, I filled in for her youth worker job because she was in hospital.

’I’ve always enjoyed working with children and after that I decided if I wanted to do this as a career then, I needed to get qualified - so I studied Youth and Community work at Goldsmiths University [London], which was then a college.’

After working organising youth schemes in Peckham and at a large youth club in Deptford, she came to the island where she worked at the newly established Venture Centre as an outdoors pursuit instructor, before starting work at her first Manx youth club in Andreas in 1984.

Asked how the job has changed since then and now, she said: ’I would say it’s harder to get young people into youth clubs these days.

’It used to be that youth clubs were the only thing for young people to do in the community.’

She agrees that the advent of the internet and smartphones is likely responsible for that. On her retirement, Mrs Hargreaves said: ’I’m looking forward to being able to do things for myself now, having worked day and evening for 40 years.

’I’d like to be able to attend night school, to learn to draw.’

l The youth service are always wanting to hear from people who have a passion and interest in working with young people. Do you have the time, patience and understanding to be a youth worker?

If so and you want to speak to someone about it, why not call into one of the drop in sessions below and meet with the staff and have a look around:

* Rushen Youth Centre, Monday, October 12, between 5 and 7pm.

* Youth and Community Centre, Bay View Road, Port Erin.

*Ramsey Youth Centre, Waterloo Road, Tuesday, October 13, between 5 and 7pm.

Call the youth office on 686076 and ask for Nigel Howard for more information.