Summary

Cecil has been a youth worker with Enact since we started the charity back in 2003. Over the last sixteen years he has seen many young people come through the youth centre and the good, bad and challenging circumstances that young people face. His consistency has enabled many young people to build self-confidence and trust, giving them the foundation to take opportunities, learn new skills and develop positive friendships. He has many stories of young people who have gone through really challenging times, found a way through, and gone on to find employment and build a positive life.

In our interview Cecil talked about his sports leadership skills. He used his skills originally in professional football, and has gone on to use them to support young people in various settings in North London. As we spoke it became clear that ‘being consistent’ is a key element of his youth practise, supporting young people over the long term, even being able to remember them as they enter their adult years. It was also clear that he holds the responsibility of young people’s trust really seriously, even when young people have shown challenging behaviour towards him.

Cecil trains 8-13 year olds in football skills every Monday evening, although in recent years, he has stepped back and trained our youth volunteers to develop their coaching skills, letting them lead the drills and games. Cecil is a key youth worker at our Tuesday and Friday youth Drop-In sessions. Whether playing cards or pool, cooking, or just chatting, Cecil is highly respected by the young people who attend sessions, and his consistency means young people know they can always come to get his support, advice and guidance.

We asked Cecil what message he most would want young people to learn. His answer was just one word. ‘Believe’. Believe that they can choose. Believe that they can change things around them. Believe in themselves.

Interview with Cecil Gordon

Q: Tell us a bit about what work you do.

"I was a professional footballer at 17 and realised early on that I wanted to be involved in Sports Coaching and Sports Leadership. When I left professional football I set up my own Football School which I ran for eight years, teaching children and young people aged 8 to 20.

Over the years I’ve done different jobs all linked to sports and currently teach at College level, coach an 18-24 year old football team, coach and referee at Power League. I have coaching and refereeing qualifications."

Q: At enact you help us as a football coach, running our football training session for 8-13’s each Monday, and as a youth worker. What was your route into youth work?

"Through my sport I became a Leisure Centre ‘Sports Development Officer’ which led onto me leading holiday playschemes. Through that I joined the Youth Service in Tottenham as there were cross-over projects with the holiday schemes. In the end I worked for over ten years in Tottenham in and around Tuffnell Park, and found out later that one of the lads I coached was Ian Wright’s child!

I was born in Enfield and when I saw a youth work job advertised, I decided to come back to my roots and give something back to my own town. At that time Enfield Island Youth & Community Trust were just getting started and were working with the London Borough Enfield youth service to run a youth club on Enfield Island Village. I applied for the job to work on Enfield Island and in 2003 got the job as lead worker."

Q: So you have been involved with EIYCT since it started back in 2003? What has kept you here for all those years?

"I guess there are two things, firstly I really enjoy working with the young people and the fact that I can use my sports skills in the football training session. Secondly, I take youth work really seriously. I think it is more than a job. Parents put their trust in us as youth workers, the young people build trust in us. Earning and keeping trust is a really important thing. Having been here so long, I’ve seen lots of young people grow up through the sessions we lead and to see them coming back, or to bump into the street and still have a positive relationship is great.

In lots of ways the young people have changed a lot. EIYCT has certainly changed, from being a Council youth centre, to then being an Oasis youth centre, and now the rebrand to ‘enact’ and having partnerships with the council and Oasis, but enact being about the whole family and whole community.

I have seen generations of families coming through, and it is really rewarding to see young people, now in the mid and late twenties, making something of their lives and opportunities."

Q: What challenges have you faced over your time as an enact youth worker?

"I have found it difficult when the team changes and then cohorts of young people have come and gone. For the team it is like you have to start again, creating new unity to work effectively together and of course every team works in slightly different ways. However, I have learnt that the key message for young people is consistency because that leads to young people building trust. I am proud that I have been a consistent person over the years, but also that the values of enact to treat young people fairly has been consistent through all the different teams.

I also think about some of the difficulties that young people have gone through, the times I’ve sat with young people who are really upset, who need support, I think of a few who have even expressed suicidal thoughts. It was a real privilege to sit with them and listen and support. And it is amazing now that all of those young people I’m thinking about have made it through, have become emotionally stronger from their experience and even gone on to successfully get jobs."

Q: Are there other young people that have really stood out to you over the time?

"I remember one young person who was really aggressive when confronted. They had some great traits, but one time they had to be brought in line after inappropriate behaviour and they went head-to-head with me! Unfortunately they didn’t get their emotions in check and after serious incidents away from youth club had to have a time in prison. When they left prison they came and got support from the team, and I gave them a reference for the positive things they had achieved in the youth club which enabled them to get a job. They never forgot that simple act of kindness and have always shown me respect. I was proud that they knew the team were always there for them, despite mistakes."

Q: If there was one message you could tell a young person and really want them to learn, what would it be?

"In one word, ‘Believe’. Believe that they can choose. Believe that they can change things around them. Believe in themselves."

If you are interested in using your skills to support young people, would like to know more about youth work practise or would like to volunteer at our youth sessions, why not get in touch with Charlie at youth@enact.community and discuss how we could work together.

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