The WAM Team
WAM Youth follows a safe recruitment process for all our staff and volunteers which includes an enhanced DBS check.
WAM is a registered charity and was founded in 2013 by Gemma Madle & Kerry Coombs. All that WAM Youth does is enabled by it’s staff team, volunteers and trustee board. Many of whom are active members of the community in Winchcombe and surrounding area and who bring a wealth of experience and skills.
Ali Kirkwood
Head of Mentoring and Pastoral Care
Ali joined us in 2016. She brings a wealth of experience in supporting young people, parents and foster parents and has worked in the Youth Support Team and Fostering Support team at Gloucestershire County Council as well as a number of youth work roles in charities and the local church. Ali manages our community mentoring project: supporting young people and training and supporting our mentoring staff and volunteer mentors. Ali is WAM's Safeguarding Lead. Ali also enjoys home educating her teenager, time with her family, walking her dog, swimming and planning holidays.
Relevant Qualifications
Level 3 Applied Therapeutic Skills
Level 3 Play Work
Diploma of H.E in Youth and Playwork
Certificate in Therapeutic Mentoring
Designated Safeguarding Lead (Level 3)
Autism acceptance training (Spectrum gaming)
Emergency Outdoor First Aid
Inclusion Needs You
Training the Trainer
Bryoni Newell
Community Youth Work Project Manager
Bryoni is WAM's Community Youth Work Project Manager. She joined WAM in January 2022.
Matthew Voorbach
Mentoring Youth Worker
Matthew joined us in May 2021 on a part time basis. He brings a range of experience in supporting young people and communities as well as experience from previous youth work roles, this has included working as a Youth Worker in a Pupil Referral Unit, Connexions Personal Adviser in Schools and Further Education and more recently as a Senior Community Development Worker. Matthew works on our WAM Mentoring team, supporting young people, and training and supporting our volunteer mentors. Matthew is on WAMs safeguarding team and has recently become a Child Exploitation Online Protection (CEOP) Ambassador for the National Crime Agency, which enables him to deliver both Online Safety Training and PSHE subjects around Gender Stereotypes, Positive Bystander and other topics in Primary / Secondary schools and to parents and guardians.
Relevant Qualifications
BA Hons Community and Youth Work
Higher Education Diploma in Youth Work
Higher Education Diploma in Connexions (Personal Adviser)
Higher Education Diploma in Operations & Departmental Management
Level 3 Award in Education
Level 3 Play Work
Emergency First Aid Trained
Safeguarding Level 2
Linda Teague
Office Administrator
Linda joined WAM in January 2022 as our Office Administrator and works 4 mornings a week. Her background is very much admin based, having worked as a Personal Assistant for many years with various Directors and politicians. Her role is to support the efficient running of all of WAM’s projects by helping with general office administration and recruitment. Linda enjoys spending time with her family, long walks with her dog, yoga and gardening.
WAM Office Team
- Linda Teague - Office Administrator
WAM Mentoring Team
- Ali Kirkwood - WAM Mentoring Project Manager
- Matthew Voorbach - Mentoring Youth Worker
- Lots of volunteer mentors!
WAM Community Youth Team
- Bryoni Newell - Community Youth Work Project Manager
- Gemma Madle - Youth Group Volunteer
All our projects are supported by a small army of over 20 volunteers.
WAM Youth follows a safe recruitment process for all our staff and volunteers which includes an enhanced DBS check.
Please contact us for more information on info@wamyouth.org.uk or 01242 603678.