Our Team
Staff Members
Patricia Kent
Manager
Patricia first joined CYP as the Head of Hospitality in 2014, to help oversee the development of our social enterprises. Prior to this, she had gained many years of experience working in the hospitality sector. During her time with the organisation, Trisha has become more heavily involved in the delivery of both the vocational and youth service elements of our work. She is now our in-house Internal verifier and as our SQA Centre Coordinator she oversees our delivery of SQA-accredited qualifications. Trisha became the manager of CYP in early 2020, so enjoyed quite the baptism of fire through multiple Covid lockdowns. On top of this, she has overseen the expansion of CYP social enterprises through the addition of our new luxury glamping pods.
Alasdair Macdonald
Assistant Manager
Alasdair arrived at CYP in January 2019 in a youth worker role. A psychology graduate, Alasdair has previous experience working with young people in residential care and volunteering with mental health charities. Since his arrival, he has been (reluctantly) expanding his hospitality experience in order to complete his Assessor qualification. He is now working through his Internal Verifier qualification and continues to help deliver CYP's youth and employability provision.
Jack Wardrope
Youth Worker
A former pupil of McLaren High School, Jack joined CYP in August 2019 as a Modern Apprentice in Hospitality and Outdoor Adventure Tourism. Jack quickly settled into the post and completed his Hospitality MA in March 2020, along with a variety of outdoor courses. Jack demonstrated a natural ability for youth work, and after becoming involved in the delivery of our youth clubs he stayed with the organisation to complete a Modern Apprenticeship in Youth Work. He now works in a full time role as part of our youth team. Jack's goal is to visit every country in Europe and so far he has managed 15.
Laura Kearney
Fundraising co-ordinator
Laura works for CYP 1 day a week applying for funding for the charity. With over 15 years of experience writing bids and funding applications, Laura brings a valued skillset to the team, helping to ensure the continued success of CYP.
Mark Nicols
Hospitality Assessor (Chef Training)
Mark has been the owner of Scott’s Bistro at Tigh Mor for almost 20 years. His experience in the hospitality sector allows him to lead our Catering for the Future sessions for local young people. Already an experienced chef, Mark has now completed his Assessor qualification with CYP, allowing him to support our delivery of SVQ units. Mark is part of the Killin Mountain Rescue team and also the Ski Patrol at Glencoe. Mark was nominated as Callander's Citizen of the Year in 2022, thanks to his various voluntary efforts around town and preparing meals for vulnerable residents during lockdowns.
Trustees
Mark Griffiths
Chairman
Mark is a retired Chartered Accountant who has lived in Callander for over 20 years and has four grown up children, who went to school locally, and 3 grandchildren who led to his interest in helping young people develop. Mark joined CYP as a Trustee in 2015 and became Chair in 2018. Mark's career in business has spanned diverse sectors of the economy from the Drinks industry to Construction via hi-tech Manufacturing and White Goods. He spent 14 years at Balfour Beatty in a number of senior roles, latterly as Managing Director of their Power Systems operations. He is also Chair of Rural Stirling Housing Association. He is a keen rugby fan, enjoys walking in the local countryside, listening to rock music and is an enthusiastic motorist.
William Miller
Vice Chair
Bill has been associated with CYP since 2001, predominantly in a support role as a local authority representative. Having worked in the Voluntary Sector, Local Government and Public Health during his working career, Bill has a broad range of experiences that enable him to make an effective contribution to the organisation. Bill specializes in Youth Work and Health Promotion and has been involved with developmental work nationally and internationally. Bill is also Chair of Youth Scotland and PLUS Forth Valley. In addition to his trustee role, Bill lends his experience around the site completing a variety of repairs and maintenance. He has also completed a variety of renovation projects, including the creation of our art room and outdoor shelter.
Gael Robertson
Trustee
Gael grew up in the local area and her very first involvement with CYP came as a senior pupil at McLaren High School. She was part of a group who were trying to source funding to support young people in the area. Gael went on to work in education and she is now the principle teacher at Kippen Primary. She joined CYP’s Board of Trustees around 7 years ago and has enjoyed playing an active role in supporting our work. On occasion, she has even been known to get behind the bar to help out with events and functions!
Marc Fleming
Trustee
Marc has enjoyed serving McLaren High School and its wider community as Headteacher since August 2013. Previously he was the Depute Headteacher at Dalziel High School in Motherwell. His teaching career began in Galashiels Academy as Teacher of Home Economics in 1997. He is passionate about equality, fairness and respect and has an unshakeable belief that all students - regardless of background - have an absolute entitlement to the best possible opportunities.
Brian Williams
Trustee
Brian is a former work based learning manager for Scotland’s Rural College and has experience in the delivery of land based further education including SVQ’s/National Certificates and Higher National Certificates. Brian has a strong interest around social inclusion and expanding further education and practical skills training to disadvantaged individuals and groups. As well as his trustee role, Brian comes in a couple of times a week to look after the garden and outdoor spaces at CYP. Through this, he works 1-1 with some of our young people to help teach them the basics of gardening.
Carron Tobin
Trustee
Carron Tobin has been a Callander resident since 2007. Carron runs her own freelance consultancy specialising in tourism and community development and works across Scotland. She is a former Exec Director of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and is a founding director of SCOTO, the newly formed Scottish Community Tourism Network. Carron's professional training is in planning and landscape architecture and she is a graduate of Scottish Enterprise’s Rural Leadership Programme. She was a key player in the Social Enterprise Academy’s Communities Leading in Tourism programme 2019-2022. In 2020 and again in 2022 Carron was recognised as one of the top 100 Women in Tourism for her work supporting the sector during Covid and innovation to support recovery. Carron joined CYP as a trustee in 2021.
Scott McIntyre
Trustee
Scott lives in Callander and attended both Callander Primary and McLaren High School, before studying a HNC in Office and Administration at Forth Valley College in 2003. Scott was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy in 1999 and since then has become heavily involved in several sports teams. Scott is currently a member of the Scottish Boccia squad and has won several competitions. In 2021, he came second in the Scottish Championships and was invited to the Boccia UK Challenger event. Scott has also been playing Powerchair Football since 2018 and his team, Riverside Powerchair Football Club, won the MDUK Championship as recently as 2022. Scott first came to CYP to use the function hall for additional boccia training with his brother, Paul. They were both very generous with their time and insights during the design of CYP's accessible pod, and Scott has since joined the Board of Trustees.