Peter has over 40 years’ experience working in commercial and residential property development and project management including building affordable houses for key workers.

With a strong belief in the common good and the difference that charities can make, he has served as Trustee on a number of Hampshire charities. Most recently he was Chair of Trustees of Trinity, a Winchester-based homeless charity and before that Chair of Rose Road Association working for profoundly disabled children and their families.  In both roles, he has overseen the development of major builds including a new respite centre and school at Rose Road and a new drop on centre at Trinity.  In addition until 2019, he Chaired the University of Winchester’s Estate’s Committee which oversaw the design and construction of the flagship West Downs project, an award-winning scheme providing learning, cultural and library accommodation with a total cost of circa £50 million.

Lucy’s career has included investment banking at Goldman Sachs, corporate social responsibility at Business in the Community, and youth development work at Raleigh International.

Lucy studied geography at Cambridge University and was until recently the Chair of Trustees for Manda Wilderness Community Trust, a small charity in Mozambique, as well as being a trustee of Youth Options. Lucy re-trained in Garden Design at Sparsholt College and is now a garden designer.   She lives near Winchester with a husband and 2 daughters.

Roy Perry is the Former Leader of HCC and has been a member of HCC since 2005 representing the Romsey Rural Division

Prior to joining HCC in 2005 he was a member of the European Parliament from 1994-2004; initially elected to represent Wight and Hampshire South, covering constituencies from Winchester to Portsmouth. Subsequently he was MEP for the SE Region

Roy was a member of the Parliament’s powerful Budgets Committee and was Budget Rapporteur of the Education and Culture Committee directly responsible for a budget of €600m

He was Leader of Test Valley Borough Council from 1985-1994.

On Hampshire County Council he served as Leader 2013 – 2019 and was Executive Lead Member for Childrens Services 2010-2013. For 6 years he served on LGA Children and Young People Board Chairman 2013-2016 and continues to represent LGA on the Soulbury Committee for Youth Service

Currently a Trustee of Hampshire Cultural Trust

He read Economics and Politics at University of Exeter and by profession was for 20 years a lecturer in Politics and Administration.

He lives just outside Romsey on the edge of the New Forest. He has 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren. His younger daughter Caroline Nokes MP is chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee for Women and Equalities.

Emily joined the Board of Youth Options as she wanted to use her strategic leadership experience to give back to her local community. She believes passionately that all children and young people deserve the best start in live, regardless of their circumstances and the work undertaken by Youth Options supports this. She lives in Hedge End with her young family.

Emily studied French & English at University of Reading before commencing a career in general management within the NHS, completing the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme in 2011. Emily has a MSc in Health & Public Leadership and has undertaken a range of operational and strategic management and leadership roles across NHS organisations in Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. She currently works for Hampshire & the Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, leading primary care services across Portsmouth.

Sue has been involved with Youth Options for several years as the charity’s Fundraising Vice President. She is therefore familiar with the charity and very supportive of its work. Her background is in the law, having worked for many years at a leading international law firm. She has now retired from her legal career and is involved in the tourism industry.

Sue studied law at Cambridge University and then joined international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer where she became a partner, specialising in corporate tax law. Sue was also involved in management aspects, including as head of department, taking a particular interest in staff recruitment, mentoring and motivation and was also Trustee of the firm’s staff pension scheme. After retiring from the firm, Sue undertook some legal consultancy work, including for Bond Dickinson (now Womble Bond Dickinson).

Sue is now a professional “Blue Badge” qualified tourist guide for the South Central region of England, taking huge pleasure in guiding visitors around some of the lovely and fascinating sites in our area. She lives in Winchester with her family and two dogs.

Karen qualified as a geography and history teacher and taught in London secondary schools for 28 years. She then became headteacher of a large secondary school in Southampton and consequently moved to Winchester. Following her retirement from this role, Karen continued to work in education as Associate and then Regional Leader for PiXL – Partners in Excellence. This involved visiting secondary schools regularly in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Jersey and Guernsey and working closely with headteachers and senior teams.

Karen is now a qualified ‘Green Badge’ tourist guide for Winchester and is Chair of the local Winchester and Area Guides Association. She is also a Winchester Cathedral Guide.

Karen is married with one grown up son and lives in Winchester with her husband and very naughty Cairn Terrier.

With a background as the Operations Director at a local helicopter engines company, I bring experience in managing complex operations and ensuring efficient, reliable services.  I have volunteered for a number of years at the Oncology Department at Portsmouth Hospital and more recently a community mentor in a local school. Being a community mentor allows me to witness the immense potential residing within each young person.

By offering encouragement, sharing life experiences, and providing a listening ear, I aim to empower them to overcome obstacles, discover their passions, and embrace the opportunities available to them.  I am thrilled to be part of the Youth Options team and to contribute to the vital work we do for the young people in our community.

Marie has a senior career in sales and marketing for multinational tech companies and overseeing complex change and people transformation. Working for Salesforce, Microsoft and IBM, Marie brings a wealth of experience in driving innovation, navigating change and forging strategic partnerships.

Now a business mentor, she has a personal passion for supporting children and young people having adopted two children herself and wanted to use her professional skills and experience to support the strategic growth Youth Options so it can reach more children and young people with the great work it does.

John is Executive Head of two schools in Basingstoke. Under his leadership, the schools have developed from being on the brink of closure to winning multiple awards. Alongside this role, has also been a consultant headteacher supporting other primary schools in need of support within the County and an advisor to the Department for Education on national curriculum and teacher development. He joined Youth Options to continue his passion for making a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and their families.

After graduating from Loughborough University, I gained extensive experience in high-level business with Exxon Chemical, interior design with John Lewis, and as a self-employed professional.

I am now the Director of Lorraine Lee Training, a company that delivers practical and inspiring training for parents, teachers, pupils, and youth workers. With expertise in parenting programmes, child psychology, and child development, I have a proven track record of working with both state and independent schools.

Also, I support parents, coaches, and organisations in sport, focusing on safeguarding young people and helping them reach their potential in healthy, balanced, and sustainable ways.

As a trustee, I hope to bring energy, insight, and enthusiasm to Youth Options, committed to empowering and equipping young people for a brighter future where they can make their unique contribution to the world.

I have had a 40 year career in international banking and technology, which saw me build and lead high value sales teams, and new client and investor relationships, for international firms JP Morgan, Misys, Temenos & Alter Domus.

Living and working overseas for 16 years, (France, Middle East, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland) my family and I have now lived and been schooled in Winchester & Southampton for over 20 years.

I hold a deep rooted conviction - and first hand experience - of the absolute value and mutual reward that corporate and community contributions bring to creating and sustaining safe, empowered & rewarding futures for all young people, from all lived experiences and social & academic backgrounds, through the work of Youth Options.

Alongside my Trustee role at Youth Options, I is also a volunteer for the Albourne Trust ‘Gig Buddies’ project and a Winchester Cathedral Tower guide.

I have a passion for social justice and helping give voice to people who might otherwise not be heard. My career has moved from Central Government where, among other things I was Private Secretary to Rt Hon David Blunkett in the Department for Education and Employment, worked on the development of several Government White Papers on Skills, was Director of Policy at the National Apprenticeship Service as part of the Skills Funding Agency and most recently CEO of Minstead Trust, a charity supporting adults with learning disabilities.

I joined Youth Options in May 2021 and have been helping to steer us through a period of growth and widening engagement.  As well as overseeing our charity’s direct support to children and young people, I see my role in also shaping improvements in services to children and young people. I represent the children and youth third sector on Hampshire’s Children’s Trust Board and Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s Joint Management Board on youth justice. I am also Trustee of Adfam a charity that supports families who have been affected by addiction.

I like singing (not necessarily tunefully). I do not like horror films.

I am committed to challenging the injustices that stand in the way of every child reaching their potential and I am passionate about creating opportunities where children and young people feel valued and can embrace their own agency and enthusiasms.

I joined Youth Options in September 2022 after working in a range of education roles in the voluntary and statutory sector. I have 15 years teaching experience across the key stages and managed a multi-faith community centre and Save the Children UK’s Youth Education Programme. I have also worked for Oxfam, Christian Aid, and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights.

I am excited by Youth Options mission to ensure that all children and young people have access to support, encouragement, and opportunities, and I love our focus on encounters with nature for enhancing wellbeing. My role is to help the development of new work and funding streams, allowing our dedicated staff to access the resources they need to engage and support the children and young people who are most in need in Hampshire.

Out of work I like yoga, long walks, eating chocolate and writing children’s stories. I am a mum of three and have a cat called Mini-Maple.

I joined Youth Options in 2002 as a Youth Support Worker and became Director of Services in 2007. During my time at Youth Options, the organisation has grown from one employing 12 staff with a turnover of around £250K to a leading local charity employing over 70 staff with a turnover of over £1.6M. As part of the leadership team, I have been an instrumental part of this growth.

As well as growing in size during this period, ensuring that we are able to reach and support more children and young people, just as importantly, Youth Options has developed in terms of quality. With a commitment to quality, I have led the development of the services we offer as well as structures, processes, systems, and impact practice. I am proud to have been on this journey with Youth Options.

With a passion for equality of opportunity, social justice, and fairness, I fundamentally believe in our vision that every child and young person should have the opportunity to realise their potential, whatever their life circumstances. There is still work to be done to achieve this, which is why I am still here!

I am a Norwich City fan (a birth right - not a choice) and still play football despite the protestation from my knees. I am the owner of/staff to three demanding cats.

I am a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years' experience across both industry and the voluntary sector. I initially trained in practice, and while I valued the solid grounding that audit provided, I soon realised my passion lay elsewhere. A year after qualifying, I moved into an SME finance role, which marked the start of a more varied and fulfilling career path.

My commitment to the voluntary sector began early on when I took on my first Trustee role while still training and, within five years, made the transition to working for a local charity. Since then, I’ve supported a wide range of organisations with incomes under £100,000 to those with turnovers exceeding £30 million.

I joined Youth Options in September 2024, motivated by the opportunity to take on a fresh challenge and contribute to a cause I care deeply about. I believe every child and young person should have the support they need to reach their full potential. I’m proud to be part of a team that covers the whole of Hampshire, offering a wide range of support and meeting young people where they are - rather than expecting them to come to us.

Outside of work, I am a chaplain and a licensed lay minister. I live in the countryside with my horses, cats, and chickens, enjoying the peace and balance rural life brings.

I have been involved in youth work since leaving university, spending time working with young people in the outdoors, delivering adventurous activities, tailored residential and personal development courses for young people.

My role at Youth Options as Head of Prevention Services is to oversee community based (detached) and centre-based provision across Southampton and Eastleigh. We focus on engaging with young people in their communities and supporting them to engage positively with their friends, family, and local community to lead happy, healthy lives.

Our aim is to reduce the number of young people experiencing negative outcomes, including exclusion from society, disengagement from education, engaging in harmful behaviours and poor mental health.

In my spare time I enjoy mountain biking and spending time with my family at the beach or in the mountains.

Previously a Primary School Teacher, I joined Youth Options in 2014 and love the range of opportunities and support that we, at Youth Options, can offer for children, young people, and their families.

My previous skills and experiences are now used to oversee the work that we provide for children, young people and families facing specific issues; particularly around projects that focus on bespoke one to one and group support. I have the privilege of working alongside staff who support children, young people, and families with additional needs, those finding home or school relationships difficult, those struggling with confidence and resilience particularly around key transition moments, children living in care and young people moving on from the care system.

I am proud to be a part of an organisation that can listen to the needs of local children, young people and families and develop our support to suit individuals to achieve.

I am a huge Disney fan and love spending time outdoors, either camping or cycling. I also like a new challenge and have previously taken part in both a half marathon and skydive to raise money for Youth Options.

I have over 20 years’ experience of working with young people in areas such as education, social care, youth offending and homelessness. During this time, I have developed a passion for supporting those that face challenges and barriers in life. I am keen to help young people develop their abilities and explore their potential. I want to support and inspire young people to make positive, informed choices, increasing social impact and maximising their own opportunities.

My role at Youth Options as Head of Learning & Progression is to increase potential through offering accredited learning, and progression opportunities. I believe all young people should have the chance to engage and achieve their full potential. I am eager to develop creative ways of delivering additional learning that is accessible to all, in a way that is relaxed and tailored to meet the individual needs of each young person. I hope that this will lead to increased achievement, confidence, and mental health.

My name is Jamie Boyd, Head of Outdoor Learning for Youth Options.

I oversee our outdoor learning projects at our sites in Eastleigh and the New Forest, as well as on school grounds and in the community. My team and I create bespoke programmes engaging children and young people using nature-based learning to complement their formal education; social and emotional outcomes are achieved through engagement and the development of positive relationships.

I have been a part of the outdoor learning project with Youth Options from the beginning and have loved seeing the number of young people engaging with us increase and the amazing outcomes they can achieve.

Being outdoors and outdoor learning has always been part of my life, most of all I enjoy a long walk in the countryside with the dog (Dexter), and heading down white water in my kayak.

I joined Youth Options in 2005 to help drive the minibus for the Holiday Club in Andover, which my 5-year-old daughter was attending. I had so much fun doing this that I left my other job and joined Youth Options permanently as a Playworker. Youth Options supported me through my Level 2 and 3 Childcare Diplomas followed by my Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management. This enabled me to progress through the organisation and I was appointed Head of Early Years and Childcare in April 2023.

I am passionate about providing children with a fun, safe and enriching environment that enables them to develop the skills to make positive choices and achieve their goals.

I am Mum to two daughters, a cat, and a dragon. This does not leave me with much spare time but when I do I like to see live music, travel, and read lots!

From a young age I was always active. Sport was always a calling that I answered at every opportunity. So, it was only right that I ventured into an active industry when the time came to forge a career. Moving between the sporting and adventure sectors. I spent 16 years coaching people to enjoy the experience and the environment they were accessing. My specialities were health and safety management and inclusivity. During my time in the Adventure industry, I worked on projects to increase access to the outdoors for those with disabilities. Designing systems, equipment and training people to use it, to open the outdoors to all.

To supplement my knowledge and prepare me for a career far less physically demanding I completed my NEBOSH General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. This gave me a new appreciation of the role health and safety plays in all areas of life. And it isn’t just some bloke with a clipboard ready to tell you off. It’s about ensuring people are valued, taken care of and quality is delivered at every opportunity. Together with my desire for adventure, is a need to keep people safe. This moulds my outlook that is more risk benefit, than risk avoidance. I have been so impressed with Youth Options attitude to the people they work with. And am proud to be part of protecting and helping that thrive in my role as Head of Facilities and Health and Safety.