Meet the team
Sandra James
Project Manager
Sandra has been working with young people in school settings as a Level 6 Careers Guidance adviser, in community (Deputy Project Manager and Finance Lead) and statutory organisations as a children and young people facilitator for the past 30 years.
She is a Forest School Leader, identifying and championing the benefits of being active and spending time in nature to promote physical health and mental wellbeing.
Sandra is an advocate for young people and is driven to create opportunities that support their personal, social and career development. Working with key stakeholders in the local area, Sandra is making links in joining up appropriate support to become part of the solution. “Working with” is a fundamental that underpins IRL Pathways!
Through experience, training and observations, Sandra has established a therapeutic, person-centred approach to empower and enable individuals to work towards their goals.
Dominic Cirne
Youth Worker & Mentor
Dominic is from the North of England originally but grew up on Mersea Island going to TLA Secondary School. Dominic spent much of his youth being active in the sea and in the parks on the Island and around Colchester.
Dominic was an Outdoor Instructor at the Essex Outdoors Mersea Centre, delivering sessions (Bushcraft, Climbing/High Ropes, Water sports, archery and many more) to school groups, young people who attended SEN and SEMH schools. He has fully participated in the Mersea Island Festival, with the Camp welcoming people with a wide range of additional needs and their carers/families for a 9 day festival to participate in adapted activities and social events. He also brings a range of other work experience to share with the Team and young people we work with.
Dominic has a natural calm, respectful nature that draws people to interact with him. This makes him an ideal mentor for young people, where he is able to empathise and reflect on his own lived experiences. Dominic is keen to provide young people the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities, to experience the benefits of being outdoors in nature. Dominic is training to be a Forest School Leader to add another string to his bow.
Janine Hartman
Youth Mentor and First Aid
Awareness Trainer
Janine has a wide range of experiences to bring to the Team and to benefit the young people we work with. Having been in banking for 25 years, simultaneously, Janine took a step in a different field, working at the Clacton Campus of the Colchester Institute with Post-16 learners as a LSA. This remains Janine’s favoured role, forging effective relationships with the young people to improve their individual outcomes.
In the past 12 years, Janine joined the Care Sector. As an Office Manager, Janine not only completed administration tasks, she was also coordinating the work force, communicating decisions to clients and their families, whilst building positive working relationships with all stakeholders.
More recently, Janine moved into a Trainer role, creating and running training programmes for new recruits to the care industry and refresher courses for all staff.
Janine enjoys travelling and keeping fit, walking to maintain her health and wellbeing.
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Simon Ratcliffe
Education Ranger
Simon has over 20 years experience teaching in primary schools in the Colchester and Tendring area. During that time he has taught Early Years, KS1 and KS2.
Leaving the classroom and completing his Forest School Leader training has enabled him to bring his skills as an educator to the great outdoors.
For the past 3 years Simon has been delivering Forest School sessions and facilitating school trips to High Woods. His understanding of the National Curriculum has enabled him to tailor school visits to meet specific learning objectives whilst ensuring that children have a truly memorable and magical day.
Having always had a passion for art and design, Simon is our resident forest crafts expert.
Sue Ward
Community Connector Volunteer
Sue has lived in the Tendring area for all of her life. She has worked for many years in statutory organisations and schools across Tendring with young people and families. Her various roles have included Employment and Training Adviser, Mentor, Careers Guidance Adviser, and Information, Advice and Guidance Participation Consultant. She is passionate about how being active has a positive impact on both physical and mental wellbeing across all age groups.
In her most recent role as an NHS Social Prescriber/Benefits Adviser in GP Surgeries in the Clacton area, Sue has been able to bring, and build on, her existing knowledge of local and national organisations, working with residents of all ages to access appropriate information and support going forward.
Joining the team at IRL has been a natural personal progression for Sue as she feels that she has the right experience and personal values that inherently align to the ethos of IRL as an organisation.
Chloe Preston
Youth Worker & Mentor Volunteer
Cloe was born and raised in Clacton-on-Sea and has spent her life living and working in the local community, with a good understanding of the area.
For more than 20 years,
Cloe’s work journey with young people began mentoring young people for the local Youth Offending Team, supporting them through their interventions and reparations assigned through court orders. Cloe has volunteered in local charity youth provision. Building on these experiences, she moved into mainstream secondary education as a LSA, then progressing to the role of cover supervisor. After a period out of an education setting, Cloe worked in the youth sector as a Child and Adolescent worker.
More recently, she has returned to a school environment to fulfil a pastoral role, providing guidance, support and safeguarding students helping them to navigate through a variety of challenges.
With over 2 decades of knowledge development, learning and experience,
Cloe is committed to contributing a positive difference to the lives of young people in the local area, helping them to overcome barriers to learning and development to improve their wellbeing and reach their full potential. As someone committed to nurturing real life journeys, supporting IRL Pathways expands on providing a safe environment for young people to thrive and succeed.
Board of Trustees
Lisa Judge
Trustee
Lisa is a qualified Careers Adviser who has a real passion for supporting young people and families to reach their aspirations. Lisa has developed a good deal of knowledge in Careers Guidance sector and has a strong awareness of the barriers young people need to overcome and navigate to enable them to progress in employment.
Previously, Lisa worked in training and from this progressed onto the careers landscape which I have invoked with for many years. I enjoy spending time visiting some of beautiful areas of Essex and where I can love to get out on my paddle board.
I strongly believe in the ethos and ambitions of IRL Pathways and believe that more opportunities to grow skills and knowledge helps to serve as a platform to achieve aspirations.
Ray Hollis
Trustee
Ray spent his early working years in the RAF and then moved to the London Ambulance Service.
Having achieved a Law Degree and multiple professional qualifications within the financial sector, he has worked for International Banks, bringing a financial background to the IRL Pathways Board of Trustees.
Currently, Ray is working part time as a Wealth Manager for a Swedish bank .
Ray enjoys getting outdoors to camp, travel abroad and more locally for hobbies that include sailing, golf, fishing.
Ray is a weekly participant of his local Park Run.
Alison Wood
Trustee
Alison has over 20 years experience working with young people in a variety of settings.
Alison’s previous work has included being a youth offending practitioner; substance use practitioner; manager of a young person’s drug and alcohol service and is a qualified trainer.
Alison is currently the Director of Events Wellbeing Limited who offer welfare, accessibility and safeguarding services to events and festivals across the UK.
Alison firmly believes that all young people should have the chance to thrive in a safe, supported setting and that given the right opportunities young people can have a productive and fulfilling future.
Anne Myatt
Trustee
After spending time at home bringing up my four children, I returned to college for 2 years and qualified as a childcare practitioner for children 7 years and under. I enjoyed working with children in a nursery setting for a couple of years until I moved to a charity supporting adults with disabilities and their carers.
To address the lack of support for youngsters with autism a couple of parent carers and myself founded Romford Autistic Group Support (RAGS) I ran the charity voluntarily alongside my day job then working for a mental health service users organisation. Eventually, we secured enough funding to rent a base and pay someone (me) to continue the work full time. We succeeded in becoming a local authority approved provider, running a programme of after school activities and holiday provision for neurodivergent youngsters and their siblings.
We also advocated and ran support groups for carers. As a parent carer, I knew first-hand the impact a child with significant additional needs has on the whole family so was passionate about providing an holistic support service.
After 10 busy years running RAGS I had to leave work due to ill health. I decided to retire early to the seaside. I moved to Jaywick overlooking the most beautiful beach 8 years ago.
Having extensive experience working in the voluntary sector and leading a local charity supporting young people I am aware of the challenges and also ways of navigating them. I was delighted to become part of IRL.
I’m blessed to have 9 grandchildren who keep me very busy and up to date with current trends. I am involved in community-based activities and groups in Jaywick. In addition to IRL I’m also a trustee for a local mental wellbeing group. Initiatives I’m involved in include Jaywick Sands Singers a community feel good choir and the Chatty Cafe scheme which aims to reduce isolation.
Annette Richards
Trustee
Having grown up in the local area, I am passionate about giving back to the community and creating opportunities for young people to thrive. After living in Switzerland for 24 years, I returned to the UK and have spent the past decade working in secondary education, where I have gained valuable insight into the challenges faced by young people and their families.
As a Communications Office Manager at a secondary school, I work closely with staff, students, and parents, giving me a first-hand understanding of the pressures facing young people and reinforced my belief that the traditional education system does not meet the needs of every individual. Every young person deserves the opportunity to succeed in an environment that recognises their unique strengths, circumstances, and aspirations.
As a Trustee of IRL Pathways, I am proud to support an organisation that shares this belief. Its person-centred approach, commitment to inclusion, and focus on empowering young people to achieve their own goals closely reflect my own values. I am committed to helping the charity make a lasting difference by supporting young people to build confidence, develop resilience, and create positive pathways for their futures.
I am honoured to contribute my experience in education and communications to help strengthen IRL Pathways' work and improve outcomes for the young people, families, and communities across Tendring.