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Meet the Team
Staff
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Charlotte Clarke BSc (Hons)
charlotte.clarke@theskillmill.org
Charlotte has worked with The Skill Mill for over a decade and has played a key role in its development from an early pilot project into a nationally recognised social enterprise supporting young people involved in the youth justice system.
Originally from South Yorkshire, Charlotte studied Crime Science at Northumbria University and began volunteering with the Newcastle Youth Offending Team, where her passion for creating positive opportunities for young people began.
Charlotte now oversees Skill Mill operations across the UK, supporting regional teams and building partnerships that create meaningful employment, training and environmental opportunities for young people to develop skills, confidence and positive futures.
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Peter Cook
Peter has worked with County Durham Youth Justice Service for 18 years. Peter has worked predominantly in Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programmes (ISSP), a community based initiative designed for young people who pose a high level of risk.
Peter has been a Skill Mill supervisor since the launch of our Durham site in 2017. Prior to working with the Youth Justice Service, Peter was a leisure accessory store manager.
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Mark Cooper
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Mark is a Youth Justice Worker from Leeds. He first joined the service in 1999 when it evolved as part of Probation and Social Services. He has fulfilled many roles within the service including running a national campaign against Knife Crime. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with young people and helping them achieve goals.
Mark has also worked in the Construction Industry. He enjoys helping young people learn and develop life skills, moving them on to fulfil their potential and leave their offending behaviour behind them. Mark is currently Skill Mill Supervisor at our Leeds site. ​​
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Craig Edwards
craig.edwards@theskillmill.org
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Craig is passionate about making a real difference to the lives of young people. Having engaged with youth mentoring services himself as a teenager, he brings a genuine understanding of the challenges young people face — and an ability to connect with them authentically. Craig has worked in youth services since the age of 18, supporting young people through mentoring, and offering guidance, knowledge and encouragement.
Away from his professional work, Craig volunteers as a grassroots football coach and takes great pride in giving back to his local community. He is also a qualified plumber and works as a security supervisor, bringing a broad and grounded perspective to his role. Craig is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Birmingham.
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​Ross Carter
​Ross.Carter@theskillmill.org
​Ross brings over 26 years of experience spanning construction, youth work and family services. He has worked for the NHS and local authorities in case management, group work and mediation, supporting vulnerable young people at risk of criminalisation.
In 2018, Ross developed his own projects to raise awareness and provide support for young people and families around knife crime, gangs and exploitation. Having worked across both Birmingham and Surrey, Ross is now Supervisor at The Skill Mill Surrey.
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​Jake Kinsey
​Jake.Kinsey@theskillmill.org
​Jake grew up in Brighton, where a love of football and sport shaped his early life. He completed his BA in Sport Coaching and Development in 2016, going on to coach a wide range of sports and deliver the Duke of Edinburgh's Award to young people.
Jake has also accumulated 18 years of experience in the construction industry, complemented by expertise in coaching communication and emotional regulation groups. He has further experience working in secondary education with young people with complex needs. Jake is committed to expanding the life chances of every young person he works with, and is now Supervisor at The Skill Mill West Sussex.
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David Edgar
david.edgar@theskillmill.org
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David has over 20 years of experience in roles centred on working with young people. His career has encompassed detached youth work, a Youth Offending Service, and positions with both the National Trust and the YMCA - where he supported disadvantaged young people from inner-city areas. David has also worked for local authorities maintaining parks, community centre gardens and urban green spaces, and holds extensive knowledge across all aspects of landscaping.
A passionate advocate for the outdoors, David has volunteered for organisations including the National Trust and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. He is a qualified Mountain Biking instructor and has shared that skill with young people through a course he built himself from recycled materials. David is currently working on a European Structural and Investment Funds project in Newcastle.​​
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​David Lebourn
david.lebourn@theskillmill.org
David grew up on the borders of Essex and East London, and brings over 33 years of remarkably varied experience to his role. His career has taken in everything from working with children in an amateur dramatics group - touring across the UK and as far afield as Australia - to a strong and specialised background in construction, with particular expertise in timber-framed buildings and groundworks.
David also spent 15 years in the security sector, where he developed sharp interpersonal skills navigating anti-social and at times life-threatening situations. At the onset of the pandemic, he stepped up as PPE Officer for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, demonstrating the calm and commitment he brings to everything he does. Since then, David has continued to broaden his expertise, gaining qualifications in Covid testing and containment, Safeguarding, and Mental Health and Wellbeing for both adults and children - areas in which he is actively continuing his professional development.
David is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Norfolk.
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Álvaro Parada
alvaro.parada@theskillmill.org
Álvaro brings a richly varied professional background to his role, with experience spanning sales, marketing, logistics and stock management. These disciplines have equipped him with strong communication and project management skills - all of which he now channels into what he considers his most meaningful work yet: supporting young ex-offenders on their journey forward.
The roots of that commitment lie in two formative years spent in Mozambique, where Álvaro dedicated himself to supporting underprivileged young people: providing practical assistance, creating moments of joy, and nurturing hope for the future. Álvaro is committed to helping them build purposeful lives, develop new skills, and find their own sense of direction and happiness. He considers it a privilege to walk alongside them as they forge new paths.​
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​Gavin Wagstaff
Gavin.Wagstaff@theskillmill.org
Gavin's early passion for cars led him to train in panel beating, and he went on to work for Ford. He spent 13 years working nights in hotel maintenance and reception, before deciding it was time for a new challenge. In the years since, Gavin has worked as a self-employed gardener and maintenance professional, caring for Airbnb properties and tackling overgrown gardens for members of the public.
Away from work, Gavin's world revolves around football, he supports Newcastle United and coaches an under-14s side. He is sociable, curious, and by his own admission a natural chatterbox. What balances that out is an equally natural capacity for hard work and an inability to sit still for long. There is always another project on the go.
Gavin is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Sheffield.
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Gareth Mathias
Gareth.Mathias@theskillmill.org​
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Gareth brings over ten years of experience in landscaping and groundworks, along with a lifelong passion for passing his skills and knowledge on to others. He has spent years as a boxing coach at his local gym, guiding young people to develop discipline and self-belief; he has also worked as a guitar teacher and English tutor in France, where he lived for four years.
At The Skill Mill, he works with young ex-offenders to build the skills and confidence needed to access follow-on employment
Gareth is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Reading.
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​Macaulay Larkin
Macaulay.Larkin@theskillmill.org
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Macaulay is a community-focused individual with a genuine passion for creating social change through practical action. He believes firmly that everyone deserves the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to their local area, and is particularly drawn to work that combines environmental stewardship with real employment opportunities for those who need them most.
He brings a reliable, hands on approach to my work, valuing the discipline and resilience that outdoor, physical work demands. Beyond the practical side of the role, Macaulay is committed to the social heart of social enterprise - bridging gaps in the community, supporting those around him, and ensuring that the work leaves a lasting, positive mark.
Macaulay is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Barnsley.
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Amy Macmillan
Amy.Macmillan@theskillmill.org
Amy has fascinatingly diverse background spanning education and construction. Her earlier career working with children in SEND and PRU schools instilled in her a deep empathy and an enduring commitment to helping others, values that remain at the core of everything she does. A desire for new challenge eventually led her to Australia, where she trained and worked as a bricklayer.
Away from the sites, Amy has a rich creative life. She is a DJ and songwriter who has released her own music and videos, and finds in that outlet the same sense of expression and craft that she brings to her practical work. At home, life revolves around her two dachshunds, Minnie and Margot - her happy place.
Amy is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Bradford.
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​​Jonathan Lys
Jonathan.Lys@theskillmill.org
Jonathan is a born and bred Londoner with several years of experience working with young people and within social care. He has a genuine passion for helping others realise their potential, and brings to that work an approach that is solution-focused, empathetic and consistently positive. A natural listener and effective problem solver, Jonathan prides himself on being approachable and easy to talk to - qualities that prove invaluable when working with young people who may not always find it easy to open up.
Outside of work, his interests span fitness, the environment and architecture, and he remains, by his own firm insistence, a devoted Arsenal supporter.
Jonathan is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Greenwich.
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​Kevin Ellis
Kevin.Ellis@theskillmill.org
Kevin brings a wealth of experience to his role, with a background in construction complemented by 20 years of working with young people across Devon.
That combination of practical trade knowledge and long-standing commitment to youth work makes him a natural fit for The Skill Mill, where both are put to excellent use every day.
Kevin is currently Supervisor at The Skill Mill Devon.​​​​​​​​
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Keti Matchavariani
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Keti is the Communications Manager at The Skill Mill, responsible for ensuring that the organisation's social and environmental impact is seen, heard and understood. She oversees The Skill Mill's social media channels, website, newsletter and public relations.
Her background is rooted in journalism and marketing. After completing an undergraduate degree in Journalism, Keti went on to earn a Master's in Communication and Social Entrepreneurship - a combination that speaks directly to the work she does today. She spent over four years as a reporter before transitioning into social media and public relations, working with social enterprises and as a global social media manager for an international finance company.
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Martin Rinvolucri
Martin.Rinvolucri@theskillmill.org
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Martin is Commercial Manager at The Skill Mill. He has a background in architecture and teaching, and additional training in person-centred counselling. He is passionate about everyone being given an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential. He has spent the last 14 years in business development roles, promoting innovation in passivhaus build and retrofit measures. Martin is a keen marathon kayaker — often to be found on the River Trent!