The young people of North East Lincolnshire have good things on the Horizon, with the appointment of Kyle Stealey as Horizon Youth Zone’s first Head of HR & Operations, and Hayley McPhun as its first Arts & Heritage Coordinator, currently supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The appointments, following on from Head of Youth Work Jack Burrows in January, see the team that will bring the Youth Zone to life continue to take shape. As Kyle focuses on bringing on the rest of the team and laying the groundwork for success, Hayley will bring a wealth of creative experience to planning a fantastic arts and heritage programme for the young people of North East Lincolnshire.
New Head of HR & Operations Kyle Stealey has spent his career transforming and uplifting young people through education, having worked in administration and operation roles first in inner city schools in London, then in operational roles in supporting industries like teacher training.
He is passionate about giving young people the chance to grow:
“It’s a unique opportunity that we’ve got to support the young people of North East Lincolnshire. They’ll be able to access arts, sports, industry – it’s something very different to what’s been offered, historically, to this community. I want to see a Youth Zone that is thriving, busy, and full of energy. I want this to be the place young people go to – and I want it to be somewhere parents want their children to go, too.”
Hayley McPhun will be taking on the role of Arts and Heritage Coordinator, taking the lead in creating a vibrant, engaging arts and heritage programme for young people that will be unique to Grimsby and enhance young people’s chances to get involved with all kinds of creative projects.
A former youth worker for young people leaving care and a storied artist with a Bachelors in Fine Arts and a Masters in Book Art, Hayley has become well-known in the region’s creative scene over the last ten years for her shop, Miss Pigeon Vintage. She has previously worked with arts collectives and the 20-21 Gallery, a local authority owned gallery in Scunthorpe, building a programme of engagement work for young people from local schools.
Hayley said:
“When I worked at the gallery, my most fulfilling days were when I could see children having that lightbulb moment – the spark that turns on the creative brain. There was no art scene where I grew up, no culture – my first experience of people in arts were when I went to university, and it felt too late then. My vision is to bring arts to people from a young age – to help them find their paths into careers like theatre, scenic artistry, and more.”
Lucy Ottewell-Key, CEO of Horizon Youth Zone, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Kyle and Hayley into the Horizon team. They both bring a wealth of experience to support our mission, to provide new opportunities for the young people of North East Lincolnshire. Building an ambitious team is key and I know Hayley and Kyles enthusiasm, creativity and valuable skills will help us achieve this.”
Once opened, Horizon will become part of the growing OnSide Network of 15 existing OnSide Youth Zones which support over 50,000 young people every year. With a membership fee of just £5 per year and 50p per visit, Horizon will offer North East Lincolnshire’s young people aged 8 to 19 (and up to 25 for those with additional needs) access to world-class facilities. These include an indoor climbing wall, four-court sports hall, music room with a recording studio, fully equipped gym, dance and drama studio, 3G kick pitch, and more.
Horizon’s dedicated team of trained youth workers and volunteers will be available seven days a week, providing guidance, mentorship, and support to help young people thrive.
For more information visit www.horizonyouthzone.org or follow Horizon on X (Twitter) @Horizon_yz.