Our People

Lenny Kinnear

Chief Executive

Lenny began working in London as a teacher in a comprehensive school in Croydon in 1979. He then worked with young offenders in Ealing before moving into youth work in Sutton. He has held senior local authority management posts in Richmond-Upon-Thames, Wandsworth and Hillingdon.

Lenny has always been passionate about developing sustainable youth projects and in promoting positive images of young people. He has established thriving youth forums and set up specialist provision in arts, sports development and leisure facilities.  Lenny was appointed Chief Executive in 2003 following a poor Ofsted inspection and successfully turned the company around. He then managed its transition into a new charity, Y-gen, which specialises in developing practical approaches towards empowering young people.

Lenny relaxes with DIY projects and gym workouts. He is a keen photographer and enthusiastically plays golf to no great effect.

Alice Hinken

Personal Adviser

Alice started her career in a comprehensive school in Barnet as a PE teacher and supporting students with their pastoral needs.  She progressed to a special school where she had senior management responsibility for careers education as well as links with mainstream schools and colleges, work experience and youth enterprise schemes.  In 1997 Alice trained as a careers adviser and was appointed as LDD coordinator for North London which enabled her to gain an insight into SEN provision in a large number of schools. 

Alice joined Y-gen in April 2008 and continues to enjoy the challenge of supporting young people and their families.  Alice feels strongly that all young people need to be allowed to have a voice to make their own choices and decisions.  She encourages learning providers and potential employers to develop courses to provide inclusive, interesting and challenging opportunities for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. 

Alice enjoys cycling, swimming, walking, salsa dancing and playing the piano and drums.  She participates in an increasingly geriatric manner and often muses on what it was like when, as a young PE teacher, she was able to do these activities without falling over/swearing/crying or needing to dial 999 for an ambulance.

Sonia Kaur

Personal Adviser 

Sonia graduated in Psychology and spent the following two years travelling and Teaching English as a foreign language. She later became involved with Youth Services where she led on a Teenage pregnancy Group and co-ordinated the Duke of Edinburgh award. Following this she managed schools for the international company ISIS working specifically in Oxford and South London.

Sonia's keen interest in working with young people and advocating on their behalf led her to Y-gen as a personal adviser supporting young people with learning difficulties & disabilities. She currently works with a caseload of around 150 young people in both specialist and mainstream schools.

During her leisure time Sonia enjoys keeping fit through regular gym workouts, alternative remedies and travelling.

Stan Lee 

Personal Adviser

Stan graduated from City University with an Aeronautical Engineering degree in 2002 and began his career with BAE Systems (Warton) working on military aircraft such as Eurofighter Typhoon and Nimrod MRA4; before transferring to MBDA UK (Stevenage) working on guided weapons.

Parallel to his professional career, Stan has been studying the Japanese arts of Aikido and Kashima Shinryu swordsmanship and Chen style taijiquan. It was through his martial arts training that Stan realised his potential for mentoring, teaching and helping other people.

Stan has taught weekend seminars in Norway and Sweden; Stan continues to further his practices and understanding by annual seminar visits to his teacher Minoru Inaba, Sensei of the Shiseikan budojo - Meiji Jingu - Tokyo.

Hilda Fahey

Office Manager & Executive Assistant

Hilda was born and educated in South Africa. She spent 15 years working within the legal profession, as PA to a number of senior partners and as a conveyancer handling her own caseload. In 1976 she went on a two year working holiday around the UK and Europe where she met her husband. They set up home in South Africa where she went into clothing industry sales and started her own business.

In 1997 Hilda and her family decided to relocate and purchased property in London. On arriving in England she did a six month full time diploma in IT (Microsoft programmes). She joined a medical recruitment agency which she ran for four a half years whilst the owners lived in Goa in India.  Hilda then went to work for a research and development company as office manager and PA to the Chief Scientist. She coordinated a number of dyslexia studies on children and young people.

Hilda joined the company in 2004 as Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive. She has also taken on a number of other roles since the inception of Y-gen.

Anne Page

Personal Adviser 

Details & photo to follow

Vacancy 

Business Manager

Vacancy

Team Leader