Fitzrovia Youth in Action

BASIC INFORMATION

Case study date: November 2005

Local authority in which project based: Camden

Date started: 1997 (established as registered charity in 2000)

Brief description

Fitzrovia Youth in Action (FYA) is a community based youth action project using sports and youth work to engage young people and support them in developing projects which benefit the community and improve relationships between people from different ethnic and age groups throughout the London Borough of Camden. Set up in 1997, its motto is 'young people creating a better community'. The projects include a community football programme, the Unity Cup anti-racist football tournament, a drug peer research project, a young residents' association, and a range of intergenerational and environmental activities. By bringing different groups together, FYA has restored pride and ownership of the local environment and helped generate a sense of community among residents.

Funding

Total project costs of £214,000 for 2005-06. Main funding sources are:

Big Lottery Fund - funding until March 2006 for a full-time youth worker and core funding.
Football Foundation - funding until March 2006 to develop a community football programme.
Sport Relief - funding until March 2006 to develop the Camden Unity Cup.
CamdenDrug Action Team - annual funding for peer-led drug work.
Camden Youth and Connexions Service - secondment of a part-time youth worker and some project funding through Positive Activities for Young People.

Staffing

Project coordinator, full-time youth worker; full-time football development officer, half-time drug participation worker, and part-time youth workers and football coaches.

NATURE OF PROVISION

Which groups of young people does the project work with?

In 2004, the project worked with 29 young people aged 11 to 13, 68 young people aged 13 to 19 and 23 young adults aged 19 to 25. The project's membership is ethnically diverse, with a high proportion of members being of Bangladeshi origin. Young women account for around a quarter of the members - FYA is seeking to increase their involvement through targeted work.

How was the need for the project identified, and by whom?

FYA was launched by young adults in 1997 to reduce vandalism and anti-social behaviour around the Warren football pitch and play area behind Tottenham Court Road in central London. It sought to address tensions between young people from different ethnic groups and between young people and residents living around the local area. It subsequently extended its work across the whole borough. It became a registered charity in 2000.

How do young people become involved? What, if any, commitment do you ask for?

Youth workers use recreational and sports activities (in particular football) to contact young people. Once relationships are established, they encourage young people to identify their own community projects, meeting at FYA's premises each week to plan and develop them. No formal commitment is required, but young people are usually keen to become and remain involved in projects, provided they feel a sense of ownership. Fun activities such as residentials and outdoor pursuits provide an incentive to engage young people, as well as opportunities for team building and forward planning. Young people may be involved in projects from one month to a year or longer. As soon as one project finishes, work begins to identify new projects and to involve new groups of young people.

What are the main approaches used and activities offered?

FYA supports a range of community based activities including:

Weekly football training sessions providing opportunities for young people aged eight to 16 from different ethnic communities to play together. There are specific sessions for girls. The project has begun a weekly basketball session as an alternative to football. The annual Unity Cup, organised by a committee of young people from different projects, comprises a series of 5-a-side match days bringing together different (largely territorial) teams and projects across the borough.
Inter-generational project bringing together local residents and young people who spend time in the recreation area outside their homes. Activities include community planting days, street parties and local residents' survey.
Environmental project, including clean-up days, graffiti removal and creating murals and mosaics.
Young women's project intended to increase young women's self-confidence and self-esteem by involving them in projects that improve their communities. One group has made a video about life in Kings Cross, and organised a girls' football tournament in summer 2005.
Peer-led drug project, through which young people increase knowledge and awareness of drugs among other young people.
Young tenants' association: young people represent their peers living in a local council housing block, meeting weekly to improve local facilities for young people.
Newsletter project: young people produce a regular newsletter for members and supporters, and also contribute pages to the local community newspaper.
Monthly discussion forums, bringing together young people to take part in debates and workshops on topical issues.
Tsunami project: between January and March 2005, FYA coordinated an committee of young people from various youth agencies who ran a series of fundraising activities, culminating in an event raising £5,000 for charities in India and Sri Lanka.

Young people receive training relevant to their projects. For instance, those involved in organising the Unity Cup undertake training in conflict resolution, stewarding and project management, youth tenants' association members received leadership skills training, and the drug peer research project was supported by ARVAC (The Association for Research in the Voluntary and Community Sector).

How are young people involved in shaping the project/programme?

Young people identify the issues they want to address. Youth workers facilitate weekly planning meetings with young people for each community project. Young people are involved in reviewing progress and setting targets each year.

How does the project respond to the needs of different young people, particularly the most marginalised?

FYA's work takes place in an area with high levels of deprivation, crime and territorial conflict among young people. Many young people using the project could be described as 'disengaged' - the use of sports, participative methods and informal workshops encourages them to build up their involvement gradually. FYA monitors attendance and undertakes outreach work to target under-represented groups. It tailors its activities to meet cultural and gender needs, for instance running separate sessions for young women (as well as mixed sessions).

OUTCOMES OF WORK

How do young people benefit from their involvement in the project?

Young people take responsibility and gain experience and skills to help with their education and employment. Outcomes include:

Skills which are transferable to the job market, such as teamwork, research skills, peer facilitation and project management.
Young people are helped to develop CVs and reflect on skills and learning through their projects.
Increased sense of belonging and participation in community life.
Development of youth leadership and positive role models.
Increased self-confidence and social awareness.
Improvement in health through health and drugs awareness and increased participation in sport.

How do others (young people, organisations or the wider community) benefit from the project?

Relationships between young people and other residents have improved.
FYA's football programme has allowed the project to prevent conflict or vandalism and sustain the environmental improvements made through its work. The local community has benefited from young people's action to improve the environment for all local residents.
FYA carried out a survey of local residents' views about the difference the project had made over the previous two years in November 2004. Over three-quarters of residents surveyed (78%) thought that FYA had made a positive difference to the area.Three-quarters thought that the situation regarding graffiti and greenery had improved, and nearly two-thirds thought that litter had reduced.
Drug peer research project has helped Camden Drug Action team and other agencies ensure that provision meets young people's needs.

Does the project contribute to community cohesion?

FYA's practice reflects many of the findings of the 2001 Cantle report on community cohesion, including the importance of young people organising projects and having ownership over activities, strong local leadership, young people providing positive role models, and the role of youth-led sports, arts and music projects in bringing different groups together. Specific aspects include:

The annual Camden Unity Cup involves over 800 young people from all parts of the borough.
The residents' survey found that over three-quarters of those questioned felt positive about local young people, with 89 per cent saying that their opinion of young people had improved over the previous two years.
The police have credited FYA with a reduction in local youth disorder.

How are young people's progress and achievements measured and recorded?

Young people develop workplans and targets for each activity, compile portfolios and review their own progress. Accreditation on offer includes MV and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. The project is seeking to develop exit routes for young people through accredited training.

MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS

How is the project evaluated and by whom?

FYA's achievements have been recognised through various awards, including Philip Lawrence Award 1999, National Active Communities Award 2000, National Community Champions Award 2001, Young Movers Award 2003 and Camden Good Citizens Award 2004.

An annual stakeholders' away-day (involving young people, staff and trustees) reviews progress and sets targets for year ahead. There is also an annual staff review and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of activities and individual progress.

What are the findings of any evaluations to date?

Stakeholders' away-day and Board discussion identified the need for organisational review and development.

What changes/developments have occurred - or are planned - as a result of evaluation?

Project development needs identified are:

Increased one-to-one support for members;
More use of accreditation;
More opportunities for generic activities and drop-in sessions;
Improved communication between young people, staff and management committee; and
Improved communication with members, local residents, supporters and funders.

FYA's organisational development should include further reviews with stakeholders, increasing its capacity to recruit and retain more young people, developing a fundraising strategy and implementing a quality assurance system.

What factors help the work?

FYA's trustees have expertise in charity governance, financial management, sports development and youth and community work. They play an active role in developing key projects.
Staff team holds regular meetings to reflect on their work, receive regular supervision and have access to training.
Peer-led approach helps the organisation gain 'street credibility' among young people and helps engage new young people in community projects.
Local youth workers in touch with young people's experiences and circumstances.

What factors hinder the work?

Lack of core and secure funding.

PARTNERSHIP/MULTI-DISCIPLINARY WORKING

What other agencies do you work with?

FYA works with a range of other agencies. It is an active partner in Camden Drug Action Team and the Camden Race and Cohesion Forum. It also works with Camden youth service, sports development, equalities unit, Positive Activities for Young People and other local youth and community agencies.

When working in partnership, what is the distinctive contribution of your organisation/project?

Sharing experience and expertise in youth-led activity.

Has this partnership resulted in greater collaboration or increased understanding between partners?

Yes, particularly through the Camden Unity Cup, which has developed strong and continuing partnerships.

STRATEGIC IMPACT

Do you consider this project to be innovative?

Yes. It combines the need for young people to have fun with involvement in community projects; builds a local leadership of young people; shows young people in a positive light and brings them together with older residents; and provides a link between young people and policy-makers and service deliverers.

How do you disseminate the learning from the project?

FYA has worked with a range of organisations to share expertise and promote good practice in youth participation. It runs a football academy as part of Camden Summer University. Sport Relief has publicised the Unity Cup extensively as a positive model of using sports to overcome territorial tensions and conflict. Dissemination also takes place through case studies and presentations,

What plans do you have to sustain/develop this work?

FYA is seeking to new funding streams for April 2006 onwards, as well as funding to replicate the work elsewhere.

CONTACT DETAILS

Andre Schott
Fitzrovia Youth in Action
Basement, 66-68 Warren Street
London W1T 5NZ.

Tel: 020 7388 7399
E-mail: andre_schott@hotmail.com