Enjoying and Achieving

Youth work offers a voluntary, holistic and personal approach to learning for all young people, in settings which promote the development of social and personal skills through informal learning.

It does this in many different ways, including:

• Offering a range of activities and facilities to enable young people to develop skills in areas such as arts, sports and IT, to experience challenge and to expand their horizons;
• Programmes based on a curriculum framework which support young people's personal and social education and citizenship, through project and group work, residential experiences and peer education;
• Providing young people an opportunity to design their own learning in community settings;
• Working with young people to develop provision which meets their expressed needs and interests;
• Encouraging young people to understand and articulate their own learning and achievements, and providing recognition and accreditation for that learning;
• Providing a safe environment for young people with common experiences, where they can gain non-judgemental information and advice, and provide each other with mutual support.

To view any case study in full, please click on the name of the organisation.

Buckinghamshire Community & Youth Engagement Intergenerational Project

Brief description, including aims and objectives:

Buckinghamshire Community and Youth Engagement (BCYE) Intergenerational Project was developed as part of its post-16 citizenship programme. It began in January 2006 as a two year pilot project in the north of the county, using the theme of World War 2 to build positive relationships between young people and older people. It uses a range of activities to enable young people and older people to share experiences and knowledge using the four themes of conflict, consequences, resolution and reconciliation. In addition to group work, field trips and community action projects, the programme included a joint residential to the site of the Normandy invasion and an educational visit to Berlin for the young people. Participants helped produce a DVD resource documenting their experience, for use as a learning and promotional tool to encourage further intergenerational activities.

The Cupboard Project

Brif description, including aims and objectives

The Cupboard Project is a health project for young people aged 13-19 within South Leeds. The project offers a range of services aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable young people, by addressing health inequalities, promoting participation in decision making and youth action, and improving services through collaboration and partnership work. Services include 1-2-1 support, group work, drop-ins and development work. The ‘Bling’ (Broader Learning in New Groups) groups are part of a national Young People’s Development Programme (YPDP) aimed at addressing risk taking behaviour among young people aged 13-15. It offers ten key elements of the Cupboard’s work including access to volunteering opportunities such as community based projects, peer education supported through ‘Bling Friday’, consultation activity, involvement in decision making within The Cupboard and input into national and local events.

Darlington Intergenerational Project

Brief description, including aims and objectives:

This partnership project brings young people and older people together to find common ground, break down barriers and explore intergenerational issues across Darlington using a variety of creative mediums. As part of an initial 12 week programme, the group produced a short film based on their discussions and secured separate funding to create a range of resources to support the development of intergenerational work more widely. Members of the group continue to be actively involved by developing and delivering workshops promoting intergenerational work to a variety of local youth, community and school based groups. As a result of the original programme some young people involved in the group have joined their local Community Partnership, participating in local decision making at a strategic level.

Democratic Action for Bath and North East Somerset Youth (DAFBY)

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Democratic Action for B&NES Youth (DAFBY) is the youth democracy service for young people aged 13-19 in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). The service, underpinned by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, aims to reach and support young people in having a voice in decision-making processes that affect their lives, so that they become more active citizens. DAFBY currently has around 45 democratically elected members, known as youth councillors, who represent other young people within B&NES Council, the Connexions service and the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP). Members are involved in a range of citizenship activities, provide support to the member of youth parliament (MYP), campaign for young people's rights, work strategically with B&NES Council, participate in the development of the Connexions service and undertake peer education. DAFBY is taking part in the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) post-16 citizenship pilot programme.

Doncaster Millennium Volunteers for Young People with Additional Needs

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Doncaster Millennium Volunteers (MV) is a CSV (Community Service Volunteers) project that enables young people aged 16 to 24 with additional needs to make a positive contribution to their community through volunteering. It offers a broad range of volunteering opportunities to support individuals' needs, experience and abilities. Young people can volunteer individually or in groups, and the project supports those with:-

• physical and learning disabilities;
• mental health issues;
• sensory impairments; and
• a variety of medical conditions.

Doncaster MV, like all other MV schemes, aims to assist young people who may not otherwise participate in volunteering to reach their full potential by applying the MV mantra of encouraging young people to 'build on what they're into'. It works with them to overcome potential barriers to volunteering because of their disability or lack of accessible opportunities locally. It provides training to help a young person into their volunteering role, such as confidence and team building, assertiveness training and customer care. Additional role related training can be provided such as basic certificates in food hygiene and First Aid.

Essex Youth Action and Young Essex Assembly

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Essex Youth Action offers young people aged 13 to 19 - supported by a network of youth action workers - challenging opportunities for participation, involvement in decision making and volunteering. Local youth action projects offer a wide range of activities, while local youth councils and the Young Essex Assembly (YEA) - a self-governing elected body recognised as the official voice of young people - provide opportunities to become involved in decision-making. The county council supports the Assembly though funding for young councillors to develop their own projects, agreeing a formal method of consultation with the Policy Development Group for Children and Young People's Services, and and supporting members in monitoring council performance through the Hear by Right standards for youth participation.

Fitzrovia Youth in Action

Brief description, including aims and objectives

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.

Hammersmith and Fulham Action on Disability (HAFAD)

HAFAD is an independent organisation led by disabled people which promotes equality for disabled people living and working in Hammersmith and Fulham through providing a range of support services, campaigns and developing opportunity and inclusion. The Agenda for Youth programme, driven by the 1^st Chance Project, aims to develop an integrated programme of social and learning opportunities for young disabled people, which provide support and progression pathways into the wider community. The programme includes opportunities for members to volunteer within the organisation or in the community, and to influence local services through regular consultation forums.

Hornsey Peer Mentors

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Hornsey School for Girls is a single sex school with approximately 1,500 students. Almost 90 per cent of pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, with over 60 different first languages spoken in students’ homes.

The school originally set up a learning mentor support scheme, Hornsey Learning Mentors, in 2000 as part of Excellence in Cities. The scheme aimed to provide support to students to raise their academic achievement and promote their personal development. As part of this, a peer mentoring scheme, now operating under the umbrella of the Positive Behaviour Support Programme, began in 2002. A key focus of the programme is to provide support to students with English as an additional language (EAL). Targeted help is also available on a wide range of issues including bullying and friendship.

The Ivy Project

Brief descritpion, including aims and objectives

The Ivy Project is a dedicated youth volunteering project with trained specialist workers. It provides opportunities for young people aged 12 to 25 to access a range of volunteering opportunities in their community, encourages their personal development and enables them to celebrate their achievements. It has four main objectives:

• Making volunteering flexible, fun and accessible;
• Ensuring that young people are encouraged and recognised as valuable members of their communities;
• Working with and supporting young people from a range of backgrounds, especially those who are at risk of social exclusion; and
• Giving young people a say in the running of the project.

It uses a three-model approach including taskforce - one-off volunteering opportunities; matching - traditional volunteer placements; and youth action - young people designing and managing their own projects.

Kings Norton New Deal for Communities (NDC) Youth Strategy

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Kings Norton New Deal for Communities (NDC) Youth Strategy, operating on the 3 Estates in the Kings Norton area of Birmingham, has been developed under the leadership of Birmingham Youth Service. The strategy aims to ensure that young people’s involvement in local regeneration is ‘built in, not bolted on’, with young people working for change in partnership with mainstream service providers and policy makers. The Youth Strategy Team, supported by three Peer Liaison Officers, is developing a strategy for delivering the five core Every Child Matters outcomes in consultation with local young people. The 3 Estates Youth Forum has been established to provide a mechanism for the coordinated involvement of children and young people in decision making processes, including formal links to the NDC board and the Extended Schools Cluster. Forum members take part in consultation activity and are promoting the use of Hear by Right participation standards to local organisations. To date they have developed a manifesto outlining their priorities, begun contributing to plans for local facilities and services, and taken part in recruitment processes. Once the forward strategy document is produced, they will play a more active role in taking forward recommendations arising from the ECM research.

Magic Me Annual Arts Projects

Brief description, including aims and objectives:

Founded in 1989, Magic Me is a specialist provider of intergenerational arts based projects in the East End of London. Its annual programme of activities brings together young people and older people for mutual benefit, learning and enjoyment. For the past five years Magic Me has worked with The Women’s Library, based at London Metropolitan University, and Mulberry School for Girls to deliver an annual arts project for young women and older women as part of the after-school programme. Project themes have included beauty and self image (‘Beauty?’ 2004), women’s relationship with the home (‘Spinning Plates’, 2005), campaigning on issues of concern (‘Heartfelt’, 2006), and women’s voices (‘Sound Tracks’, 2007). Participants share their learning with the wider community through various artforms including photographs, poetry, a soundtrack and calendars.

MAP (MultiAgency Project for Young People)

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Multi Agency Project for Young People (MAP) is an area-based regeneration initiative working with young people aged 11-21 as part of New Deal for Communities (NDC) strategy in the ABCD (All Saints and Blakenhall Community Development) area of Wolverhampton. It aims to provide activities and support for young people at risk of educational, employment and personal social exclusion by putting them at the forefront of improving the social environment in which they live as well as improving their own education and career prospects. The ABCD youth forum ‘Positive Youth Action’ group provides opportunities to influence service provision and effect change locally A range of volunteering opportunities is also available including cycle repair and maintenance work. Motiv8 learning programme and opportunities to gain formal accreditation in areas such as Junior Sports Leadership provide young people with the necessary training and support to assist in their personal and social development and become actively involved in the community.

Maypole Centre

Brief description, including aims and objectives

The Maypole Centre provides planned programmes of support to young people in the Druids Health area within a target age range of 11-25. It seeks to improve personal and social development and assist with entry into education, training, employment through programmes on sexual health, substance misuse, adventure and sports opportunities, alternative education, personal development, mentoring, peer education and arts development. The Centre's 'Innov8' programme provides in-depth support to young people at risk through a one-year development programme funded by the Department of Health. This funding ends in March 2007. The centre is one of few statutory youth service outlets with a contract with Supporting People to deliver housing related floating support to 40 young people at any one time, assisting them to move to independent living.

Medway Sports Leadership Programme

Peterborough Youth Consultation Project

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Youth Consultation Peterborough involves young people aged 13-19 in a range of projects aiming to reach and support young people in expressing their views in the decision-making process. The focus is on building bridges between young people and decision-maker's to increase skills and confidence, support decision-maker's needs in partnership with the young people's agenda and to enable their voices to be heard.

Signpost

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Signpost is a voluntary youth organisation working in partnership with schools to engage 'at risk' young people to become involved in alternative personal and social education programmes including volunteering, group work, accredited training and employment opportunities. It focuses on young people in the Manor/Castle area of Sheffield who are not thriving in mainstream education, involving them in a range of activities while building up their confidence and self-esteem. There is a strong focus on involving young people in the regeneration of the local community, and on encouraging young people to attain or improve qualifications in order to boost their life chances. Most young people stay with the project for two years, and Signpost has strong links with Connexions through a personal adviser based in the youth centre - both factors are key to its long-term success. The project is based in a multi-use centre and managed by an umbrella organisation (The Young People's Health Project).

Sixty Plus Intergenerational Project

Brief description including aims and objectives:

Sixty Plus is a small independent charity supporting older people in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to maintain their independence, dignity and choice. Its Intergenerational Project involves young volunteers in a range of activities with older people, aiming to break down barriers and prejudice between the generations by building partnerships of mutual benefit and promoting both groups’ self-confidence and contributions to the community. Its core scheme provides one-to-one support in information and communication technology, reading, and English language, plus other projects. Other activities include a three-week summer drama project and smaller projects throughout the year.

Stepney Bank Stables

Brief description, including aims and objectives:

The Stepney Bank Equestrian and Activity Centre is a community horse project set in Newcastle’s inner city. With a state of the art riding arena and stable yard, the centre is also a British Horse Society accredited riding school and a Pony Club Centre with around 60 members. The project was originally established in 1992 by the City Farm Byker, becoming an independent organisation in 1999 and a registered charity shortly afterwards.

The project works with young people from some of the most socially disadvantaged wards in the North East, most of whom become involved to meet a variety of personal, social or educational needs. Stepney Bank aims to use horses and equestrian activities as a tool for motivating, educating and passing on key social skills to young volunteers.

StreetGames

StreetGames is a national charity providing sports programmes for young people living in disadvantaged communities who are not current participants or members of sports clubs. Young people can access sport and dance opportunities where, when and how they want. Training is often done in basic but convenient facilities such as local parks and community spaces. Volunteers of all ages are involved in StreetGames, with a volunteer programme specifically for young people – the Co-Operative StreetGames Youth Volunteering Programme - currently being developed.

The programme aims to:

• provide a route into sustained and regular sport;
• develop local leadership, citizenship and coaching skills within communities;
• spread skills and knowledge so sports workers learn how to involve young people;
• support renewal agencies in communicating with young people about their sporting needs and other lifestyle issues.

StreetGames operates through an expanding network of projects (currently 24) across England. This case study focuses on Reading StreetGames which has a proven track record of working with young volunteers.

Swindon Borough Libraries Partners for Change Project

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Swindon Borough Libraries is a local partner in the Partners for Change initiative, which aims to involve young people 'at risk'in decision-making and service provision within library services in the South West of England. Between 2005 and 2008, the Swindon project targets two groups of young people aged 11 to 19: teenage parents and looked after young people. Young mothers and mothers-to-be undertake a training programme intended to encourage library use, improve literacy levels and help library services become more receptive to the needs of young people and babies. They are then offered volunteering opportunities within the library service. The looked after children project aims to use web-based methods of consultation to engage young people in plans for the new central library and encourage a sense of ownership.

Trans-IT

Brief description, including aims and objectives:

Age Concern Enfield works in partnership with a range of voluntary and statutory organisations, to improve the quality of life of people aged 50+ and their carers in the London Borough of Enfield. Inaugurated in 1985, it is an independent charity and part of the national federation of Age Concern.

The Trans-IT intergenerational computer project began as a pilot project in September 2006. It aims to help older people access computers and the internet through a weekly programme of one-to-one tuition delivered by young volunteers from local secondary schools. The service aims to develop positive and mutually beneficial relationships between young volunteers and older learners and provide older people with new skills and confidence which help to promote their independence.

VOXinc.

Brief description, including aims and objectives

VOXinc. is an inclusive project operating as part of the Millennium Volunteers (MV) programme. It supports young people aged 16-24 with learning disabilities, mental health difficulties, those not in education, employment or training to volunteer. Support is also provided to other young volunteers to support people with a learning disability. The VOXinc. mission is to bring together young volunteers and others in a way that enables people with a learning disability to become involved in their local community.

Wycombe Youth Action

Brief description, including aims and objectives

Wycombe Youth Action (WYA) is a registered charity offering young people challenging opportunities for voluntary work within the local community. WYA works in partnership with a wide range of other voluntary and statutory groups in Buckinghamshire. Volunteers, who are usually aged between 14 and 25, become involved in a variety of projects, many undertaken in response to special requests from local groups. WYA provides volunteers with encouragement, advice and support throughout their voluntary work. In addition to WYA's own award scheme, Millennium Volunteers provides national recognition of contributions for 16-25 year olds. Social events also offer opportunities for young people to share experiences and celebrate achievements. Links with Wycombe Area Youth Council and UK Youth Parliament provide a mechanism for young people's views to be represented at a local and national level. WYA also serves as a Connexions point, offering young people access to information, advice and support on a range of issues and workshop sessions to develop social skills.

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