Strood Youth Centre and the Peninsula Detached projects had a positive year. All projects continued to offer a range of informal learning opportunities as a response to young people s individual needs, aspirations and development.
Strood Youth Centre and the Peninsula Detached projects form part of the wider Medway West Youth Service Team. Our objectives are to work with young people from the ages of 8-19 years and up to the age of 25 for young people with special educational needs. Our projects offer a range of activities that capture young people s interests, needs and encompass individualism through equality and diversity. Strood Youth Centre is managed by full time Youth Development Worker Patricia Houssein who is supported by a dedicated staff team made up of Assistant Youth Development Workers and Part Time Youth Workers. Strood Youth Centre is open Monday Saturday hosting a variety of day time and evening sessions. The centre has been heavily involved with specialist projects including school based programmes. Senior members also actively support the youth work team with evening sessions. In 2013/14 Strood Youth Centre worked with 742 young people aged 8-19. The peninsula detached team currently runs projects in Hoo, Cliffe, Cliffe Woods, Grain and Chattenden. The team develops projects with young people to help meet their needs. Over the year we have worked with young people on a wide range of issues. Supporting young people to get their voices heard to make a difference in their community. In 2013/14 The Peninsula Detached projects worked with 939 young people aged 8-19.
Orchestra One is a friendly atmosphere where you can express yourself and where you can share your ideas with others. We created our own composition. (Jason, 15) Strood Youth Centre worked in partnership with Orchestra One to support a group of 12 young people who came together with other young from all over Kent. The music projects run over four days, three times a year involving young people that have an interest in music. The project was open to both beginners and more advanced musicians. Case Study One young person played with a band for the first time. He had never played an instrument before and at the end of the project he was able to play basic drums. Talented professionals came from different parts of the world to deliver specific workshops with the main objective of enhancing young people s skills in composition, song writing, singing and improvisation. After the workshops the young people came together to perform as one orchestra.
Cyber Youth Connect is a cross border project involving young people from both the UK and France. Strood Youth Centre and the Peninsula Detached Projects hosted a series of workshops involving music, cookery, media and mechanics. The workshops encouraged young people to develop confidence, enhance existing skills and for some young people the project introduced a whole new set of experiences. The CYC project was a finalist in last years Children and Young People Now Award 2013 in the partnership's category.
Two young people from Strood worked with other Medway musicians and took part in international exchanges in Suffolk and Brest, where they had the opportunity to perform rap vocals with French musicians and develop their skills. This project led up to a performance at the world class La Carene music venue. Young people from Strood and Peninsula took part in various cookery projects, including a five day crepe making course in Brest, working at a high level training centre and learning with French young people at Mid Kent College. Young people from these projects helped prepare food for the Youth Service and YOT joint seminar in November and our end of year celebration event in December 2013. Three young people from Chattenden and Hoo were selected to be part of Medway s CYC Motocross Team. The group undertook intensive training in France and the UK and two riders participated in the prestigious La Touquet Enduropale, finishing 37th and 93rd out of 150. Ten young people from Strood and Peninsula joined the team to support their team on the day. I learned a lot which I didn t know before. I learned a lot about French culture and language and both the French and British young people worked really well together. (Kayleigh, 17)
Trampolining is affordable and you learn new things every week. Personally it has helped me with my GCSE PE grade at school. (Courtney Brumbaugh, 15) As an archery instructor it gives me great pleasure to share my skills with young people and see their progress on a weekly basis. (Sam Case, Archery Instructor) The centre continued to run trampoline, archery and family climbing sessions. Each of these activities were delivered by qualified instructors with some sessions supported by senior member volunteers. In trampoline sessions young people progress through levels 1-11 of the award with GCSE equivalent accreditation, which are recognised by the British Gymnastics Association. In the archery sessions young people learn skills around aiming, targeting and accuracy through team games. The family climbing club provides families with the opportunity to spend quality time together taking part in new and challenging experiences, overcoming fear of heights and increasing confidence levels.
Streetleague There were three Streetleague football events in 2013/14. This project has proven to be very popular with young people, they gained new skills, joined football teams and made new friends, winning medals and trophies. Summer Projects Strood Youth Centre and the Peninsula Detached Projects were open throughout the summer holidays. They were well attended with young people enjoying fun activities and achieving accreditations for learning new skills. Young people particularly enjoyed playing on the area s new inflatable games equipment. The detached team worked with Ranscombe Park Farm and Positive Arts to involve 42 young people in transforming the nature reserve entrance. The group were involved in designing and painting mural designs throughout the underpass.
Strood Academy Strood Youth Centre ran a weekly Monday lunchtime drop-in at Strood Academy, where young people can to speak to youth workers and find out about projects and services that are available in their area. Youth Workers also ran six week projects for young men and women. Both groups worked on issues including: self esteem, confidence, motivation, behaviour, exploring self image, emotions and challenging fears. Adventure Service Challenge This accreditation is aimed at young people aged 8-14. It helps build personal and social skills by working on projects related to their interests. Youth workers delivered the ASC award with 14 young people from Elaine Primary School, who completed the Junior Stage One Award, and started Junior Stage One with 61 young people from Chattenden Primary, who completed in 2014/15.
Case Study 1 Y was able to discuss problems she was experiencing at home. We worked with other agencies to help her to resolve her issues. Now she is supported to live independently and is doing well, working part time and studying at college. Hoo school project This rolling group work project ran for 10 weeks at a time throughout the year. Over the ten weeks young people explore self esteem, body image, the media, drugs, sexual health, relationships and education. Hub project Running 10 week projects exploring self esteem and participating in team building activities. The young people said they wanted to learn how to cook and play musical instruments, so youth workers met with them on Monday mornings where they prepared and cooked their own lunch, they also learnt how to play drums and guitar. LGBTQ drop in Case Study 2 We worked with X around his relationships with his friends, who used to bully him. Through the sessions he realised this was unhealthy and changed his social group. He also changed the way he was treating other young people and felt better able to communicate how he was feeling. A weekly drop was held at school for young people identifying as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, trans or who are questioning their sexuality. This session was developed with the school and offered young people the opportunity to have a safe space go and engage with youth workers. The session enabled young people to spend time with LGBTQ peers and provided a supportive network of friends.
Young people took part in both Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh s awards, climbing and archery AQAs and First aid qualifications. During 2013/14 Strood Youth Centre reintroduced the Duke of Edinburgh s Award. This year the centre prepared four people for their Bronze Award and 3 for their Silver Award. I had a lot of fun and made new friends having a new experience (William, 16) Thursday archery and climbing have remained popular with a core group of young people attending each week. Seven young people competed their stage one Archery AQA, developing their skills in the centre. Four have completed their stage two Archery AQA, which involved a trip to participate in Field Archery at the Lodge Hill Field Archery Club.
The senior member team continued to volunteer to support youth workers in the planning and delivery of youth work sessions. The senior members developed skills around working as a team, taking responsibility and undertook a variety of training courses to provide them with more knowledge and skills in their role. They trained in basic food hygiene, running a music studio, child protection and basic first aid. Senior members were also represented at management committee meetings. I volunteer because I see it as a pathway to greater things. It has taught me many skills such as decision making, working as a team but most of all I ve gained confidence. I feel I now have a greater knowledge of how important a public service such as a youth centre is to the surrounding community. (Casey Gabriel, 16 Senior Member)
Projects ran in Hoo, Wainscott, Chattenden, Grain, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods. These ranged from work in small community centres to street based work. Young people on the Peninsula can struggle to access services that are based in the towns, the youth service supports them to overcome this by working with other agencies to bring services to them. Hoo Young people took part in sports, arts, music, cookery and personal social education activities. The team worked with young people to develop projects based around their needs and interests, including supporting them to engage with local politicians to get their voice heard in the community. Case Study 1 P from Hoo took part in the cyber baby project. She was able to rethink about the right time to have a child and is now focusing on college. Case Study 2 Young people from Hoo couldn t use the football pitch in the evenings, due to poor lighting, they were supported to attend a parish council meeting, which led to the lights being turned on, as a result the group were involved in wider discussions about improving play facilities.
Grain Young people from Grain attended youth club sessions every Tuesday at Grain Pavilion. Young people were heavily involved in with cookery, despite a lack of faculties. Youth workers developed a microwave cooking project, which worked well and enabled the young people to explore a variety of recipes using the equipment and resources available. A group of young people also attended a trip to the Halloween Hauntfest at Broadwitch Farm, which the young people thoroughly enjoyed. Chattenden Young people from Chattenden attended youth club sessions every Monday at Chattenden Community Centre. Young people took part in cookery and singing workshops and have also went on trips to ice-skating and The Harvester Restaurant. Over the summer, young people decorated cakes and had a mobile spa session, where both the boys and the girls got pampered for the evening. I enjoyed ice-skating, it gave me something to do and I wasn t bored. It was fun. (Billy, 14)
Contact details Roy Smith Area Youth Manager 07717507140 Pat Houssein Youth Development Worker (Strood) 07789988165 Lindsay Hartney Youth Development Worker (Peninsula) 07795236289 Sue Campbell Area Administrator 07766465769 Angela Taylor Assistant Youth Development Worker 07904891559 Gemma Matten Assistant Youth Development Worker 07534174351 Pierre Balla-Nyongo Assistant Youth Development Worker 07808205047
Mondays 50p 7:00pm 9.15pm Year 10 till 19 Open Session Cooking, Art, Music Studio, Sports, Pool, Table Tennis Chattenden Youth Club Chattenden Community Centre Mondays 6-8pm Ages 10-19 50p Providing workshops in cookery, music, climbing, archery and more. Workshops have limited spaces and need to be booked. For more information please contact Gemma Matten on 07534174351. Wednesdays 50p 6:00pm 8:15pm Year 7, 8, 9 Open Session Cooking, Art, Music Studio, Sports, Pool, Table Tennis Cliffe/Cliffe Woods Detached Mondays 6-9pm Engaging with young people in positive activities, identifying needs and developing projects. Thursdays 50p 7:00pm 9:00pm 13-19 Years Old Open Session Archery/Climbing alternative weeks, Duke of Edinburgh Award Grain Youth Club Tuesdays 6.15-8.45pm 50p Youth club session with young people in Grain, activities include cookery, music, arts and sport. Fridays 50p 6:00pm 8:00pm Year 5 and 6 Friday Fun Club Cooking, Art, Music Studio, Media, Pool, Sports, Table Tennis Wainscott Youth Project Tuesdays 6-8pm Bringing young people from Wainscott to Strood Youth Centre. Spaces are limited. For information contact Lindsay Hartney on: 07795236289 Saturdays AM 50p 11:00am 1:00pm Year 5 to 19 Trampolining / Archery Club British Gymnastic Provenience Scheme, Qualified Instructors Hoo Youth Club Pottery Road Wednesdays 5.15-6.45pm - Ages 10-14 7-9.30pm Ages 14-19 Youth club sessions with young people in Hoo, activities include cookery, music, arts and sport Saturdays PM 2.50 a Climber 2:00pm 4:00pm Family Age 6+ Family Climbing Club Looking for Fun, affordable weekend activity to encourage you and your family. Gain new skills. Qualified Instructors Hoo Detached Thursdays 6-9pm Engaging with young people in positive activities, identifying needs and developing projects.
Strood Youth Centre Montfort Road Strood Kent ME2 3ET 01634 335910