Kieran and Ross, were delighted to join youth practitioners and young people from across the Reaching People network on Wednesday 20th August at E2 community hub to share, reflect, learn and identify areas where we can all add value to each other’s efforts.
Participants were involved in a diverse range of projects and initiatives which included:
- Providing intensive one to one support to young people facing a variety of complex issues.
- Providing mental health and wellbeing support in community settings.
- Providing a wide range of community based support and activities including targeted work with “high needs” SEND Young people.
- Bringing business community and SEND Young people, together to improve the employability skills and opportunities for SEND Young people.
- Providing supports on LGBTQ+ issues for young people including targeted work for Trans young people.
- Enabling Young people to speak out on a range of issues such as the care system to bring about long term systemic change.
- Enabling Young People from disadvantaged communities to participate in DoE scheme.
- Providing Young people caught up in youth justice system with positive pathways and opportunities, so they stop committing crimes and get into employment, education or training.
- Producing videos, publications and podcasts that raise awareness of the lives of young people and the issues they face.
As young people we need support, places where we feel people care about us and who can help us understand the job market
The young people who attended, shared that they felt the big issue facing young people was finding suitable jobs. But they also shared that many young people face a range of complex issues and challenges, so needed long term committed support from accessible, friendly and kind professionals who could help them work their work through issues and to identify ways they could develop, improve their situation and eventually get a job. It was noted this feedback was remarkably like feedback received from young people at last meeting. It also suggest that community based youth projects are very much needed.
It is great to see that local care experienced people have brought out the publication “ My Care Journey” to inform people and organisations about their lives, challenges and many strengths
Kieran circulated a copy of “My Care Journey” a publication created by care experienced young people. As well as being a great and informative read, it also showed that with support young people are keen to bring about positive change for themselves and others . All present were keen to consider or already planning to do work which enabled the voices and lived experience of young people to shape policy and practice that impacts on their lives.
SEND young people have a right to be supported but it can require higher staffing ratios, as some require intensive support which can include intimate care, and the lack of this excludes these young people from much provision
Several of the groups present were proactively supporting SEND young people. There was a feeling this was a group who could often be left aside and where “mainstream” provision might not be accessible. It was great to see staff from Coalville CAN, E2 Community hub and Leicestershire Cares agreeing to get together to identify ways they can partner together to strengthen the support they can provide for SEND young people.
Since lockdown ended finding funding and people willing to volunteer has become more challenging
As for challenges participants faced two issues kept coming up funding and volunteering. There is a strong feeling that there is less money available with more people chasing it. In addition, as many people now use ChatGPT or other AI, donors are reporting they are becoming inundated with more applications and quality has gone up, which in turn increased competition. Since lockdown, many present were struggling to recruit and retain. Some felt this might be related to rise of home working, alongside people feeling “hard up”, so less able to offer support to others. Reaching People, will explore how it might support members finding volunteers.
If you need your centre painted or garden tidied up. Leicestershire Cares team challenges can help
Leicestershire Cares shared they have a "Team Challenge” scheme, where teams of business volunteers spend a day in a community setting offering practical help. This often involves practical help such as decorating rooms or tidying up a garden space. Participants were encouraged to get in touch if they needed this type of support.
The great thing about Reaching People is the way it enables community groups to collaborate and develop joint projects and funding proposals
Sarah and Sangeeta shared some upcoming funding opportunities, and participants agreed it would be good for the group to identify areas where we could develop coalition proposals that pull on our significant shared skills. Kieran volunteered to do some work trying to pull this together .
This meeting has been really informative, empowering, useful and it is inspiring to hear about how much great work is being developed and delivered and looking forward to partnering with people here and taking work forward
The group will continue to meet on a quarterly basis and seek to identify more practical ways they can partner on projects and funding bids.
Useful Links
More info on Reaching People https://www.reachingpeople.co.uk/
More Info on My Journey https://www.leicestershirecares.co.uk/about-charity/news-events-/my-care-journey-publication-finally-here/
More Info on E2 Community Hub https://www.e2online.co.uk/
More info on Trade Sexual Health https://tradesexualhealth.com/
More info on Coalville CAN https://coalvillecan.coop/
Positive Pathways https://positivepathways.org.uk/
LAMP https://www.lampadvocacy.co.uk/
Leicestershire Cares https://www.leicestershirecares.co.uk/about-charity/our-approach/