South Tyneside Positive Activities

and Targeted Youth Support Group

Registered charity, No 1144838Company Limited by Guarantee

Started, July 2010

To improve outcomes and boost life chances of the Young people we work with through their engagement and participation in a range of Positive Activities that follow a Youth Work process and are undertaken in a safe and challenging environment.

Aims of the project

Some photosGroup at “GO APE” Lake District

started in January 2012Delivers 18 hours face-face Youth Work in Boldon, working from village hall and CA.

Attract up to 90 Young People per week through a range of projects and activities.

“Bored in Boldon” Youth Project

The start of CatBells, Lake District

The project works in partnership with the “Services for Young People”. (South Tyneside Council)

Council provide 1 x worker and STPATYSG provide 2 workers plus a part time worker and 8 volunteers.

STPATYSG also provide funding for hire costs (village Hall and CA), activities and residential experiences.

These funds are secured by grants from a range of sources including; trusts, lottery, safer neighbourhoods funding etc.

We currently have funding until end of November 2012

Delivery

Many Young People accessing the service come from very deprived backgrounds.

Many face a number of multiple deprivation factors. They include; low family income, low educational attainment,

poor health including, smoking, alcohol and substance misuse amongst other things.

Many Young people have a lack of confidence, low self-esteem and a lack of aspiration.

Many of the Young People we work with have been involved in low level crime and are known to the police and other agencies.

Before the project, Young People told us there was a lack of places to go, things to do and a trusted adult to talk to.

Boldon Newtown has the highest level of secondary fires in Tyne and Wear.

Identification of need

Reducing secondary fires.Young People at Fire Training

Deliver 3 sessions per week from the village hall Hold a Positive Activities evening on a Wednesday night from 6 –

11pm, working from village hall and Community Centre. Regular attendance of over 80 Young People.

Hold volunteering opportunities including environmental work in the local garden, cleaning up the burn and a recent litter pick.

Help with CV’s and support and guidance Provide training. Educational activities around drug and alcohol use, anti-social

behaviour including the issue of secondary fires and the damage they cause in the community.

Residentials and trips away. We also have a FACEBOOK page that lets Young People know

“what’s on”

What do we do?

Boldon team.

The number of antisocial behaviour fires, which includes grass and wheelie bin fires, has fallen dramatically. There were only two reported in April this year, compared with 32 in April 2011.

Reduction in crime (down 15.6%) and youth disorder (down 31%)

Over 150 individuals have been involved in the project.

Successful “lighter nights campaign” funded by Safer Neighbourhoods. Over 448 over 2 week Easter holiday.

Gained an excellent reputation for delivering services to Young People.

Success of project to date.Hard Data

Group at Isthmus cottage, Keswick Easter 2012

“Before the project we had nothing to do and got into a lot of bother. This gives us somewhere to go to hang out with friends and something to do. I love it.” (Young Person aged 18)

“I started get involved in the project and now I am a volunteer and have just completed the introduction to Youth Work course which was delivered by the project”. (Volunteer aged 19)

“Keswick residential was the best experience of my life, Go Ape, climbing Catbells in the snow with your mates. It doesn’t get much better”. (Young person aged 15)

What Young People have told us.

Outdoor Football

We have funding until December 2012. We are currently applying for further funding but the competition for funds is intense.

We are looking from commissions from Council and other sources to try and maintain what we are doing as well as looking for other work.

We are looking to diversify if needed to look at new markets and opportunities.

The future

Litter pick