Celebrating our Young Heroes!

Rob first first joined Young Bristol in 2013 when he was 9 years old attending summer holiday club sessions. He had struggled with his academic education due to dyslexia and ADHD; relatively hidden disabilities which are not always recognised or understood by people. He began attending the Young Bristol Kayak Club in 2016, quickly learning the skills needed to be a proficient paddler. After 12 months of regularly attending the Kayak Club, Rob was at a stage where he could help the instructors to deliver sessions. Rob began helping on general activity sessions, volunteering after school and during school holidays. Two years running, Rob joined a group of Young Bristol canoeists to paddle a staggering 100 miles. In 2018, Rob also began volunteering on the Young Bristol Instructor Training Scheme. He now began to use his skills in paddling to help beginners to become instructors. Through the training scheme he was also able to broaden his own skills into other activities such as rock climbing and archery. He achieved his rescue training in paddling and is now prepared to complete his kayak instructor course in 2020. Rob is naturally accepting and understanding of difference in children, through his own experiences. His constant drive to give up his time to volunteer hundreds of hours each year to benefit other young people in Bristol, makes Rob stand out as an Action Hero!

Ashanti volunteers at her local Youth Club Avon Club for Young People, the Police Cadets and is part of the youth led group Youth Voice. When Ashanti started out volunteering with the club, she was shy, finding it difficult to find her voice in large groups and being unsure of how she could contribute. Her volunteering and involvement in numerous groups over the last year has really helped her development into a very strong, opinionated, confident young person, who has others well-being at the heart of what she does. Avon Club for Young People leader said “Ashanti’s volunteering at the club gives us additional support to the staff and our young people. We have been able to run more sessions that young people enjoy with her help. She engages the young people to find out their interests and applies that to the sessions she runs. She is a great role model for the young people, and inspires everyone with her passion and ambition. I am proud to have her as a member of our team.”

Archie has lived in South Bristol for most of his life, leaving school and college with few qualifications and low self-confidence, finding himself lacking in motivation to expand his world beyond. Archie joined the Instructor Training Scheme in 2016 after his dad gave him a flyer. Despite Archie suffering with a variety of health conditions, after just one year of joining the scheme he had completely changed his life around, with a more positive outlook and hope for the future. Through the programme he has gained confidence, made some lifelong friends, and has also achieved qualifications in coaching and powerboat driving. He is also currently working towards his kayaking, canoeing and high ropes instructor qualifications. Archie has gone on to volunteer hundreds of hours to Young Bristol teaching a wide variety of sessions to young people. He has also volunteered on schemes for older people, and with the Inland Water Safety Group who patrol Bristol Harbour.