News and stories

Young Bristol is thrilled to have received funding to deliver our Positive Changes programme at x3 of our city-wide Community Youth Clubs this year.

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The Positive Changes programme, which has taken place at some of Young Bristol’s other partner Community Youth Clubs supporting over 100 young people aged 10 - 15 since 2020, will be a new and innovative programme for the communities of Ashton Vale, Stockwood and Sea Mills.

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The programme will see targeted youth work delivered at Ashton Vale Club for Young People, BS14 Youth Club and Sea Mills Boys’ and Girls Club, through a programme of activities and workshops, which will directly support young people who may be at risk of becoming involved in crime or antisocial behaviour.

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Past programmes have seen young people deliver a project to benefit their local community, with young people volunteering to help others, or helping to improve a community area or facility. The programme will deliver sporting activities including pool, table tennis, football, dance and cricket, as well as creative activities such as print making and photography.

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Thank you to BBC Children in Need (BS14 Youth Club) and The Commissioner's Crime Prevention Fund (Ashton Vale Club for Young People and Sea Mills Boys’ and Girls Club) for supporting these programmes. More information coming soon!

Young Bristol this week unveiled their new media suite at BS14 Youth Club in Stockwood, thanks to a generous donation from Bristol-based recruitment company SR2 (Socially Responsible Recruitment). 

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Young Bristol is one of Bristol’s leading youth charities, providing critical out-of-school opportunities for children and young people in communities across the city. The charity offers a variety of community-based youth services, including their 8 Community Youth Clubs, which have been serving Bristol’s communities and families for generations.

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Charities across Bristol are today hugely reliant on the support of local donors, fundraisers and corporate partners to ensure that they can continue to make a greater impact, and it is the support of local businesses such as recruitment company SR2, that Young Bristol can continue to change the lives of the young people they work with.

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On Thursday 11th August, Young Bristol welcomed the team behind SR2 to BS14 Youth Club to showcase the new media suite that was generously funded through donations raised by the company during 2021-22. The Youth Club which is currently under refurbishment thanks to further philanthropy donations, provides local young people with open access youth sessions, holiday clubs and after-school clubs. The community venue also benefits the wider community who utilise the Community Youth Club during the daytime.

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SR2 have been huge supporters of the charity throughout 2020-22, with the company’s staff team volunteering at numerous Community Youth Clubs across the city, taking part in fundraising events to raise much needed donations, donating vital IT equipment, and even delivering employability workshops to young people who are not in education or employment.

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BS14 Youth Club provides much needed respite for many local young people whose homes are neither safe or nurturing, and empowers young people to engage in inspiring opportunities to prevent them becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. Young people who access the Youth Clubs services attended the event, with one young person saying, “The Media Suite is so cool – we can’t wait to come to the Club next week”!

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The Grove @ Bedminster Down will be one of the first youth clubs in the UK to take part in NatWest Thrive with Marcus Rashford, a movement to help young people develop self-belief, inspire them to go after their dreams and encourage them to get into good money habits.

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Inspiring the next generation

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NatWest Thrive was created in collaboration with NatWest, footballer and campaigner Marcus Rashford, the National Youth Agency (NYA) and feedback from young people who were part of the initial pilot during Easter 2022.

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Boosting self-belief and money know how

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Over two months, young people at The Grove @ Bedminster Down will take part in interactive, discussion-based sessions designed to broaden their horizons, cultivate their confidence and give them a grounding in how money works. The programme focuses on three strands, Owning your Vision, Money Mindset and Money Talk.

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It will also introduce them to successful local role models, digital mentors and big-name influencers from the worlds of fashion, music, business and gaming who can coach, inspire and mentor them.

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When one of us thrives, we all thrive

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Alison Rose, CEO of NatWest Group, said: "Helping young people – no matter what their background – to thrive and develop a positive money mindset is core to our purpose and what I want us to achieve as a bank. Like Marcus, it wasn’t school that taught me about money, it was my mum. We know education through inspiring relationships can have a big impact on young people, that’s why with the NatWest Thrive Programme we’ll be working with local and relatable people within the community to help young people reach their potential."

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"Co-creating this programme with Marcus has helped us to better tailor our content to the real-life experiences of young people, and has only reinforced the amazing impact that positive role-models and peers can have in helping to develop an understanding of money and goal-setting.”

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Marcus Rashford said: “It was so important for me that we countered this negative perception of money with the tools to gain confidence, and empower young people to get excited about planning for their future.

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“We focus so much on what we don’t have in communities like mine that it’s sometimes difficult to visualise opportunity beyond what you can see on your doorstep. Money can be the root cause of anxiety and stress within the household so with the Thrive programme we aim to equip children with the means to break out of that negative mindset and instead view money as a vehicle for success. I want them to dream big and actually believe that achieving those dreams is possible.

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It’s great to be working alongside NatWest on this important programme and I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the pilot scheme so that we can fine tune to eventually roll Thrive out nationally.”

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The Grove @ Bedminster Down is one of 20 youth clubs across England rolling out the programme to 1,000 young people this summer, launching in August 2022.

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To find out more about the Natwest Thrive programme please contact Will Payne, Community Development Lead on wp@youngbristol.com.

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Photo credit: NatWest Group

Young Bristol welcomed global construction engineering company, ISG's Bristol office to The Grove @ Bedminster Down on Friday 15th July, to transform the outdoor spaces for local children and young people.

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Young Bristol’s corporate partnerships are vital to our work and aim to be mutually beneficial; ensuring shared value and impact.

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The voluntary day saw ISG clear the outdoor spaces, weeding the entrance path, cutting hedges, organising the Club’s equipment storage and making the Club’s green spaces a place where young people can chat with their friends and take part in outdoor activities.

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Jamie Davis, Apprentice Construction Manager said,

"The day was very well organised and Will who was representing Young Bristol did a great job leading us all. There was clear direction and everyone knew what the end goal was.

It was clear to see the passion the Young Bristol team have for their Youth Club making it a safer, more enjoyable space for the children of the community. I’m glad we could make a small difference by helping out with the gardening and we hope the children will enjoy all the green space which has now been uncovered!”

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Young Bristol were also thrilled to be invited to a marketing workshop with ISG’s, Marketing Communications Manager, Dominic Hanley earlier this month.

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The workshop which invited charity’s from across Bristol and Wales, provided insight into a variety of topics including website optimisation, engaging with your audiences, and how to utilise user stories. The workshop provided valuable support which will help us to create a lasting impact across our charity.

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Thank you ISG for making a difference! You can find out more about our Corporate Partnerships here.

Thank you to the Bristol Young Heroes Awards for an amazing evening of celebrations at the Bristol Harbour Hotel on Friday 15th July 2022.

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Young Bristol would like to share a huge congratulations to all of the finalists and winners of the 2022 Bristol Young Heroes Awards. The Bristol Young Heroes Awards recognizes and celebrates the valuable contribution of young people aged 11 – 19 throughout Bristol. The awards also recognize groups and organisations which have shown exceptional team skills and dedication to benefit young people. 

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Ashton Vale Club for Young People’s Youth Worker, Julie Chapman, attended along with Young Volunteer, Chardonnay, who was a finalist for the ‘Action Hero’ Award! Chardonnay was nominated by the team at Ashton Vale for her amazing growth since joining the Youth Club in 2014 and volunteering three nights per week for over 2 years.

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Chardonnay, who suffers from anxiety and has learning difficulties, has flourished over the years becoming a trusted and valued member of the team, helping to deliver activities, running the tuck shop at Club and even supporting her local over 55’s Silver Social Club. The elderly members of the Club cannot speak highly enough of her! 

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‍"Chardonnay also suffered from a bereavement earlier this year, and even through this difficult time she continued to support the staff and club every week,” says Lead Youth Worker Julie Chapman, “This dedication to her community really puts her above the rest!”

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Congratulations to Chardonnay for being recognised as a finalist in the 2022 awards! It was incredible to hear about the inspirational young people in our city, who have overcome difficult circumstances, made a difference to the lives of others, or achieved something extraordinary.

Thanks to philanthropic donations, Young Bristol's BS14 Youth Club is currently under refurbishment, with exciting developments to the centre's kitchen and tuck area.

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As part of Young Bristol's 2022-25 Strategic Priorities, the charity will be focusing on investing in our infrastructure and resources to give young people and their communities an environment they can thrive in. Our Buildings & Facilities is one of Young Bristol's x5 Strategic Priorities for the upcoming years.

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The works at BS14 Youth Club will hugely improve the space and opportunities that the Club provides to young people who attend open access youth sessions, holiday clubs and after-school clubs. These spaces are regularly used to provide free meals to attending members, as well as exciting and inspiring opportunities to take part in cooking and baking activities. The improvements will also benefit the wider community who utilise the Community Youth Club during the daytime.

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Our Vision - Tuck Shop

Young people from Young Bristol's The Grove @ Bedminster Down, attended Bristol City Council’s ‘Children and Young People’s Voice - the future of Youth Services’ conference on Thursday 23rd June 2022.

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The group took part in discussions and workshops exploring what makes youth services easy to access, what support and opportunities should youth services provide, what qualities should youth workers have and, how can services support young people to feel safe.

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Feedback from the group included:

• “Youth Clubs need to be more normalised and visible!”
• “More promotion of Youth Clubs in school assemblies”
• “We want responsibilities at Youth Clubs”
• “More trips for life skills and work experience”
• “We want to learn more skills”
• “Youth workers need to be friendly and down to earth”
• “Young people to interview new youth workers”

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The event provided a safe space for the young people to express their ideas, thoughts and opinions - championing the importance of youth voice.

We are thrilled to share that Young Bristol has employed another 11 young people from our Outdoor Employment Programme, onto the Go Aloft programme!

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Our Outdoor Employment Programme (formerly known as the Instructor Training Scheme) is an entirely free programme that trains young people aged 16 – 25, who lack direction to become an outdoor activity instructor in a variety of outdoor activities including Kayaking, Canoeing, Climbing and High Ropes.

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After considerable training with Young Bristol, the group of 11 trainees from our Outdoor Employment Programme, have passed a challenging high ropes instructor assessment and will now be a part of the ‘Go Aloft!’ experience on the SS Great Britain, supporting hundreds of people to climb the rigging.

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Since 2014, Young Bristol has directly employed over 60 young people aged 16 - 25 with significant barriers to employment, to work with the SS Great Britain. Congratulations on your hard work and commitment to the programme!

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We are recruiting!

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We are now recruiting for new trainees to become Outdoor Instructors. Not only will you gain qualifications in Outdoor Pursuits and receive a First Aid Certificate, you will also meet new friends, build confidence and improve your physical and mental ability. All of which will increase your future work opportunities.

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The free programme runs one afternoon and one evening session per week, usually on a Thursday from our Pooles Wharf Outdoor Activity Centre and aims to fit in around existing college and work commitments.

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If you are interested please get in touch with Phil Harris, Outdoor Instructor Training Coordinator on 0117 929 2513 or email ph@youngbristol.com.

Young Bristol have been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service by HM Lord-Lieutenant Mrs Peaches Golding OBE CStJ., the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

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Bristol-based charity Young Bristol, is an outstanding provider of community-based youth services that positively and sustainably impact the lives of young people aged 8 – 25 years.

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Founded in 1928, Young Bristol has evolved into one of Bristol’s leading youth charities, providing 8 Community Youth Clubs and a Youth Club on Wheels, Outdoor Activities, as well as Sports, Creative, Employment and Educational programmes in communities across the city.

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Volunteers are at the centre of the charities work; working with young people during their critical non-school hours to offer a choice of opportunities, experiences, education, training and accredited learning.

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On Thursday 9th June following a week of celebrations for HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Young Bristol invited volunteers and supporters from across the city to celebrate the charity formally receiving The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Members of the charity’s Fundraising Committee and Trustee Board, through to programme volunteers, individual fundraisers and Corporate Partners, were invited to the event to celebrate their dedication to supporting children and young people in Bristol.

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HM Lord-Lieutenant Mrs Peaches Golding OBE CStJ. was in attendance at the event to present Young Bristol with the prestigious award, and spoke with some of the charity’s young volunteers who have benefitted from Young Bristol’s programmes, and are now giving their time to support other young people across the city.