News, stories & updates

Young Bristol were delighted to host this year’s NABGC Stronger Together Conference at Broad Plain and Riverside Youth Project and The Bristol Hotel, thanks to our corporate sponsors SR2 and The PG Group.

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The conference was the first big event that the NABGC were able to host since the beginning of lockdown and, was an amazing opportunity for everyone to come together, renew their friendships and relationships, listen to inspiring key note speakers and participate in enlightening workshops.

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The day started off with the conference, hosted at Broad Plain and Riverside Youth Project. Everyone at this conference were able to hear from inspirational key note speakers Kirk Dominik, CEO of World Federation of Youth Clubs and Leigh Middleton, CEO of National Youth Agency. Kirk had the opportunity to discuss importance of youth work and what it means to young people while they are growing up. He stated that it is vital for young people to have access to youth programmes and support. Leigh was able to discuss the support and resources that NYA have to offer alongside the importance of youth work on a national and local level.

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The day then progressed into breakout sessions, where 4 workshops were on offer for everyone to partake and discuss within small groups. A marketing and branding workshop was hosted by Simon Hemus from the World Federation of Youth Clubs. Jessica Kirby and Kelly Leach from Berkshire youth were able to present their workshop on Young People and Mental Health. NABGC Training Committee hosted their own workshop where they were able to review the activities and events that they have ran and are going to run in the future. Finally, key note speaker Leigh Middleton had his own workshop where he was able to brief attendees regarding information on the Youth Sector.

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On the weekend, a group of our Outdoor Employment Programme trainees experienced a residential trip away from home, in the mountains. On the trip, they were able to learn and practice their navigation and mountain skills.

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Originally, the Outdoor Employment Programme trainees planned to head to North Wales. However, the weather prevented the trip taking place in North Wales, instead, with thanks to our friends at Maes Y Lade centre, they were able to change their plans and navigate across Brecon Beacons, where the weather was significantly better!

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Overall, the trip demonstrated the importance of understanding and checking weather forecasts before heading out for their adventures. Despite their weather troubles, this was an amazing experience and was well enjoyed by the trainees and some of our delivery staff at Young Bristol.

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We are delighted to announce the appointment of Jason Beckhelling-Terry, Club’s Programme and Youth Voice Lead.

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Jason Beckhelling-Terry has been working with young people for over 15 years. Some of his previous experience includes; outdoor instructor, working at outdoor youth centres and community youth work. While gaining this experience in youth work, Jason also earned himself a degree in Schools, Youth and Community Work. Over the last 3 years, Jason was part of a team that opened and championed a large-scale youth centre in London.

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Jason has a strong passion for meeting new young people and hopes to inspire these young people to reach their goals and wants to help them think about their next stages in life. He is looking forward to working with Young Bristol by creating a programme that can be led by our young people.

Young Bristol’s Youth Voice took 11 members, who represent our Youth Club network, to Hannover for a wonderful 5-day adventure. This trip was both educational and an opportunity for the group to experience a wide array of Germany’s culture on the exchange trip.

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On Thursday 22nd September, the group successfully landed in Hannover! For some of our young people, it was their first time abroad. They met with Marco, who was their point of contact from Hannover’s youth services. The group were transferred to their accommodation, located just outside of Hannover city, where they cooked themselves dinner for their first night, settling in to their new surroundings.

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On Friday 23rd September, Youth Voice were lucky enough to have a tour around the city of Hannover, where they were able to discover all of the historical background of the city and visited the key buildings of the city, including City Hall and Haus der Jugend, one of the Youth Houses in Hannover. During their visit to City Hall, the group were able to meet the Mayor! Later in the day, the group had the opportunity to meet with some local, young people, who gave them the challenge to complete a high ropes activity course. This was an ice-breaker activity for the group, helping them to form international friendships. To finish of the day, the group discussed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for youth work volunteering in both England and Germany.

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The next day, Saturday 24th September, the group visited Germany’s capital city, Berlin. Some of our young people got the chance to navigate the group around the city, taking them to key historical sites such as Checkpoint Charlie. At Checkpoint Charlie, they learned about the tragic events of the Cold War, such as the separation and segregation of East and West Germany. To finish the day, the group were lucky enough to witness the warm up events of the internationally recognised Berlin Marathon 2022!

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On Sunday 25th September, Youth Voice visited a skatepark, run by the local skating community, built out of rubble from an old building. The skatepark coaches supported the group to learn the basics and overcome their fears. In the afternoon, the group took part in a graffiti workshop, working with local artists. Our 11 young people were able to create designs from their own inspiration and bought their ideas to life by adding them to Hannover’s graffiti landscape.

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And finally, on Monday 26th September was their final full day in Hannover. The group were given an exciting full stadium tour of Hannover 96, Hannover’s local football team. This was a great experience for our young people to experience the modern cultures city! To end the trip, the group sat down to a farewell meal at their accommodation, where Youth Voice invited the Hannover Youth Service they had met earlier in the week. Over the trip, the two groups had strengthened their friendships and finished their farewell meal with singing and dancing, breaking the international barrier.

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Overall, this was a fantastic trip for our young people, where they got to experience a whole range of German cultures and customs. On the trip, the group made some amazing connections and were able to discuss local and international issues within youth work with a variety of new people. The trip has allowed Youth Voice to strengthen their bond as a group and has given them the drive to strive for change in the youth sector. The group have all returned home safely and overall had an amazing trip away, thanks to Young Bristol’s Youth Voice.

“I always ask myself – what do I do for others? If I have one hand for helping myself why not use the other for helping others.”

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Young Bristol would like to say a massive thank you to corporate partner Balfour Beatty, for volunteering their time at The Grove @ Bedminster Down this summer!

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Teams of volunteers have been busy transforming the South Bristol community venues garden, turning the space into a welcoming wellbeing garden. Staff members supported with painting, clearing and planting new flowers and plants. Balfour Beatty’s subcontractor, Glendale Services, kindly supported the developments by digging up and levelling the outdoor space with wood chippings to make a safer and more accessible area, as well as reseeding a green space where young people can take part in lawn games and outdoor creative projects.

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“For me personally being involved in any type of volunteering is an honour. Young Bristol is HCP’s (Hinkley Connection Project’s) chosen charity. There is still more work to come but what a joy in knowing the bright smiles on the kids’ faces who’ll now be able to enjoy the community garden at The Grove,” says Gabriele Litvinaityte, Project Communications Manager - OHL.

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Thank you Balfour Beatty for your dedication and continued support of our community spaces.

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Interested in becoming a Corporate Partner? To find out more about how you can support Young Bristol’s work with children and young people click here.

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.