Report on Swan Youth Centre  by Claire Muire

After School Drop-in

These sessions have become slightly quieter on occasions since the good weather started, but still going well.

  • Will Crowhurst from the Teenage Pregnancy is running a three week Sexual Health AQA training course at the moment and hopes to do another one soon as there is lots of interest.
  • A Connexions Worker is visiting once a month to chat informally with the members and answer any questions they may have that are concerning them.
  • The beauty Session we ran before Easter went very well with head massages being so popular that there wasn’t time for any nail polishes.

Acting Up Drama Group – Tuesdays 7-8.30pm. The group of 9 are working well towards their production they are taking to the National Youth Theatre Festival in July.

Year 8’s Drop-in – Thursdays 6-8.30pm. This group has quietened down a lot since the light evenings. In some ways this has been better as we have been able to put on more activities for the group as there aren’t so many of them now. We were getting between 45-50 in each week, but now 20-25. We had a question and answer session with three police officers that went very well, canvas board painting session and a creative session from junk material.

Easter Holidays. We opened the drop-in for the first week of the holidays from 12-4pm. This ran along side our Mural Project that was funded by the Youth Council. The drop-in was relatively quiet as the weather was so good, but the mural project went well with some young people coming in each day and others just dipping in and out. The old kitchen has been transformed! We also held a Disco for the Year 8’s.

Barclays Development fund.

  • I have established a young people’s working group called the Berkhamsted Swan Skaters who have met twice so far, and carried out a litter pick at the park in the Easter Holidays.
  • A Steering group of professionals has been set up
  • First Event will take place on Sunday 6 May at the Skate Park. It is a Launch Event run by Tribe Skate Team. 12-4pm.
  • Coaching courses will be run in May half term and the summer holidays.
  • An Outreach Worker has been appointed to work with Tony once per week.

Co-ordinator

Having come to the end of my first year as Full-time Co-ordinator, I can reflect back on what has been an incredible year. I would never have imagined we would be able to make the Swan Youth Centre such a success, one any statutory youth service would be proud of. But I also didn’t quite imagine the impact it would have on my life – living and breathing the Swan Youth Centre, but I think this had to happen to make it the success it is. However, I have learnt lots of lessons, the main one being to put into place systems to cut my hours back. I have:-

  • Found a weekly cleaner to save me the task
  • Set up an account with Dayla to save so many trips to Costco
  • I am trying to establish a small group of youth workers I can call on if myself or Suzanne need time off.
  • Along with these things, having the internet at work to enable young people to help with posters, Myspace etc, will save me so much time. It will also enable me to do admin work if needed during quiet times of the drop-in. I now have the internet connected in my office.

Although the issues of my overtime has not yet been resolved from last year, I would like to propose that for the future there is an agreement that any overtime needs to be agreed by the Trustees prior to being carried out, as there are going to be times when doing many extra hours is unavoidable. For instance, I have been putting off doing the Big Lottery Fund as I know it will take up so much of my time, and I will be taking a group on a residential from Thursday to Sunday in July. To do these things and to carry on running the Centre will inevitably bump up my hours. I would like Trustees thoughts on this.

Other things I have been involved in:-

  • I attended the Mayors Civic Reception.
  • I was a model at Ashlyns School Fashion Show and from this, Walton Clothing in the High Street want to help raise some money for the Swan Youth Centre by putting on another Fashion Show.

Hire of the Centre

Arts Education held an arts preview of young peoples paintings in the Easter holidays and left the paintings up for a week.

Mencap continue to use the centre every other Monday to run an activity session for their members.

Private Party. We had one booking in April.

Funding

We have not had a response from any of the funding bids I reported on in my last Co-ordinators report.
I still have to do the big Lottery Funding Application
I have put in an application to YAPP for £3,000 per year for three years. They help with sustainability for small charities.
The Youth Council has bought, frames, canvas boards, cushions, settees and a Karaoke machine for the Centre over the past month

Building & Equipment

Still waiting for the electrician to fit an outside light and do other minor work.
I will be arranging for the cellar, stairs and back hallway to be cleaned.

Dates for future Gig Nights

  • Friday 4 May
  • Friday 18 may
  • Friday 8 June
  • Saturday 16 June – Drum & Bass night