Author: Debbie Watkins

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR BRIGHTON YOUTH ADVICE CENTRE

 

We’re over the moon that our Brighton Youth Advice Centre is a semi-finalist in the National Youth Matters Awards. It’s shortlisted for the Support & Advice Project of the Year Award which recognises projects that have delivered vital support and advice to young people and/or the wider community.

The Youth Advice Centre (YAC) in Brighton has been a valued institution for more than 25 years. YAC provides a wide range of advice and support to anyone aged 16-25 in the city. It reaches around 2000 young people every year and is the single point of advice for young people in Brighton who are insecurely housed or homeless. YAC enables YMCA DLG to offer wrap around holistic support, providing family support and mediation, sexual health services, emotional and wellbeing support and benefits and money advice.

“YAC has been very supportive; this is the first line of support where I actually feel I have been listened to. I become very overwhelmed when I have loads of things to do. They have helped break them down individually, so I don’t feel so anxious. I feel like I have been taken seriously. I have already informed my network of friends about this service as I feel so much better from this support. It’s very rare in this current climate you find such a service like this. I can’t thank the team enough” – Service user

Although YAC had to close its physical doors at the beginning of the pandemic, over the past two years the service has been busier than ever before. While the building may have been shut, the service most definitely wasn’t, with the team moving all support to remote delivery without any pause in service.

“If you hadn’t have got involved again things would have definitely gone downhill” – Service user

After an initial 61% increase in young people seeking support around housing – largely due to family or relationship breakdown – YAC is now working with a 37% increase compared to pre-pandemic.

“I wanted to thank you again for your support. You have made a huge difference in [my sons] life, and therefore in mine” – Parent of a service user

The service has not only coped admirably with this huge increase but also adapted the service, extending the length of time cases are held, and adapting opening hours to meet the changing need.

Young people access YAC in times of crisis and in times of anxiety and worry, and truly appreciate the fantastic work the team does. YAC is so deserving of the Support & Advice Project of the Year award, so please VOTE HERE!

And don’t forget to vote for our other semi finalists:

Adi Detemo – Young Achiever of the Year

YAC Food Market – Health & Wellbeing Project of the Year 

WiSE Participation and Engagement – Support & Advice Project of the Year 

Y’s Girls (Multiple YMCAs) – Family & Youth Work Project of the Year 

To find out more about our semi-finalists, click here.

On Saturday 16th July, almost 80 participants took on the DownsLink Challenge, walking 17.5 miles along the Downs Link Pathway between Horsham and Shoreham to raise money to help us put young people facing homeless back on the path to independence.

We want to say a HUGE congratulations to everyone that took part, and thank you to those who volunteered, donated or helped out in any way. It was an amazing success, and we are delighted to announce that we have raised a massive £13,000 so far! And it’s not too late to support us – visit: YMCA DownsLink Challenge 2022 – JustGiving

The ‘Challenge’ element of the DownsLink Challenge came to pass with the sun beating down, but the participants took it in their strides (literally) and everyone made it to the end!

The biggest team on the day was made up of our own staff, trustees and residents who took on the challenge together. One of our residents Josh came home first and we celebrated his achievements with drums, water pistols and cheers! Josh wanted to take part to raise awareness of youth homelessness and how it can happen to anyone. He’s grateful to us for giving him a home and helping him to get his life back on track. Thanks to the support he’s received, including help with training and employment, he’s looking forward to moving on into his own flat.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgFG8OboPmC/?hl=en

As well as our many YMCA colleagues and young people who took on the challenge, 15 local businesses also braved the heat, with some walking in teams and other’s supporting on the route.

We also want to say a HUGE thank you to the amazing volunteers who supported us, without them the event would not have been the success that it was!

We have lots of lovely photos from the day on our YMCA DownsLink Group Facebook page, check them out here and try to spot yourself if you took part! FACEBOOK PAGE

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE FOOD MARKET

 

We’re so pleased that our youth-led sustainable Food Market is one of the semi-finalists in the Youth Matters Awards.  The Food Market has been nominated for the Health & Wellbeing Project of the Year Award, recognising innovative and inspiring projects that have tangible and positive impacts on young people and/or the wider community.

Stanley Penrose, Receptionist at Brighton Youth Advice Centre, told us a bit more about the Food Market:

We started our Food Market with the aim of making healthy, sustainable food accessible for young people in Brighton & Hove. We could see first-hand how Food Insecurity was affecting the young people within our community. We wanted our Food Market to be part of the Food Justice Movement, which ‘sees healthy food as a human right and addresses structural barriers to that right’. Structural barriers can include a lack of money, knowledge and time/energy and can prevent young people from accessing healthy and sustainable food. Our Food Market addresses these barriers by remaining accessible, affordable and youth-led, and integrating food education and wellbeing support into its guiding values.

Since opening its doors in December 2021, the Food Market has provided more than 300 ‘shops’ for young people aged 16-25, providing affordable, healthy and sustainable food. The Market has 101 current members and is growing, with young people paying a small weekly membership fee, and in return have access to a varied and discounted weekly shop. To read more about the Food Market, click here.

“I have autism so going to the supermarket is really stressful. It’s a lot easier for me to come and do my grocery shopping here ’cause there’s not big lights and loads of people” – Food Market user

“Having a sustainable option means quite a lot to me. I’d say for me that’s probably the biggest driving point” – Food Market user

While the Food Market is not a foodbank, it has supported memberships for people who are in a food emergency so they can access food for free and in a positive and empowering way. The Food Market strives for equity and solidarity with the aim of ensuring that everyone has access to the best quality food, regardless of their situation. They are also encouraged to let us know if they need anything specific, whether that’s dietary needs, cultural foods, or hygiene products, and we will try our hardest to access those.

“We never have to worry about running out of food now, whereas we did a bit before” – Food Market user

The Food Market not only makes healthy and sustainable food accessible for young people in the local community but it also empowers young people throughout the project and ensures that their voices are at the heart of the market. It is an incredibly innovative and inspiring project and absolutely vital for the wider community as the cost of living increases. The Food Market is so deserving of the Health & Wellbeing Project of the Year Award, so please VOTE HERE!

And don’t forget to vote for our other semi finalists:

Adi Detemo – Young Achiever of the Year

Brighton YAC – Support & Advice Project of the Year 

WiSE Participation and Engagement – Support & Advice Project of the Year 

Y’s Girls (Multiple YMCAs) – Family & Youth Work Project of the Year 

To find out more about our semi-finalists, click here.

We’re delighted to announce that Adi, one of our Guildford Foyer residents, has reached the semi-finals of the Youth Matters Awards. Adi has been nominated for the Young Achiever of the Year Award which recognises the exceptional achievements of a young person who has overcome significant obstacles to make a real difference to their own lives and their communities.

Speaking about his nomination, Adi told us:

I’m very excited and over the moon. I’m humbled that my story and effort I made to Breakthrough are recognised. This is a great motivation for me to push even further and prove that the sky is the limit!

Adi is an unaccompanied asylum–seeking young person who was born in Eritrea and grew up in Ethiopia. His journey to the UK took him through many countries, and shortly after he arrived here, he was placed at Guildford Foyer and was really keen to get involved in anything on offer. When Adi was a child, he spent hours watching movies and acting out the scenes for his friends. Shortly after becoming a resident with us, Jessica Griffiss, Inspire Coach Guildford, introduced Adi to a local partner theatre where he was able to use a studio to practice and choreograph work, as well as get involved with touring dance companies, workshops, and gain career advice.

Following another introduction and some additional volunteering, Adi was offered a funded place at Guildford Shakespeare Youth Company. He was then successful in auditioning for the lead role in their production of Hamlet and wowed the audience with his performance.

Speaking about the show, Jessica said:

While watching Hamlet, it felt to me that we saw true Adi while he was portraying Hamlet, he was confident and eloquent, projecting all his lines with power and his East African roots shone through.

As well as his talent and love for the arts, shortly after enrolling at college Adi was fast–tracked from ESOL up to GCSE level classes and recently sat his GCSE English & Maths. Adi is really committed to his education and manages to travel the 3-hour round trip journey to college to finish his classes and sit his GCSEs.

We are all incredibly proud of Adi’s resilience, strength and talents. His exceptional achievements in the face of significant challenges and obstacles are an inspiration to us all. Adi couldn’t be more deserving of the YMCA Young Achiever of the Year Award! Please VOTE for him here!

And don’t forget to vote for our other semi finalists:

YAC Food Market – Heath & Wellbeing project of the Year

Brighton YAC – Support & Advice Project of the Year 

WiSE Participation and Engagement – Support & Advice Project of the Year 

Y’s Girls (Multiple YMCAs) – Family & Youth Work Project of the Year 

 

 

UPDATE:

To find out how Adi and our other nominees got on at the Youth Matters Awards 2022, click here. 

VOTE NOW FOR OUR YOUTH MATTERS AWARDS SEMI-FINALISTS!

Young Achiever of the Year – Adi Detemo

Heath & Wellbeing project of the Year – YAC Food Market

Support & Advice Project of the Year – Brighton Youth Advice Centre

Support & Advice Project of the Year – WiSE Participation and Engagement

Family & Youth Work Project of the Year – Y’s Girls (Multiple YMCAs)

We are delighted to announce that FIVE of our nominations have been shortlisted as semi-finalists for the national YMCA Youth Matters Awards 2022! Online voting to help determine this year’s finalists is now open, please read on to find out more about our semi-finalists and vote now to help them win. Keep a look out for more articles over the next couple of weeks as we shine a light on each of these amazing semi-finalists.

Adi Detemo, one of our incredible residents has been shortlisted for Young Achiever of the Year Award. This award recognises the exceptional achievements of a young person who has overcome significant obstacles to make a real difference to their own lives and their community. Click here to find out more and vote.

Our innovative Youth-Led, sustainable, social grocery store YAC Food Market has been shortlisted for Health & Wellbeing Project of the Year Award. This set of awards recognise YMCAs that have delivered innovative and inspiring projects that have had a tangible and positive impact on young people and/or the wider community. Click here to find out more and vote.

Our Brighton Youth Advice Centre has been shortlisted for Support & Advice Project of the Year Award. This award recognises YMCA projects that have delivered vital support and advice to young people and/or the wider community. Click here to find out more and vote.

Our WiSE Participation and Engagement Project that supports children and young people stay safe in their relationships has been shortlisted for Support & Advice Project of the Year Award. As above, this award recognises YMCA projects that have delivered vital support and advice to young people and/or the wider community. Click here to find out more and vote.

And Y’s Girls, our mentoring initiative that matches trained volunteer mentors with female-identifying young people to support them to overcome challenges and achieve their fullest potential, has been shortlisted for Family & Youth Work Project of the Year Award. This award recognises the projects that support young people and their families through difficulties. Click here to find out more and vote.

YMCA Youth Matters Awards is an annual awards event, which celebrates the exceptional skills and achievements of young people over the past year. Twelve coveted awards are up for grabs across a series of diverse categories during an inspiring night of celebration and recognition. The awards are about giving thanks and special recognition to every YMCA, young person, service user, member of staff and volunteer whose hard work and unfaltering dedication have all contributed towards YMCA’s efforts to create better communities for young people and families. We believe all our semi-finalists have demonstrated this through their work and determination and deserve a place in the final.

The finalists will attend the awards ceremony on Friday 18^th November, where the winners will be announced. More information on all the awards categories and those shortlisted can be found at https://www.ymca.org.uk/about/awards.  If you can find 10 minutes, it’s worth reading about the achievements of young people, staff, volunteers and projects all making a difference throughout England and Wales as part of the YMCA.

Jane Morgan, Inspire Coach for Eastbourne and Hailsham, along with two residents, Milly and Josh, are extremely proud to share their story of how they renovated the lounge at YMCA Grove House in Hailsham.

Before – The lounge had been used as a dumping ground for old beds and desks and was in a very sorry state.  There were various paint colours on the walls and the carpet looked as if it had also been attacked by a paint brush!

After – The lounge has been absolutely transformed!  The working team got together and decided on a botanical theme for the room with an animal twist.  The maintenance team cleared the debris, Milly and Josh learnt how to prepare the room for redecorating and enthusiastically painted the walls and woodwork. Milly created bespoke artwork (in the form of inspiring quotes) for the walls and Milly and Josh successfully put together their first ever flat packed furniture, a new carpet was ordered and a large sofa donated by Eastbourne Foyer.

   

The Mayor of Hailsham also kindly donated £100 towards the renovation which was used to buy a brand-new shelving unit, coffee table, funky cushions and a cosy throw.  Not only that, last week, the Mayor attended a ceremony to declare the room officially open!

The lounge now has a relaxed seating area, a working corner and a reading nook.  When speaking to the team, everybody said that they were really proud of themselves and each other for completing such an ambitious project.  Milly said ‘I never thought we’d actually do it, I can’t believe how great it looks, I love it!’.

A special shout out goes to Geraldine Gurr (Project Worker), Shaun Sinclair (Maintenance Team), Elly McKay-Smith (Chaplain and provider of nibbles and cake!) and Louise Owen-Thomas (Project Manager for Eastbourne and Hailsham) for their support with this project.