Website
As you can see, the new youth style website is now up and running! Take a look around and feel free to offer any suggestions for content or design development. We will now be updating you regularly via an email newsletter too!
30/06/2008
Publications
We are currently producing a third booklet in the YHN series, Keeping your teenager at home: a parent guide. This new guide is aimed at parents of teenagers who are struggling and considering asking their teen to leave the family home. It aims to be a preventative tool, encouraging parents to try all other options before reaching crisis point and informs that fully preparing and helping your child move in a planned way will offer a much more successful outcome for both the child and the parent. Signposting to national and local services that offer workshops, support, mediation, counselling or general youth information is included. The estimated timescale for completion is August 2008.
30/06/2008
Reality Check Workshops
Two new approaches to The Reality Check have now been initiated.
30/06/2008
HYPE (Homeless Youths Performance Education)
A new theatre group that meets on Thursday evenings at The Spot Youth Café in the Point CMK: there is up to 20 young homeless and ex-homeless members, working towards several short pieces of theatre which aim to challenge common misconceptions of homelessness, raise awareness, and educate audiences of all ages. The performances will be held in community venues such as theatres, churches and streets, as well as schools, colleges, youth events and hostels.
This is very much a youth-led project and although the facilitator Amy Hill, Development Worker for the YHN, oversees the work, the young people have complete ownership of the ideas, methods, and the overall devising process. The first community performance will be taking place at the end of August 2008 at Madcap.
We will keep you posted!
30/06/2008
Peer Education
We have 4 volunteer young people who are willing to present and run workshops within local schools and colleges. We are also considering a mentoring scheme, which would consist of a drop-in at the school on the day of the presentations for anyone that would like extra help and assistance on any housing, homelessness or general youth issues.
This will also be a youth-led project, with the young people making key decisions and moving the ideas and arrangements forward. They will gain valuable skills and once experienced, will be responsible for recruiting and training new volunteers and will wholly reap the benefits of the project's successes.
We would appreciate any feedback or input from anyone that could suggest a good monitoring model for this type of work. As a benchmark, we are hoping to reach in excess of 2000 students a year and a high number of parents, teachers and general citizens. If you have a suggestion on how we can measure the projects success in the way of preventing youth homelessness, please contact us.
We are looking for dedicated young people who would like to be part of the project and make a difference. Training is on hold until we have more willing volunteers. A reward system is in place for those who take part. If you can think of anyone that would like to take part then please contact me ASAP.
30/06/2008
