Youth Opportunities
Programmes For The Next Generation
We are passionate about creating opportunities for Dorset's Young People.
The world can be a daunting place when you’re preparing for your next steps after education, we have therefore set up and implemented a number of programmes to support, train and provide helpful experiences to you, the next generation. Together we can support you in improving your self-confidence and developing the skills you’ll need in the future.
Young Leaders
For young people aged between 14-18. It is ideal for Young People who are interested in developing and demonstrating the skills and qualities required to be an effective leader. It can be used to develop leadership skills in a wide range of contexts, including youth clubs, sports and interest groups and educational leadership roles.
The young leaders programme involves a 2-day training which will be a fun and interactive course covering the following topics: planning, communication, safeguarding, equality & diversity and leadership styles. Once you start volunteering there will be an opportunity to gain certificates at certain milestones 50hrs, 100hrs, 200hrs+ of volunteering.
Contact us : clubsupport@dorsetyouth.com
Ever thought of running of HAF (Holiday Activity & Food Programme)?
The Holiday Activity & Food Programme (HAF) came about in response to Marcus Rashford’s campaign to provide access to free school meals to those who were entitled to them during the school holidays, in particular the summer. The scheme also gave Government the opportunity to enable local providers to deliver positive activities to children and young people, alongside a hot meal.
This is the second year I have run a HAF programme in Buckland Newton in rural north Dorset, building on the success of an already thriving Youth Club. Whilst the HAF agreement states a hot meal should only be provided to children and young people with a HAF code, the decision was taken to provide all of the children and young people who attended with a hot meal and healthy snacks to ensure that no-one was singled out as being entitled to free school meals.
Taking a place based approach, the activities were delivered on the Buckland Newton Rural Family Hub days in Buckland Newton Village Hall, and were run by experienced facilitators in order to provide the children and young people with the opportunity to try something new, learn a new skill and reduce rural/social isolation, whilst the food and additional staffing was provided by the Youth Club volunteers. The sessions included:
- A Stop Animation Workshop, in partnership with Artsreach
- A Day of Drama, delivered by Jo Simons from Dorchester Youth Theatre
- An evening walk, pizza making and eating and film night, run by the Youth Club volunteers
- A 3D mask making workshop run by the artist Darrell Wakelam.
41 individual children and young people attended across the four sessions with many attending all four, indicating the need for positive activities during the school holidays in rural areas. At least 4 of the children were home educated and 3 had SEND.
Feedback from the children and young people included:
“I love coming to the holiday activities in Buckland Newton the staff are all so kind and helpful”
“I love the vegetable pasta bake – it is the best!”
“When can we do this again?”
The HAF in Buckland Newton also provides paid opportunities to older young people who have previously attended the Youth Club and learnt leadership skills in order to help with giving support to the younger children who attend, and act as positive role models. In Buckland Newton we want our children and young people to think “I can do that when I’m older”!
However, affordability is key. The delivery of a HAF programme is made possible due to Buckland Newton Village Hall’s status as a rural family hub, the sessions being organised and run by volunteers, and with additional funding from the North Dorset Local Alliance Group. Whilst there are approximately 17 families who attend Buckland Newton Primary School who are entitled to free school meals, it has been hard to encourage them to attend the days with only about 5 children attending each session who have a HAF code, which means that funding from the HAF programme itself is limited and definitely not enough to cover the costs.
In rural areas it is not that there are fewer children, but they are more spread out leading to rural social isolation. Where once they might have been kicked out of the house to play in the fields and climb trees, now it is easier to leave them in front of screen and we wonder why they have poor social skills and low wellbeing!
This lack of density of children and young people being in a specific location can mask the needs of the local population, whilst there is an assumption by Government and funders that because there is a low crime rate and children and young people don’t appear to be getting into trouble all is well in the countryside. Children and young people in rural areas need safe spaces, trusted adults, things to do and opportunities to stretch their aspirations just as much as a child or young person in an inner city, but they are less visible and therefore harder to hear. Delivering a well attended HAF programme helps to challenge these misconceptions and give children and young people happy memories of a summer filled with fun activities with their friends.
A 9-month employment programme from November 2021 to August 2022
We ran this initiative alongside NCS and offered paid, meaningful employment helping young people aged between 18-24 to engage in community work and make a positive impact in society- whilst also helping young people get world and work ready.
It was a success from the get-go, with DYA recruiting 15 young people across Dorset and supporting a further 10 in other areas throughout the south. The success continued with 76% of those recruited going on to further employment or education.
Contact us : clubsupport@dorsetyouth.com
