A Conversation for Ask h2g2

Youth Clubs

Post 1

Researcher U1025853

The risidents where I live had a meeting last night with the police about 'Safer Neighbourhoods'.

We have gangs of kids roaming around, sometimes 20 or even on occasion 30. They are very intimidating, insulting and sometimes scary. They ride motorcycles without helmets and one nearly ran me over earlier this week. They kicked a football into my husbands motorcycle tyre, as he was riding into the carpark. We have had stabbings, shootings, a couple of deaths, and it could get worse.

Now the residents just want to see them gone, hand out ASBOs and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts etc. Trouble is it isn't that easy. They have nowhere to go. When I was a kid I read and entertained myself, it seems they cannot do anything on their own. So they just hang about and drink alcohol. They range from 12 to 18 it seems.

So I had a chat with teh police about trying to set up a youth club, there are a few possibilities nearby, perhaps the local school would open up a room or two, perhaps ASDA would sponsor it.

Things is, I am the only resident who wants to do this, I have no kids and was bullied at school and so am quite afraid of the gangs. However we have to take responsibility and if we don't try to find somewhere for the kids, then we cannot expect an improvement in our area.

I know I have to involve the kids in this. If they feel they have ownership of it, then they will respect it more. I wondered whether any were interested in business, cause then they could write business plans to approach parties for sponsorship etc. I know I have to ask them what they want, we cannot start something and not include them.

So has anyone had experience of anything like this, are there any kids who can give me advice on how to approach them?

I have to bear in mind, I have issues, I am scared of people, which is why I work from home, I also had a breakdown last year, totally due to increasing my contact with people. I am not strong at dealing with violence, in some ways I am not the right person for trying to do this, but at present I am the only one, so I intend to try anyway.

Which is why I need advice, or links to other websites where people have created youth centres like this. Sorry the explanation was a bit long, but I wanted to get the issue across, I hope some good ideas come out of this, it will make my life easier! Oh and I am meeting some youth workers next week, who will accompany me to talk to the kids, once that has happened though, the kids will know me, will they want to chat - they are bored afterall, or will this mean I will just get abuse for being nosy?


Youth Clubs

Post 2

Marj

Sounds like a great idea! what a positive attitude to take. I'm sure the young people can be intimidating and scary, but they are also vulnerable, putting themselves in risky situations taking part in risky behaviour - getting a youth club together can start to solve both sets of problems.

You're right about ownership, and its good to get pro youth workers involved at the start. Doing detached youth work (meeting young people out on the streets, where they are, rather than working with young people in a specific youth centre) is tricky works better with quite experienced people (in my experience anyway), its so important to get the relationships right from the start, build up trust slowly etc.

The young people probably haven't had any local residents listen to what they have to say for a very long time, if ever, so it'll take a while for them to realise you mean what you say and that you are genuine in wanting to help them (as well as the other people in your community). They might well have had promises made to them and broken before (real or perceived, in all areas of their lives) so they might be unwilling to risk be let down again. All that stuff. What I mean is, it might take a while to build up a trusting relationship, and they might not be that keen to start with. My experience though has always been positive in the end. If you genuinely take the time to listen to them, focus on their difficulties and help them overcome them, they will respect and appreciate you (even if it doesn't show for a while).

Its hard to advise you where to go for advice, not knowing where you live, but lots of areas have networks of voluntary youth clubs, or local volunteer bureaus - they might be able to tell you about nearby youth clubs that are running. If you could visit centres that are working well, that might help your confidence, and help you believe that you're doing the right thing, as well as give you practical advice, suggestions about local funding sources (there are loads of trusts which will give grants to youth projects for example, and lots of government money available too, especially for young people at risk of getting in trouble with the law - though I'd watch the paperwork if you apply for any government money!) and sponsorship options. The local statutory youth service should be able to help too. If you'd like more suggestions of magazines or websites to look on for funding help, leave me a message in my space.

Other nearby clubs might also be able to help you find a bit of support from other local residents - maybe you could ask a few young people to come and talk to the residents association or group about their experiences at their youth club? your local community are obviously feeling anxious and angry and intimidated (maybe you too) so it might help to see a possible solution actually working, something worth putting time and effort into.

If it were me, I'd get the young people engaged first - talking to them where they hang out, maybe getting them to play frisbee of football if you've got apark locally, then get them focussed on the kinds of activities and projects they'd like to do. Maybe go for something one-off and short but exciting and memorable, whatever they're interested in. Something to make them feel confident and excited about the possibilities. Then move on to getting them involved in managing the project, raising the money, planning for the future etc. (just because some of that stuff is a bit dispiriting eg you can get a lot of rejection letters which could really knock a young person's confidence before they'd got going, then they'd decide it was all a stupid waste of time and leave . . .) But its quite hard to guage without meeting the young people themselves.

Mainly though, I think its a great idea. Really worthwhile, and really effective short term and long term. Stick with it.


Youth Clubs

Post 3

Researcher U1025853

Hi Marj

thanks a lot for all that, I didn't even know about the statutory youth service!

I don't personally want to be involved with government paperwork and funding, but I hope to inspire some of the older kids maybe to do that side. I also hope some of their parents will come on board.

I am not wholly into local councils and official help, not having a great trusting relationship with authority myself, so whilst I know that is one way to go, I am also interested in 'looking outside the box' as they say.

I live in Sutton, South London, so I know there are lots of schemes in places like Brixton I can get advice from as well.

Thanks for the encouragement, I have very little contact with kids now, and was wondering whether I had taken on the impossible.

I have one more issue, which I will also bring up with the social workers as well, which is I am the local rep for a pagan organisation. My faith is very important to me and I doubt I can keep it secret as I am on the web a lot and run local pagan events. Will that make me suspicious to the authorities or even the parents of the kids I am trying to help? I am certainly not ever going to mention it in terms of converting the kids to it, but it may come up anyway, of course I maybe being paranoid!smiley - magic


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