Children North East has
set up a new model of working in two areas of the region,
Sedgefield District in Co Durham and Tynedale in Northumberland.
The project, Youth Link, recruits, trains and maintains
a pool of young people aged 16-25. The young volunteers
work alongside adult volunteers to support families where
there is a family crisis centered around the handling of
adolescent issues. The young volunteers work with the young
person/people in the family while the adult volunteer works
with the parents. Joint activity takes place depending on
the needs of each family at their own pace. Young people
are also signposted to other activities/organisations as
appropriate.
Young volunteers are recruited to help
steer the project and to advise on the suitability of ways
of working with young people in families.
Positive outcomes that will impact positively
on young people, their families and the community include:
• Increased
engagement with ‘hard to reach’ families
• Improved
emotional wellbeing
• Young
people and families enjoy spending more time together
• Young
people and their families engaged in more local services
• Improved
parenting roles
• Increased
volunteering opportunities
The project’s main outcomes complement
and support those outlined in Youth Matters and the Government’s
10 year youth strategy by supporting young volunteers to
work alongside experienced adult volunteers and enabling
one to one support for marginalised young people.
The Youth Link Service
• Embraces
youth involvement
• Delivers
High Quality Volunteering Opportunities
• Embeds
Equality and Diversity
• Inspires
Creativity & Innovation
• Supports
Skills Development
• Encourages
Partnership Working
• Maximises
Community Impact
The project
supports young people through difficult times in their lives
and helps them to become more engaged. The project is welcomed
by families of young people who are struggling with adolescence
to “weather the storm” and to learn new skills
to ensure that their families survive the difficult times.
As a result of these two family-level outcomes, the wider
community benefits from more settled families and young
people who are more ready to take a positive approach to
their lives.
The Youth Link Projects in Sedgefield
and Tynedale are a pilot of this work so that we can develop
the model and use it, subject to funding, in other areas
of the North East.
If
you would like further details about the Youth Link Projects
in Sedgefield or Tynedale please contact Mandy Taylor at
Children North East on 0191 256 2444, mandy.taylor@children-ne.org
Sedgefield
Youth Link is supported by:

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