Youth Service News Issue 1 - Leicestershire County Council

News
Editor
Neil Hanney
Youth Service
Leicestershire
County Council
County Hall
Glenfield
Leicester
LE3 8RF
IN THIS ISSUE
February 2006
INTRODUCTION
2 An introduction by
Neil Hanney
Principal Youth Officer
LOCAL AWARD
LAUNCH
3 Highlights from the
celebration evening at
the Walkers Staduim
PHILIP LAWRENCE
AWARDS
4 Celebrating
outstanding
citizenship
NEWS FROM
THE JITTY
6 The story so far...
YOUTH CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT
7 An update from
Glenfield and
Waltham Centres
DUKE OF
EDINBURGH
AWARDS
8 News from the
training weekend
Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life

Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
AN INTRODUCTION
by Neil Hanney
Principal Youth Officer
I am really pleased to introduce the
first edition of the Youth Service
Newsletter. We are at an important
time in our work with young people.
Major changes to the way Children and
Young People’s services are delivered
are taking place. It is important that
we recognise the contribution the
Youth Service makes to the Integrated
Children’s Services’ agenda.
The articles in the newsletter are
examples of our work with young
people that contribute to the 5 Every
Child Matters outcomes: Be Healthy,
Stay Safe, Enjoy and Achieve, Make a
Positive Contribution and Achieving
Economic Wellbeing. The Youth
Service is well positioned to develop its
work with young people and continues
to build effective partnerships with
the voluntary sector, Connexions, The
Youth Offending Service and others.
I trust you will enjoy reading the first
of our regular newsletters and look
forward to receiving articles from you
for future editions.
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS
By Stuart
Cross, Quality
Assurance,
Staff
Development
and Training
Officer
The County Council’s
Youth Service launched a
new award and celebrated
the achievements of
young people at a special
evening. Over 300 young
people, parents and
Youth Workers attended
the evening held at the
Walkers Stadium on the
6th December, hosted by
Rae and Kev from Leicester
Sound.
Ivan Ould, Deputy Leader
of the County Council with
responsibility for Children
and Young People’s
Services, presented four
different types of awards
to over 120 young people
from projects across
the County as well as
launching the Local Youth
Work Award.

Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
Launch of Local Awards
Highlight of Celebration Evening
The Local Youth Work Award has been developed
to capture and recognise the learning and
achievement of young people not engaged in
other award programmes. It is based on 30 hours
of learning reflecting the range of opportunities
available to young people through their youth
work programmes.
The award has been operating this year and
over 50 young people have completed various
projects and pieces of work on their way to
receiving the accolade.
The evening recognised and celebrated the
achievements of young people who have
participated in the Youth Achievement Award
and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Part time
youth workers also received their NVQ Level 3
certificates after successfully completing their
initial youth work training.
Mr Ould said: “It was fantastic to have the
opportunity to officially recognise the hard
work and achievements of young people.
Leicestershire’s Youth Service continues to
work with young people in a constructive,
educational and effective way often in difficult
circumstances”.
“The new Local Award is an excellent way of
marking young people’s learning achieved
outside of the school setting. I would like to
congratulate everyone involved in this initiative,
particularly the young people who have proved
that, given support and encouragement, they can
achieve great things.”
Young people from the projects below attended
and received awards:
• Countesthorpe Youth Centre,
Baby Sitting Course
• Groby, ‘Big Sister Big Brother’ Project
• Groby & John Cleveland Youth Centres,
Baby Sitting Courses
• Entry to Employment (E2E),
Wigston Young People’s Centre
• Kibworth Youth Centre
• Groby, Winstanley and Market Bosworth
‘Transition’ Project
• Newbridge, ‘What About Me’ Project
• Roundhill Youth Centre, ‘Fun 4 All’
• Ibstock Youth Centre,
‘Baby Think It Over’ Project
There was music from the Rawlins Steel Band and
a performance from The Mighty Zulu Nation, a
South African Touring Theatre Company.
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS

Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
By Andrew Lake
Area Youth Work Coordinator
for Young People at Risk for
Charnwood and Melton
The Philip Lawrence Awards celebrate “outstanding
citizenship” by groups of young people aged 11-
20, in projects that help community safety and
counter crime, violence and racism. The awards
are supported by the Home Office. They are
national awards set up in memory of the Head
Teacher Philip Lawrence, who was killed outside his
school 10 years ago breaking up a fight.
Dreamers is the County Youth Service’s education
and support project for young asylum seekers and
refugees who are living in Leicestershire. It is an
important strand in the strategy of working with
young people at risk. It currently involves over 100
young people from Albania, Kosovo, Afghanistan,
Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Eritrea, Syria and other countries.
The group meet together to learn and support
each other. They also work towards developing
and fostering a better understanding by the wider
community of asylum seekers and refugees.
Our entry for the Awards began life during the
summer. A significant part of the entry form had
to be produced and written by the young people
themselves – quite a challenge when English is
not your first language. (Dreamers have over 8
languages in use at most of the sessions), but anyway,
a focus group of Dreamers’ members was formed.
The first session of the focus group met at Pizza
Hut. Ten of the group turned up. I set out the
idea of why I thought they should enter the
Awards. The group asked me questions such as
“Why would a National Award body give us an
award – we are not even British – we are asylum
seekers and not many people like us”.
This was going to be tricky! I remember trying
to say something encouraging and pointed out
to them how they were contributing positively
“Why would a Nationa
body give us an award
– we are not even Brit
– we are asylum seek
not many people like
FROM A BUFFET TO
WINNING A PHILIP L
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS

l Award
ish
ers and
us”
to community life in the County and
that Dreamers isn’t a project that backs
down from challenge.
At this point the group immediately
asked me to hand over all the forms
and to go and help myself at the buffet
– they would deal with it. The young
people discussed what and how they
could say what they wanted to say. I
remember butting in to tell them that
spelling and grammar were not that
important and I would help to correct
them, especially if I couldn’t understand
what they were trying to say.
I wondered what they were writing
– something pretty intense was going
on judging by the huddles and lots of
paper swapping hands.
Eventually, they handed me back the
forms and their notes and dashed off to
see if I had left anything for them
to eat.
I read their notes. They had written
about how Dreamers had helped them. I
was touched by the depth and content of
the writings. Here are some examples.
“Every problem I have, I know where
to go and sort it out. I never wanted
to talk; now I talk with people from
different parts of the world. Together
we are stronger”, young person 16.
“Dreamers have taken away from me my
aloneness, feeling like an outsider that
no one cares about”, young person 16.
“When I go to Dreamers I feel strong
and I am powerful. I am not alone
and people want to know me”, young
person 15.
“I lost my home and family, Dreamers
reunited me with my cousin and helped
us get a flat together. They care about
us”, young person 18.
And there were lots more.
I was touched by what they had
produced and told them so as they
Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
tucked into plates of pizza. I told them
I would submit their work as the core
of the entry. The focus group still had
little belief that they could win.
A few months later we had a phone
call. Dreamers had won an Award!
Dreamers decided that 2 European,
2 Arab, one African and one Afghan
member would make up the delegates
who would travel to London to receive
the Award. It was felt that this mix
highlighted the makeup of the group.
A few weeks later we were checking
into a hotel, travelling on trains,
undergrounds, attending rehearsals
etc. These were new experiences for
the group members and for some
of them quite a bewildering and
challenging experience.
The day of the Award Ceremony at the
Bloomsbury Theatre came. The theatre
was packed with spectators. Our group
was called to the stage with the other
9 Award winning groups to receive
their Award and a cheque for £1000.
Presenting them with their Award was
Frances Lawrence (widow of Philip), Sir
Trevor McDonald and Charles Clark,
the Home Secretary. Afterwards the
group mixed with VIP guests, other
groups and, of course, the media. The
members’ sense of pride and sheer
delight in succeeding was clear to see.
To contact Dreamers Tel: 01509 267 796.
AWRENCE AWARD!
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS

Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
By James Hunter,
Website Development Worker
“The Jitty”, a new website created especially for Young People (13-19) in
Leicestershire, is now live. It aims to provide co-ordinated information, advice and
support to enable users to make informed decisions at key points in their lives.
The website was developed following consultation with young people, and the
content is presented in a lively and accessible style, covering national issues such as
bullying, exams and crime. The site also provides details about what is happening
locally including events, entertainment and sport, and regularly runs competitions.
There is an editorial team of young people who update and manage the site, while
there are numerous contributors from around Leicestershire who regularly submit
work (film reviews, CD reviews, opinions on what is happening in national and
international news etc).
Anyone aged between 13 and 19 is welcome to join the writers’ group, and there is
a “Join Up” section on the website which gives details on how to become involved.
If you don’t want to write articles, you can still take part by signing up to the “Chat
Forum” where you can talk to other young people from around Leicestershire.
Katy, who was a student at Guthlaxton College in Wigston and is now studying at
University, said: “I would encourage young people to get involved and get their views
across. It gives you an opportunity to write about any subject that affects youth.”
In the past year the number of visitors to the site has steadily increased. This time
last year The Jitty only received 400 visits and was short of content, but over the last
couple of months we have been receiving over 7000 visits a month, and there are a
number of articles submitted by young people ranging from poetry and cartoons to
film/CD reviews.
The Jitty can be found at
www.thejitty.com
James Hunter, Web
Development Youth Worker,
Room G49, County Hall,
Glenfield, Leicestershire
LE8 3RF Tel: 0116 2657036
E-Mail: jhunter@leics.gov.uk
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS
Glenfield Youth Centre

Following on from last year’s Awards night success,
this year’s proved bigger and better. It was held at
Belton Woods Hotel, Grantham and, the event was
a great success, enjoyed by all who attended.
All the Young People did themselves proud by
wearing formal wear (Suits and Evening Dresses
– including the Youth Workers! - not a pair of
trainers or tracksuit to be seen!!)
Everyone enjoyed a superb three-course
Christmas meal before building up to the Young
People’s awards presentation - the young people
all nominated each other for various awards
ranging from: best cook, chav award, sports
person, funniest and nosiest. The Youth Workers,
Dannii, Nikki and Andy presented the awards
before enjoying a karaoke to end the evening.
Here are some comments from the young people:
“I was part of the youth club that went to Belton
Woods. We went for a Christmas meal and also had
a karaoke. We were presented with awards for the
past years achievements. We all had fun at the party
and overall it was a great night out for members as
well as staff, thank you very much”.
“We had a good night when we went to Belton
Woods. Meal was really nice and had a good laugh
when it came to the karaoke. I rekon everyone had
a good night, so good all round. Cheers”.
Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
Developments at Glenfield Youth Centre
By Adrian Clifford, Area Youth Work Coordinator
The New Year has seen continued
development of Glenfield Youth
Centre. Previously used as a library,
the building is now managed by the
Youth Service and has undergone an
extensive programme of refurbishment
tailored to the needs of young people.
In order to develop provision, youth work staff
previously used the Parish Council Pavilion on
Ellis Park. However, as membership continued
to grow it quickly became evident that demand
had outgrown the facility. The move to the new
building provides many exciting development
opportunities and gives young people access to a
modern dedicated youth work space.
The centre has numerous meeting rooms, a fully
re-fitted kitchen, as well as on-going development
of an ICT suite that is intended to provide young
people with supervised internet and email access.
Young people’s response to the new centre has
been fantastic and a strong sense of ownership
has quickly been established; members are just
beginning to progress design of a mural in order to
decorate the lounge area. Currently meeting two
evenings a week, it is intended that services and
provision will be extended as funding enables, and
over time a range of multi-agency partnership work
and practice developed.
Waltham Youth Club Awards Night 00
By Dannii Donovan, Youth Worker Vale of Belvoir
“Thanks 4 the great CRIMBO PARTY it was intense
we had an amazing time, the meal was nice ! I hope
every1 else enjoyed it as much as I did!!!!! Thanks”.
“Well am not sure what to say so here it comes: I
went to Belton to a fat x-mass dinner. It was brill.
The thing I liked most was the disco wiv all the
good, hope you all had a wicked time, hope next
time will be better and bigger.
Good bye Waltham massive”.
“Hi I had a good time at the Christmas bash with
youth club the only thing I dint like about the meal
was the brussels they tasted like they were just
picked and washed then served not picked washed
cooked then served luv ya all ps cook the brussels
next time…”.
“Christmas bash was phat! I was singin cus im a
rapper man init! I was gonna sing wiv… but she
bottled it n left me
2 sing on me own
but still blew the
crowd away wiv me
sick rhymes. Food
was nice n tasty so
that were a bonus,
overall night was
good had a blast.
Cheers”
Waltham Awards Night
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS

Educate, Challenge, Empower, Young People Learning for Life
Duke of Edinburgh Training
By Margaret Sault, Youth Worker
Ibstock & Newbridge
A Duke of Edinburgh Training weekend was held on the 7th January
2006 at Bamford Bunkhouse, Derbyshire.
The objective was to trek to the top of Win Hill (1500 feet), timing our
route so that the young people we take through the D of E awards could
tell exactly how long it would take them on a planned walk. There were
9 of us in all including leaders Russell Woods and Bill Whittle, even our
mini bus driver Peter, a keen rambler, joined the walk. The morning
was wet; the fields were very muddy; one of the young trainees fell to
her knees in mud and shed a few tears. “I can’t do this”, but was soon
reassured that all would be well.
One ascent was hard going in the rain and then it started to snow, but
when we reached the top, standing there shrouded in mist the feeling of
exhilaration was quite palpable. The young person who had previously
slipped remarked upon how glad she was she had carried on and was
now enjoying the experience. She thanked Russell for encouraging her
to go on.
The risks to safety were pointed out along the way, each member of the
group was allowed a chance to lead in pairs and set tasks of getting to
a certain point along the way. It was a very valuable practical learning
experience that I was very pleased to have been part of.
If you would like to train for the Basic Expedition Leader Award, then
classes start on the 23 February 2006 at Roundhill Community College,
The training has been condensed into 6 weeks this year, instead of
the usual 3 months. The training involves a Saturday and Sunday at
Beaumanor Hall and 2 residential weekends. For further details contact
Russell Woods on 0116 267 0840.
E E Succeeds
Do you know a young person struggling
to find a job, lacking in self confidence,
social and basic skills holding them back?
Denise Wall of the E2E project would
like to help. Started only a year ago E2E
has helped 16 young people and has
successfully encouraged 12 young people
into work, further education courses or
apprenticeships.
For further information please contact
Denise Wall on 0116 288 0980 or
email denny-wall27@hotmail.co.uk
YOUTH SERVICE NEWS
CONTACT US
To submit articles
and comments for
future publication
please contact: Jill
Sergent Leicestershire
County Council, Youth
Service, Room G16,
County Hall, Glenfield,
Leicestershire LE3 8RF
Tel: 0116 265 6366
Fax: 0116 265 6398
Email:
jsergent@leics.gov.uk
For further information
on youth provision
in your area, please
contact your local area
youth office.
North Area
Youth Office
(for Syston, Melton,
Loughborough, Birstall
and surrounding areas)
Tel: 0116 267 0840
West Area
Youth Office
(for Coalville, Market
Harborough, Groby and
surrounding areas)
Tel: 01530 836 879
South Area
Youth Office
(for Market
Harborough, Wigston,
Oadby, Lutterworth and
surrounding areas)
Tel: 0116 282 4540
Job vacancies can be
found on the County
Council website at
www.leics.gov.uk/jobs