Click Programme

Claire DentonPersonal Adviser

What is Click?

• Group work based programme of focussed topics for up to 14 weeks, including individual mentoring.

• Supports positive progression at time of transition in young peoples lives, Year 9 options, Post 16 opportunities, Progression after Further Education.

• Exploration of holistic issues and needs.

• Supportive environment, positive relationships developed between young people and Advisor.

• Practical activities and visits to colleges.

• County wide across Hertfordshire since 2009.

Who will benefit? • Young people identified with the following issues will benefit from participating in

‘Click’:

• At risk of not achieving 5 x A*- C grade GCSE’s.

• Risk of being not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) after transition.

• Not achieving their potential, through low motivation, self esteem, confidence, barriers.

• Vulnerable young people, easily influenced by others, unable to make own choices and decisions.

• Young people identified with attendance issues or a family issue that could affect positive progression.

‘Click’ Journey

• Individual Self Assessment on holistic factors, identifying issues and needs currently affecting their lives.

• Exploring Aspirations, how do you want your life to look? Visual and practical activity ‘dream boards’.

• Discussion of what steps are needed to achieve targets and goals towards realistic aspirations.

• Personal development in areas such as identifying skills & qualities, communication, interview skills.

• Guidance in overcoming barriers, such as lack of qualifications, money, health, family issues.

Feedback

• Feedback and evaluation of every programme.

• Click Advisors implement appropriate changes to programme.

• “It’s opened my views and opinions and I feel better about myself”.

• “It helped me build skills to help me in later life”.

• “I enjoyed telling other people what they’re good at”.

• “Realised I have to do things for myself if I want them to happen”.

• “I think Aspirations were the main impact on the students. They found it very useful in terms of thinking about direction and career paths”.

Outcomes • February 2009 – present, over 95% of participants are in education, employment and training.

• March 2010 – April 2011: Approximately 330 young people have participated in Click activities, a 50% increase on previous year

• College taster session has been a positive turning point for a participant – has applied for course, made a good impression with tutors on visit.

• Participants have achieved progression onto 2nd year of Diploma course at West Herts College through increased motivation and support.

• Click Advisors have supported families, providing information and advice.

• Outdoor activities have helped young people achieve new challenges, that they did not have the self belief to try, such as caving.

Questions

LDD Team - Case Study

Jen Deacon – Learning for Living and Work Broker

Steve Israel – LDD Personal Adviser

J is 17 years old and has a Moderate Learning Disability, Autism and associated challenging behaviour

• Year 9 Annual Review – transition planning started

• Ongoing 1:1 meetings between J and his Personal Adviser

• Ongoing attendance at annual review meetings

• Year 11 Learning for Living and Work (LfLW) Assessment process started

• LfLW Assessment at Hertford Regional College– College staff observation’s of J on the school link

course to college– College staff observation of J in school– Multi-agency meeting with Youth Connexions,

school, college– Youth Connexions feedback of J and his families

views– College reviewed LfLW Framework & associated

reports

• Hertford Regional College felt unable to meet J’s support needs even with LfLW funding

• J and his family wanted to access a local college not an independent specialist provider

• Bespoke LfLW package developed

• Completing NOCN – Personal Progression certification

• 3 days per week community based life skills and independence skills with Dimensions

• 2 days per week work related learning• Tutorials in each setting with Hertford

Regional College staff

• 2:1 support reduced to 1:1

• No instances of challenging behaviour

• Communication skills have improved

• Travelling to Mudlarks without support

• Starting a work experience placement

What Next?

• Complete a second year at college

• Investigate independent living

• Maintain paid or voluntary employment

• Access local community

Questions

Friday and SaturdayEvening Events

Simon Wright Youth Worker

Friday & Saturday Night Projects

Youth Connexions has acted on young peoples feedback that Friday and Saturday evening projects should have a different feel to those which are delivered throughout the week.

Examples of Friday and Saturday evening projects:

– Sports Projects– Dance Projects– Café Style Projects – Film Projects– Open Mic Sessions– Live Music Events

Live Music Events - Aims and Purpose

• Responding to consultation with young people.

• Based around young people’s wants and needs.• To create opportunities for young people to engage in

high quality positive activities.• Increasing numbers of young people accessing youth

provision through music events across the county on Friday & Saturday evenings.

• To enable young people to set up and take an active lead in planning and delivering all live music events.

• Showcasing young people’s talent.

Pioneer - St AlbansThe Wildlife Music Gigs

• The Pioneer music events have now been running for 3 years.

• Average attendance is 108 young people.• Age range is 13 – 19.• No alcohol, no smoking events.• An active young people’s events committee which

have successfully applied for funding for the refurbishment of the main hall including the installation of a new P/A lighting & tech area.

Performers and BandsOver the last year 36 youth bands have had the opportunity to perform.Average age of the performers is 17. Young people are involved with the setting up and sound checking.

Addressing Issues – Impact of lyrics. – Challenging language, attitudes and stereotypes.

Outcomes for the young people– Building self esteem.– Self-discipline & time keeping.– Team working.– Developing their stage craft.– Young people have been able to record their music at the County Music Studio.

Events Committee

Over 20 young people have been involved in the events committee.Young people are involved in all aspects of the planning and delivery:– Designing publicity– Promoting the event– Booking bands and allocating time slots– Setting up for the event– Running sound checks under supervision– Stage management on the eveningOutcomes for young people:– Events management - Accredited Outcomes– Aware of issues regarding H&S – Working to deadlines– Negotiation and organisational skills – Training to use lighting rig & P/A system

Audience

Issues have been identified by youth workers through discussions with young people.

Issues which have been addressed: – Attitudes to alcohol and substance misuse.– Impact of tobacco and smoking on health.– Keeping yourself safe.

In addition these events have been used to:– Provide information on other Youth Connexions activities

and support in the district.– Signpost young people to other agencies.

The Success Continues

• Live music events now include a DJ room for young people to perform.

• Increased provision to include a monthly Open MIC session, “talent night”.

Quote from young person:

“I truly believe that the Pioneer Youth Centre events provide something for people to do, rather then looking for trouble or waiting for it to come to them.”

Alex 17 St Albans

Bowes Lyon Centre, StevenageAfter Dark Music Events

• After Dark music events have been running for 4 years.

• Take place in an area of high deprivation.• Average attendance is 244 young people. • Young people are aged between 13 – 18.• This event is run in partnership with Herts Music

Service. • Events are organised by a young people’s Music

Development Group and supported by Stevenage Youth Council.

Performers and Bands

Over the last year 48 youth bands have had the opportunity to perform.Average age of the performers is 17.

Addressing Issues – Perceptions of the influence of drugs and alcohol in the music industry.– Challenging language, attitudes and stereotypes.

Outcomes for the young people– Opportunity to perform in front of their peers and a live, paying audience.– Building self esteem and confidence. – Self-discipline & time keeping.– The potential to access opportunities in the music industry.

Music Development Group18 young people are currently involved in the music development group.

This is a subgroup of the Stevenage Youth Council:

Young people are involved in all aspects of the planning and delivery, including: Choosing the bands and agreeing running order.– Promoting the event .– Meeting and greeting the bands, setting expectations.– Setting up for the event and undertaking the sound and lighting checks.– Clearing up after the event.

Outcomes for young people:– Training in light and sound engineering. – Team work, working to deadlines, negotiation and organisational skills. – Awareness of the importance of health and safety.

Audience

Issues have been identified by youth workers through discussions with young people and also through knowledge of the area.

Issues which have been addressed :– Sexual Health, in particular around teenage pregnancy.– Promoting C-Card and also Chlamydia testing.– Attitudes to alcohol and substance misuse.

In addition these events have been used to:– Make young people aware of the Stevenage One Stop Shop and the

facilities which it offers.– Provide information on other activities and events for young people

in the locality.

Next Steps

Next Steps:

• Plans are a foot for a music café on a Saturday evening.

• Extend opportunities to an open mic session on a Friday night.

Feedback from Police

“The After Dark gigs in Stevenage have been a godsend to our patrols as they provide a positive alternative to hanging about on the streets for those youth’s for whom this represents their youth culture”

Paul Lawlor, Youth Crime Reduction Officer Community Safety Co-ordination Unit, Stevenage Police Station

Other Music Events

Growing number of Youth Connexions Friday and Saturday night music events across the county including:• Breaks Manor Gig, Welwyn Hatfield• Northgate Music Nights, East Herts• Waltham Cross DJ and Band Nights, Broxbourne• Tring Open Mic Nights, Dacorum• North Herts Music Events

To Conclude

“The Arts Participating in art, music, drama and dance can build confidence, self-esteem and self-discipline and help develop social and team working skills. It can also help young people to be more open minded, better able to make friends and to deal with difficult experiences, and be more creative in their thinking”

Aiming high for young people: a ten year strategy for positive outcomes.

Questions

Examples of youth work inYouth Connexions

Laura ButcherYouth Worker

Gardens Drama

Locality:– South Oxhey in Three Rivers

Current membership: – 23 young people aged 14 – 25

Project focus: – Open project– Targeted at young people with LDD

Need Identified

To provide opportunities and experiences that will support young people with LDD to develop a range of skills and understanding through a clear learning process. These include:

– personal learning and growth– the ability to make informed choices– develop resilience and increase aspirations

Using drama to address young people’s needs

Grease Production Programme development:

– Consultation with young people at the project on a termly basis.

– Needs identified by youth workers through conversations and observations.

Programme DeliveryIdentified issues were linked to scenes in the play

Examples included:

• Beauty school drop out – Career Options– what are your skills, what can you do next

• Summer loving - Relationships– how do you tell someone you like them, good and bad relationships

• Look at me I’m Sandra Dee – Peer Pressure– confidence to be yourself, it’s OK to disagree with your friends

• Strictly Come Dancing vote off – Is competition good or bad?– looking at the pros and cons of competition, what happens if

competition goes too far

Outcomes

• Performed at Watford Boys Grammar School and at the National Youth Work Week event in November.

• Young people achieved accredited and recorded outcomes.

• Increased confidence.• Increased understanding and awareness of issues

covered including, careers, relationships, alcohol, peer pressure, road safety.

What’s Next?

• Keeping safe when going out in the evenings.

• Further work on alcohol awareness.

• Independent travelling including using the train.

• What to do when things go wrong.

Other LDD youth projects

• Megamix – Stevenage• Bennetts End integrated project - Dacorum• Snappy G’s – North Herts• Focus – Broxbourne• 7 2 10 – Hertford• Diversity integrated project - Watford• Monks Walks autistic group - Welwyn Hatfield• Harpenden integrated project – St Albans

All deliver youth work through a wide range of positive activities such as drama, art, cooking, sports, music.

Waltham Cross Youth Centre

Locality:Waltham Cross in Broxbourne.

Focus need:Area of deprivation and high need.Open project. Also targets young people with LDD and Young Carers.

Facilities:Music and recording studio, kitchen, gym, stage, large screen, multi use room.

Tuesday Youth Project

DofE Award – Young people were not able to access DofE in their local area– Supporting young people’s progression in a holistic approach– Enhance young people’s skills and opportunities by achieving accredited

outcomes

Bike Maintenance – Young people’s bikes in poor condition– Need to ensure young people use transport safely– Developing practical skills to maintain their bike– Develop communication and team work skills

Young Carers– Space for young carers to receive support through staff and their peers– Address common issues– Opportunities to participate in activities outside of their caring

responsibilities

Programme

DofE AwardProgramme was planned with young people, finding out what skills/activities they wanted to focus on to support the various sections of DofE.

• Sewing project - Basic introduction, making a garment (skills)• Fitness project – Initial fitness test, upper and lower body

work outs (Physical)• Yoga project – Basic yoga moves (Physical)• Expedition training – Cooking, team building, navigation, map

reading (expedition)

ProgrammeBike Maintenance

Following feedback from young people after a successful 4 week summer project:

• Bike ClinicYoung people bring in their bikes to ensure that they are kept in good working order and carry out repairs.Learn how to check that their bikes are safe.

• Bike WorkshopYoung people are taught skills how to strip down a bike, replace various sections and put it back together.

• Additional Outcomes – has encouraged young people to learn practical skills and opened up opportunities for discussions about career choices, education and addressing risky behaviour. Also enabled young people to access DofE.

Programme

Young Carers:

• Healthy lifestyles - Cooking project. • Growing vegetables – where food comes from.• Support emotional health and wellbeing – provide

environment for young people to be themselves outside of potentially stressful family environments.

• Feel supported and listened to.• Raising awareness of the needs of young carers.

Watford Friday Night Project

Locality:– Westfield Community Sports Centre, Watford.

Current membership:– Average attendance is 35 young people.

Focus:– Area of deprivation– Large BME population– Young people at risk of offending– Young people at risk of exclusion

Need Identified

Initially young people said:• We would like more to do on a Friday night• We would like affordable sports activities• We would like sports activities that are for all abilities

Underlying need:• BME groups not accessing positive activities• Bullying• Health education• Career advice and support

Programme

Youth Workers have used sports to:• Integrate young people from BME groups.• Challenge bullying and racism. • Address personal safety / street awareness.• Raise young people’s awareness as to the impact of

smoking on health.

The project encouraged and supported 10 young people to stand for the UK Youth Parliament elections resulting in one young person being a Deputy Member of the UK Youth Parliament.

Quality Youth Work• Based around young people’s wants and needs.

• Focused on and promoted to vulnerable groups and targeted localities.

• Young people are involved in all aspects including planning and evaluation.

• Clear objectives and good planning.

• Successful outcomes for young people.

Questions