Weekly Update – 17/12/2020
Dear all,
The past week has seen us continue with our sessions from Didcot Methodist Church, also now alongside our admin based work, after the Church Council kindly offering us a space to use whilst we continue our search for alternative premises. A further premises update will be included in our December Newsletter at the end of the week.
Considering last week’s youth work activities, the week included a number of brilliant sessions including:
– Young Women’s Group – many came along for a creative session to educate on positive wellbeing. Conversations were also held around politics with the upcoming election.
– Detached and Outreach – focused around the Orchard Centre in response to recent anti-social behaviour. It has been great to be able to run an additional weekly session of detached throughout December, as part of Lisa’s ‘What’s Up’ project with Ruskin College. Fellow students William and Zane have been joining her for the session as part of their work – we welcome to both to the team!
– Dinner and Debate – over 25 YP attended the sessions across the week, centred around engaging YP in positive activities, as opposed to ASB.
– Head Start – the last week of the first 6 week programme of the year, for 16 11 year olds at Stephen Freeman and Willowcroft Primary Schools. YP explored their support networks, being encouraged to reach out to friends and professionals when in need of guidance. Each group then importantly reflected on their progress over the programme, which we will offer an update on in our January newsletter. We have encouraged to the come along to our Dinner and Debate sessions in the new year. This will support each in continuing to build their confidence in looking after their mental health and wellbeing, as we are passionate about not just offering small, one-off interventions, but the opportunity for YP to step into our service.
Alice also attended a multi-agency meeting with The Police, Orchard Centre and Burger King staff, to support a positive approach to recent reports of ASB. Train has been able to offer 6 days a week of detached and outreach and has also offered training to staff around YP’s actions. All staff have introduced themselves to BK staff and given them their work phone numbers. We continue to support the community but also advocate for the YP.
This week will be a particularly exciting one, before staff and volunteers have a well-earned rest to refresh themselves for the new year. This will include:
– Taking YP who engaged on Head Start to the Cornerstone’s Pinocchio pantomime, after the centre generously donating us tickets! This will be a fantastic way to award the YP for their excellent and enthusiastic engagement in the programme.
– A trip for all YP to Oxfordshire Youth’s Midnight Ice-Skating at Oxford Ice Rink on Saturday evening.
We are looking forward to filling the week with excitement and fun for all who engage with us, considering Christmas can be a difficult time for many YP. We will also importantly be reminding YP throughout the week of the support accessible to them throughout the Christmas period.
We hope you all have good weeks, amidst the rush of all the Christmas preparations! Also to add that with the many requests we have received of how best to support us considering our recent premises circumstances, we have set up a fundraising page for anyone wishing to make a financial contribution. This will particularly go towards supporting us in our need to now hire temporary spaces for sessions for an unknown period of time. Please head to our Wonderful page for more information.
Look out for our Newsletter to be release this Friday and in the meantime if you have any questions for us feel free to give us a call on 07305042427 or email: info@didcottrain.org.uk.
Kind regards,
The TRAIN Team
