Weekly Update 20.10.20

We hope you are all keeping well. Quite a few bits to report on our end from the past couple of weeks!

Goodbye Justina!

Firstly we said goodbye for now to Justina as she begins her maternity leave! We thank her for the incredibly hard work she has put in over the past few months in managing the changes to our delivery throughout the lockdown, leading our staff team and all the valuable support she has provided to the many young people she has mentored. We’ve ordered her to go rest!!

Lucinda, stepping into her role, has got stuck right in in planning upcoming mentoring arrangements with young people at local schools, which she is very excited to begin after half term.

Otherwise the past days have seen the team’s activities taking the form of:

• Detached – meeting young people out and about has offered meaningful opportunities over the past days for relationship building and, in light of antisocial behaviour witnessed amongst some young people, holding conversations around positive decision making and the importance of social distancing, which it has been great to see being taken on board. Thanks Martin and Darren for your support as always!
• 1:1 check-ins and mentoring – staff have continued to reach out to young people to check in on how they’re doing and offer them advice and support, including guidance when it comes to CV writing and researching job opportunities. 
• Interactive Worksheets – last week focused on growing young people’s understandings when it comes to the UK politics system. 
• Instagram polls – from ‘what career would you rather ‘ debate polls to general knowledge quizzes and, in light of Black History Month, questions focused around the important topic, which also supported our awareness of young people’s appreciations of black history and thoughts around racism. 
• World Mental Health Day – particularly considering the peculiar circumstances this year has brought, we signposted young people towards relevant resources and information on the many brilliant services offering support when it comes to overcoming personal struggles.   

St Peter’s Quiz:

A particular thank you this week goes to St Peter’s Church for kindly choosing TRAIN as their chosen charity for funds from their October monthly quiz to be donated to. A huge thank you to all who donated, as all amounts are incredibly valuable to support our ability to continue providing our activities to the young people accessing TRAIN. 

Oxfordshire Youth Awards 2020:

We are also incredibly grateful for the nomination we received for Oxfordshire Youth’s Youth Project Award, to be announced alongside a number of other brilliant awards at their Youth Awards 2020 next Wednesday 28th! Being streamed virtually at 7pm, anyone can register for free so we urge you to note the date! Nominations are also still being taken till this Friday for their Covid-19 Young Hero Award – a wonderful way of recognising those who have been working to make a real difference over the pandemic. To register for the evening click here and to nominate a young person for the Award -> here!  

Please Spread the Word!

We are always hugely thankful to everyone who spreads the word about our provision – particularly valuable this week for making more young people (aged 11-18) in the town aware we are here over their half-term breaks! The team have some exciting Halloween themed activities up their sleeves… All young people need to do to see what the team are offering is to follow/friend their professional social media accounts:

Facebook:  @LisaTRAIN       @CharlotteTRAIN       @LucindaTRAIN      

Instagram:   @charlottedidcottrain     @lisadidcottrain       @trainlucinda

They are also welcome to message or call them in their working hours – click here for contact numbers. 

Otherwise, do keep taking care and a particular congratulations to all teachers after their challenging term in supporting young people going back to school around necessary guidelines and precautions. We continue to commend all who are working incredibly hard in these times and thank you all for your continued support to us.  

Please reach out if you have any questions for us over the coming days. 

Best wishes, 

The TRAIN Team