Vote for Youth Action Wiltshire This February in Our 2020 Charity Poll and Help Support and Empower Young People!

Who Are Youth Action Wiltshire? 

Youth Action Wiltshire is the award-winning youth arm of Wiltshire charity Community First (registered charity number 288117). They support, inspire and guide young people to a healthier wellbeing and a brighter future. This is done across 5 key project areas. 

Wiltshire Young Carers Service

Keeping young people who have a significant caring role within their family safe in their roles and equipping them for the future. Last year, 331 young carers aged 5-18 years accessed support. This was including 199 who were newly referred. 92% of their young carers reported that they felt safer in their caring role and 87% reported improved confidence, health and wellbeing.

Splash

Providing positive activity programmes and one to one support for young people “facing challenges in their lives.” This can include the following:

• Special educational needs or disabilities.
• Those on child protection plans, in care, or at risk of anti-social behaviour.
• Victims/witnesses of crime.
• Those from families facing bereavement, breakdown, mental health issues, substance misuse, financial hardship or isolation.

Splash has a number of aims: 

• Raise young people's self esteem and confidence.
• Divert them from risky anti-social behaviour.
• Reduce peer on peer bullying.
• Empower young people to make independent, positive and safe choices.
• Enabling young people to recognise their own capabilities.

In 2019, Splash provided positive activities for 347 young people aged from 9-16 years facing challenges in their lives. 100% reported an increase in self-esteem and confidence, 76% reported an increase in attendance at school.

Project Inspire

This service supports young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) to overcome barriers and progress. This is done through group activities and 1:1 youth worker support. This enables each individual to overcome the specific barriers they are facing. Project Inspire provided learning programmes for 49 young people who were NEET and 40 young people who were at risk of becoming NEET. 82% of Inspire participants exited the programme into sustainable Education, Employment or Training during 2019.

Youth Club Support

This project supports the development of new youth clubs and works with youth and young leaders to ensure Wiltshire’s voluntary youth clubs are safe and interesting places to be. The project supported 67 voluntary youth clubs last year. In addition,102 youth leaders and 36 young leaders completed training courses, along with 220 young people who took part in their volunteering programmes.

Outdoor Education Centre

Oxenwood Outdoor Education Centre provides outdoor education for more than 3000 young people each year with new free to access provision for 250 Wiltshire young people who are vulnerable and disadvantaged. 

Youth Action Wiltshire facilitates opportunities for young people to meet other young people who are faced with similar challenges in their lives. Ultimately, this enables them to realise they are not alone. Their services are designed to develop young people’s confidence, self-esteem, social skills, mental health, and to empower them to have a brighter future. 

Youth Action Wiltshire is reliant on donations, grants and fundraising events. Every single vote in this month’s charity poll will help them move towards securing a much needed donation from us here at My Favourite Voucher Codes. Find out more about their projects by visiting their website: 

http://www.communityfirst.org.uk/yaw/