Youth Work Week and member spotlights

Youth Work Week Spotlight: My Romania Community

"Starting from April 2020, representatives and volunteers from My Romania Community, in partnership with Young Brent Foundation, have taken part in an ongoing Information and Involvement Detached Outreach Project aimed at young people in the London Borough of Brent. In outreaching the young people, our representatives, and volunteers:

- provided information to young people aged 10-25, on services and activities that are available in Brent.
- discussed the changes they would like to see in Brent as a result of the new local and global changes since the pandemic.
-discussed and provided information on the ease of restrictions in the UK
-discussed the perceptions and experiences during Lockdown 1, Lockdown 2 and Lockdown 3, online school and learning, online extracurricular and after-school activities and remote working.
-discussed perceptions and addressed concerns on re-adapting to face-to-face activities and how these will take place.
-discussed and noted the aspirations young people have for the near future.
-signposted to services they can access on topical aspects including: Leisure, Education, Employment and Training.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Project:

"During the pandemic, with the fantastic support from Young Brent Foundation and Brent Council, My Romania Community organised "DIALOG DESPRE SĂNĂTATEA MINTALĂ" "Discussions About Mental Health." This had taken place over a series of five live broadcasted sessions, discussing different aspects of mental health and wellbeing.
Young people and their families could view the materials together and put forward their questions, to be answered. Viewers had also been provided with local resources that they can access to discuss any questions and concerns in ensuring the best outcome and care towards Mental Health and Wellbeing. We are delighted to have been able to offer the support to the young people and their families in Romanian language through this project."

Denisa, My Romania Community

Youth Work Week Spotlight: Sport at The Heart

Sport at the Heart (SATH) provides opportunities for children and families to participate in sport/physical activity and play provision in a variety of community venues, where residents have least access to opportunities.

They have engaged over 1,000 families to directly improve health and wellbeing in Brent. SATH currently engage 150-200 individuals on a weekly basis, and 80 children a day in the school holidays in activity and wellbeing sessions.

In 2021, SATH took up the opportunity to be part of the YBF Brent Goes Wild project so they could introduce the young people they work with to STEM activities. SATH were successful in receiving a grant towards session delivery, plus two practical Natural History Museum training sessions for their staff and an equipment kit to get started straight away. This has allowed them to expand their offer to the young people that participate in their holiday programmes to explore activities to connect to nature. 30 young people who wouldn’t normally sign up to STEM type activities participated in their BGW project over the summer and loved the sessions.

Through the BGW project they were able to take 20 young people to the Walthamstow Wetlands for a packed day of activities with the London Wildlife Trust and Flock Together during half term and also run a BGW event which involved parents getting involved in planting and growing activities.